Population Changes
In its early years, the United States was primarily rural, with a population of about 4 million
in the late 1700s. Only about 200,000 (5 percent) lived in cities; the remainder inhabited
rural areas and small communities. That pattern remained until the early 1900s.
During the twentieth century, the urban population continued to increase such that at
present about 75 percent of the U.S. population lives in urban or suburban areas. Large
cities have been declining in population; increases have occurred in suburban areas. These
changes have a significant impact on the need for highway transportation.