The U.S. Census expects the nation's population to reach 300 million at about 7:46 (EDT.) a.m. on Oct. 17, 2006. This milestone occurs nearly 39 years after the 200 million mark was reached on Nov. 20, 1967.

The Census Bureau's estimate is based on the expectation that the United States will register one birth every seven seconds and one death every 13 seconds between now and Oct. 17, while net international migration is expected to add one person every 31 seconds. The result is an increase in the total population of one person every 11 seconds.

This rapid increase will result in the formation of more households and more potential homebuyers, not only because of the growing population, but because household size is shrinking, and more people are buying homes.

• The population is living longer. In 1915, life expectancy was 54.5 years; in 1967, it was 70.5 years. By 2006, life expectancy was 77.8 years. The median age of the population was 24.1 years in 1915. By 1967, the median age was 29.5 years, and today, the median age is 36.2 years.

• The population is also delaying marriage, which is contributing to higher numbers of households: In 1915, the median age for men and women respectively to marry was 25.1 and 21.6 years. People married much younger in 1967, 23.1 and 20.6 years respectively. By 2006, the trend had reversed. Men married at 27.1 years and women at 25.8 years.

• In 1915, when the U.S. population reached one million, households were occupied by 4.5 people. By 1967, households contained 3.3 people. Today, 2.6 people occupy homes that have doubled in square footage since 1950.

• Only 45.9 percent of the population owned their own homes in 1915, while 63.6 percent owned their own homes by 1967. In 2006, a record 68.9 percent own their own homes and many own more than one.

According to projections compiled in 1996 by the Census Bureau, the number of households in the U.S. is expected to reach 115 million by 2010. Families with children under the age of 18 are on the decrease, down to 48 percent. By 2010, 3 out of 5 families will have no children under the age of 18, an increase of 28 percent. One quarter of households are maintained by those who live alone, and will increase to 31 million by 2010.

The Census expects approximately 12 million households to be added to the current number between 2000 and 2010.

Published: October 16, 2006

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Blanche is a renowned author of five real estate books. Her newest, Bubbles, Booms and Busts: Make Money In Any Real Estate Market, McGraw-Hill, was rave-reviewed by The New York Times. She was also selected from hundreds of real estate experts to contribute to Donald Trump's book, Trump: The Best Real Estate Advice I Ever Received: 100 Top Experts Share Their Strategies, Rutledge Hill Press, and is featured on page 68. Order Now Review - Honors In 2006, Blanche was selected among scores of candidates to author two consumer real estate guidebooks for the National Association of Realtors: The NAR Guide to Home Buying, and The NAR Guide to Home Selling, Wiley & Sons. She is currently planning two new books for the NAR and its members.       Known for her keen insight into real estate industry issues and for her ability to make complex subjects easy to understand, Blanche is a sought-after keynote and continuing education speaker. Real estate organizations from MLSs, to brokerages, to franchisors, to associations hire her to provide up-to-the-minute analysis of real estate industry news and advice on how to improve revenues. Her passionate delivery, peppered with stinging wit, is a huge hit with audiences and fans. Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors, Blanche Evans, Richard Courtney, president 2007, GRAR "The GNAR membership meeting last week featured Blanche Evans as the keynote speaker. Her comments and insights resonated extremely well with those in attendance and we have had many requests for copies of her PowerPoint Presentation. She was a terrific part of the membership meeting and convention program!" - Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors Coverage from WSMV, Nashville - 8-14-2007 That Interview Guy - Get Inside The Head Of Today's Generation 2007 AE Institute Session - To purchase 2006 AE Institute Session - Parts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 HouseValues Mastermind call - Parts 1 2 Blanche's fireside chat with Jeremy Conaway, HAR - Click here. For more articles by Blanche, click here.