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| Census of Housing |
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Public sewers have served a vast majority of America's homes since 1970. Almost all other homes have used a septic tank or a cesspool. Only a tiny percent had neither a public sewer, septic tank, or cesspool in recent decades. However, look at individual States. As recently as 1970, a number of States, primarily in the South (plus Alaska), had fairly large percentages of units (10 percent or more) using other means of sewage disposal. These other means would generally be a privy, a chemical toilet, or facilities in another building. By 1990, only Alaska still had a high percentage of such units.
But, how about the more distant past? Data on sewage disposal for all housing units was first collected in 1970. However, if we use an earlier item on toilet facilities, we can journey back to the first housing census in 1940.
As recently as 1950, a quarter of America's homes had no flush toilet, with some States topping 50 percent!
In 1940, over a third of the homes had no flush toilet, with some States over 70 percent! Of the 13 million units reporting no flush toilet in 1940, 11.8 million had an outside toilet or privy, another one million had no toilet or privy, while the small remainder had something called a nonflush toilet in structure.
Mississippi provides an excellent portrait of this change in America's housing over the decades. About 80 percent of its homes had no flush toilet in 1940; by 1990 a mere 4 percent lacked a public sewer, septic tank, or cesspool.
1 9 9 0
Public sewer Septic tank or Other means
cesspool
Number Per- Number Per- Number Per-
cent cent cent
US 76,455,211 74.8% 24,670,877 24.1% 1,137,590 1.1%
AL 910,782 54.5% 728,690 43.6% 30,907 1.9%
AK 144,905 62.3% 59,886 25.7% 27,817 12.0%
AZ 1,348,836 81.3% 282,897 17.0% 27,697 1.7%
AR 601,188 60.1% 382,467 38.2% 17,012 1.7%
CA 10,022,843 89.6% 1,092,174 9.8% 67,865 0.6%
CO 1,283,186 86.9% 183,817 12.4% 10,346 0.7%
CT 935,541 70.8% 378,382 28.6% 6,927 0.5%
DE 212,793 73.4% 74,541 25.7% 2,585 0.9%
DC 276,481 99.3% 575 0.2% 1,433 0.5%
FL 4,499,793 73.8% 1,559,113 25.6% 41,356 0.7%
GA 1,638,979 62.1% 970,686 36.8% 28,753 1.1%
HI 312,812 80.2% 72,940 18.7% 4,058 1.0%
ID 264,618 64.0% 142,879 34.6% 5,830 1.4%
IL 3,885,689 86.2% 598,125 13.3% 22,461 0.5%
IN 1,525,810 67.9% 703,032 31.3% 17,204 0.8%
IA 869,056 76.0% 264,889 23.2% 9,724 0.9%
KS 847,767 81.2% 187,398 17.9% 8,947 0.9%
KY 849,491 56.4% 600,182 39.8% 57,172 3.8%
LA 1,246,678 72.6% 442,758 25.8% 26,805 1.6%
