Calvin Beale

Calvin Lunsford Beale (June 6, 1923 – September 2, 2008) was an American demographer who specialized in rural demographic trends. He first identified a reverse in population decline in some rural areas, and his work led to the development of the Beale code for categorizing rural development.

Life and career


Born in Washington, D.C., Beale graduated from Eastern High School and the Wilson Teachers College.

After earning a master's degree in sociology from the University of Wisconsin, he worked at the United States Department of Agriculture for 50 years.

In addition to his work as a demographer, Beale was noted for his photographs of county courthouses across the United States.

Beale died of colon cancer in Washington, D.C.