User:Cmb94/sandbox

Changing demographics can happen in timber and mining towns in the west. The peak and the bust were so close due to Arcata’s relatively late entry into the timber industry, and its domination by mechanization. The population of the city of Arcata was 3,729 just before the decline of the timber industry in 1955, after its peak in the mid-20th century, which exported throughout the country and abroad, according to the census of 1950. For the County of Humboldt, the age distribution for urban residents, which would include Arcata, had 23.7% of the population under the age of 15. Those that would be considered young workers (age 15-24) made up 14% of the population. “Normal” aged workers (age 25-39) made up 23.9% of the population. Older working age (age 40-54) made up 19.4% of the population. Pre-retirement aged (age 55-64) made up 9.7% of the population. Those of retirement age (age 65 and older) made up 9.1% of the population. For Arcata specifically, those age 65 and older was 8.3% of the population, and the median age was 29.4 years.

At the 1960 census, the population of Arcata was 5,235. This would be a few years after the decline of the timber industry. In Arcata the population under the age of 15 was 28.1%. Those age 15-24 made up 22.8% of Arcata’s population. Those age 25-39 made up 19.4% of the population. Those age 40-54 made up 16% of Arcata’s population. Those age 55-64 made up 6.7% of Arcata’s population. Those age 65 and over made up 6.9% of Arcata’s population.

Overall this reflects a lowering in the overall age of the Arcata population in-between 1950 and 1960.