ME 266,344 45.4% 301,373 51.3% 19,328 3.3%
MD 1,533,799 81.1% 342,523 18.1% 15,595 0.8%
MA 1,803,176 72.9% 659,120 26.7% 10,415 0.4%
MI 2,724,408 70.8% 1,090,481 28.3% 33,037 0.9%
MN 1,356,520 73.4% 467,936 25.3% 23,989 1.3%
MS 585,185 57.9% 387,406 38.3% 37,832 3.7%
MO 1,617,996 73.6% 532,844 24.2% 48,289 2.2%
MT 218,372 60.5% 135,371 37.5% 7,412 2.1%
NE 534,692 80.9% 117,460 17.8% 8,469 1.3%
NV 456,107 87.9% 60,508 11.7% 2,243 0.4%
NH 250,060 49.6% 246,692 49.0% 7,152 1.4%
NJ 2,703,489 87.9% 357,890 11.6% 13,931 0.5%
NM 452,934 71.7% 161,068 25.5% 18,056 2.9%
NY 5,716,917 79.1% 1,460,873 20.2% 49,101 0.7%
NC 1,403,033 49.8% 1,365,632 48.5% 49,528 1.8%
ND 204,328 73.9% 66,479 24.1% 5,533 2.0%
OH 3,392,785 77.6% 940,943 21.5% 38,217 0.9%
OK 1,028,594 73.1% 367,197 26.1% 10,708 0.8%
OR 835,545 70.0% 349,122 29.3% 8,900 0.7%
PA 3,670,338 74.3% 1,210,054 24.5% 57,748 1.2%
RI 293,901 70.9% 118,410 28.6% 2,261 0.5%
SC 825,754 58.0% 578,129 40.6% 20,272 1.4%
SD 207,996 71.1% 78,435 26.8% 6,005 2.1%
TN 1,213,934 59.9% 781,616 38.6% 30,517 1.5%
TX 5,690,550 81.2% 1,266,713 18.1% 51,736 0.7%
UT 528,864 88.4% 65,403 10.9% 4,121 0.7%
VT 115,201 42.5% 149,125 55.0% 6,888 2.5%
VA 1,740,787 69.7% 707,409 28.3% 48,138 1.9%
WA 1,387,396 68.3% 630,646 31.0% 14,336 0.7%
WV 427,930 54.8% 318,697 40.8% 34,668 4.4%
WI 1,440,024 70.0% 580,836 28.3% 34,914 1.7%
WY 151,004 74.2% 49,055 24.1% 3,352 1.6%
1 9 8 0
Public sewer Septic tank or Other means
cesspool
Number Per- Number Per- Number Per-
cent cent cent
US 64,240,532 74.0% 20,926,961 24.1% 1,591,224 1.8%
AL 771,748 53.2% 607,358 41.9% 71,649 4.9%
AK 104,797 68.0% 31,262 20.3% 17,992 11.7%
AZ 869,862 81.2% 180,665 16.9% 21,260 2.0%
AR 514,653 57.9% 336,712 37.9% 37,828 4.3%
CA 8,251,415 89.5% 920,690 10.0% 51,015 0.6%
CO 1,019,477 87.2% 138,742 11.9% 11,355 1.0%
CT 781,657 68.3% 357,446 31.2% 5,417 0.5%
DE 172,294 74.8% 54,970 23.9% 3,037 1.3%
DC 274,913 99.3% 402 0.1% 1,542 0.6%
FL 3,076,260 71.9% 1,167,676 27.3% 34,698 0.8%
GA 1,214,548 60.3% 737,539 36.6% 61,752 3.1%
HI 270,701 81.5% 57,576 17.3% 3,928 1.2%
ID 229,481 63.7% 124,832 34.7% 5,718 1.6%
IL 3,656,245 84.9% 614,499 14.3% 33,681 0.8%
IN 1,361,704 65.9% 676,718 32.8% 26,693 1.3%
IA 830,489 74.1% 273,536 24.4% 17,289 1.5%
KS 752,124 79.1% 183,803 19.3% 14,584 1.5%
KY 736,144 54.3% 510,637 37.7% 108,653 8.0%
LA 1,101,516 71.7% 401,695 26.1% 33,972 2.2%
ME 214,145 50.0% 198,629 46.4% 15,471 3.6%
MD 1,232,785 79.6% 294,286 19.0% 22,609 1.5%
MA 1,581,814 73.9% 550,629 25.7% 8,921 0.4%
MI 2,463,078 71.4% 954,965 27.7% 32,653 0.9%
