Test Your Knowledge of Basic Demographic Facts
Quickly, what percentage of the US population is over 65? In a recent Twitter quiz, most people failed to answer this or a few other basic demographic questions correctly. (The answer is 15%.)
Although his survey is now closed, sociologist Philip N. Cohen has compiled a handy list of 25 important demographic statistics that are useful in assessing the accuracy and significance of statements such as Trump’s statement: “Since I became president, I have created over a million jobs. … “Or statistics such as” 37% of American prisoners are black . ” Cohen breaks down the population by age, race, education, income, and life expectancy.
Before reading all the statistics, try covering the numbers with your hand and making a guess. You may have outdated numbers in your head. For example, I knew that the US population was 300 million ten years ago, but I had no idea that since then it has grown so much – to 326 million.
The statistics are also available as a one-page PDF so you can print it, stick it to the wall and drill into your head. Cohen updates his roster every few years, so maybe make a calendar event to check it out in 2019.