MN 1,144,993 74.8% 362,120 23.7% 23,180 1.5%
MS 510,732 56.5% 319,285 35.3% 74,506 8.2%
MO 1,418,141 72.3% 475,424 24.2% 69,011 3.5%
MT 201,014 63.8% 107,018 34.0% 7,066 2.2%
NE 492,946 79.7% 114,257 18.5% 11,630 1.9%
NV 294,758 87.3% 41,241 12.2% 1,650 0.5%
NH 182,656 52.3% 161,386 46.2% 5,130 1.5%
NJ 2,327,869 86.5% 350,598 13.0% 11,910 0.4%
NM 361,847 73.3% 111,967 22.7% 19,675 4.0%
NY 5,279,298 78.7% 1,375,362 20.5% 51,539 0.8%
NC 1,040,451 46.8% 1,084,336 48.8% 99,409 4.5%
ND 182,570 72.2% 62,357 24.7% 7,822 3.1%
OH 3,108,321 76.2% 911,386 22.3% 58,357 1.4%
OK 908,666 73.9% 301,354 24.5% 19,502 1.6%
OR 735,626 68.6% 326,213 30.4% 9,774 0.9%
PA 3,360,158 74.5% 1,083,043 24.0% 69,473 1.5%
RI 248,174 68.4% 112,663 31.0% 2,081 0.6%
SC 596,811 53.1% 480,455 42.8% 45,661 4.1%
SD 189,988 70.5% 71,743 26.6% 7,913 2.9%
TN 979,399 56.4% 687,054 39.6% 70,670 4.1%
TX 4,461,444 81.3% 938,671 17.1% 85,158 1.6%
UT 421,923 87.7% 56,700 11.8% 2,443 0.5%
VT 91,707 46.7% 99,752 50.8% 5,000 2.5%
VA 1,315,815 65.8% 593,912 29.7% 90,348 4.5%
WA 1,117,544 67.7% 520,354 31.5% 13,782 0.8%
WV 381,110 51.7% 297,401 40.4% 58,522 7.9%
WI 1,262,265 71.9% 467,986 26.6% 26,060 1.5%
WY 142,456 78.1% 37,656 20.7% 2,235 1.2%
1980 data are presented for year-round housing units;
vacant seasonal and migratory were excluded.
1 9 7 0
Public sewer Septic tank or Other means
cesspool
Number Per- Number Per- Number Per-
cent cent cent
US 48,187,675 71.2% 16,601,792 24.5% 2,904,375 4.3%
AL 566,307 50.8% 385,345 34.6% 163,139 14.6%
AK 55,511 62.7% 18,629 21.0% 14,423 16.3%
AZ 446,304 77.1% 114,433 19.8% 18,013 3.1%
AR 355,684 52.9% 220,287 32.7% 96,999 14.4%
CA 6,084,632 87.2% 853,013 12.2% 38,324 0.5%
CO 612,659 82.5% 113,290 15.3% 16,689 2.2%
CT 608,603 62.8% 354,585 36.6% 5,633 0.6%
DE 130,259 74.4% 39,860 22.8% 4,870 2.8%
DC 277,068 99.5% 454 0.2% 871 0.3%
FL 1,509,682 60.6% 938,352 37.7% 42,743 1.7%
GA 848,516 57.9% 474,455 32.4% 143,654 9.8%
HI 161,438 74.8% 50,558 23.4% 3,844 1.8%
ID 137,891 57.9% 93,146 39.1% 7,266 3.0%
IL 3,072,266 83.2% 554,603 15.0% 65,080 1.8%
IN 1,060,942 62.0% 589,794 34.5% 61,061 3.6%
IA 662,320 69.4% 257,889 27.0% 34,829 3.6%
KS 594,758 75.5% 163,918 20.8% 28,808 3.7%
KY 536,388 50.6% 312,856 29.5% 211,328 19.9%
LA 778,247 67.9% 287,481 25.1% 80,245 7.0%
ME 169,975 50.1% 140,409 41.4% 28,817 8.5%
MD 953,470 77.2% 243,728 19.7% 37,271 3.0%
MA 1,339,304 72.8% 490,365 26.7% 9,120 0.5%
MI 1,947,137 68.4% 847,433 29.8% 50,509 1.8%
MN 864,984 70.9% 307,441 25.2% 47,070 3.9%
MS 338,581 48.6% 209,115 30.0% 149,514 21.4%
MO 1,173,688 70.5% 359,278 21.6% 132,617 8.0%
MT 154,581 64.2% 74,198 30.8% 11,974 5.0%
NE 385,860 75.4% 105,320 20.6% 20,266 4.0%
NV 147,743 86.1% 21,988 12.8% 1,951 1.1%
NH 132,475 53.3% 109,015 43.8% 7,231 2.9%
NJ 1,890,977 82.0% 404,241 17.5% 10,123 0.4%
NM 230,737 71.6% 65,781 20.4% 25,722 8.0%
NY 4,824,525 78.3% 1,289,253 20.9% 44,883 0.7%
NC 733,848 45.3% 687,572 42.5% 197,859 12.2%
ND 128,967 64.3% 53,074 26.5% 18,457 9.2%
OH 2,565,317 74.4% 779,510 22.6% 102,566 3.0%
OK 686,240 73.2% 203,174 21.7% 48,413 5.2%
OR 448,967 61.0% 275,944 37.5% 10,559 1.4%
PA 2,798,522 72.1% 985,014 25.4% 96,502 2.5%
RI 197,947 64.4% 107,544 35.0% 1,843 0.6%
SC 363,611 45.2% 334,210 41.5% 106,996 13.3%
SD 140,258 63.3% 62,366 28.1% 18,970 8.6%
TN 671,248 51.8% 457,008 35.2% 168,672 13.0%
TX 2,989,684 78.5% 654,283 17.2% 164,950 4.3%
UT 258,649 82.9% 49,249 15.8% 3,976 1.3%
VT 72,264 48.2% 68,265 45.6% 9,315 6.2%
VA 906,030 61.0% 408,213 27.5% 170,580 11.5%
WA 786,551 65.3% 403,909 33.5% 14,464 1.2%
WV 304,151 51.3% 187,028 31.6% 101,600 17.1%
WI 994,926 70.3% 371,567 26.2% 49,549 3.5%
WY 86,983 75.9% 23,349 20.4% 4,217 3.7%
1970 data are presented for year-round housing units;
vacant seasonal and migratory were excluded.
UNITS LACKING A FLUSH TOILET: 1960
All housing No flush toilet
units
Number Per-
cent
US 58,318,297 5,978,261 10.3%
AL 967,517 290,967 30.1%
AK 67,193 15,778 23.5%
AZ 415,790 35,541 8.5%
AR 586,504 208,848 35.6%
CA 5,465,244 93,220 1.7%
CO 594,448 49,124 8.3%
CT 818,476 10,536 1.3%
DE 143,703 11,244 7.8%
DC 262,639 290 0.1%
FL 1,776,946 104,674 5.9%
GA 1,169,915 274,070 23.4%
HI 165,473 10,246 6.2%
ID 223,533 23,727 10.6%
IL 3,275,171 185,045 5.6%
IN 1,503,044 155,754 10.4%
IA 905,267 112,730 12.5%
KS 740,265 83,146 11.2%
KY 925,434 307,366 33.2%
LA 978,425 184,962 18.9%
ME 364,611 66,887 18.3%
MD 934,344 66,682 7.1%
MA 1,690,950 15,344 0.9%
MI 2,548,476 153,776 6.0%
MN 1,116,933 154,619 13.8%
MS 628,945 247,971 39.4%
MO 1,491,321 252,163 16.9%
MT 233,277 32,732 14.0%
NE 472,917 55,423 11.7%
NV 101,558 5,116 5.0%
NH 224,404 15,679 7.0%
NJ 1,998,681 28,803 1.4%
NM 281,894 48,837 17.3%
NY 5,694,549 101,085 1.8%
NC 1,322,893 361,696 27.3%
ND 194,597 52,177 26.8%
OH 3,041,049 224,112 7.4%
OK 815,636 127,515 15.6%
OR 622,761 35,741 5.7%
PA 3,581,428 209,022 5.8%
RI 286,707 4,317 1.5%
SC 678,356 190,878 28.1%
SD 216,449 50,482 23.3%
TN 1,084,340 302,649 27.9%
TX 3,153,095 395,979 12.6%
UT 262,623 9,659 3.7%
VT 136,307 10,928 8.0%
VA 1,168,667 252,034 21.6%
WA 1,009,496 47,333 4.7%
WV 574,354 159,694 27.8%
WI 1,288,608 128,851 10.0%
WY 113,084 12,809 11.3%
UNITS LACKING A FLUSH TOILET: 1950
Units reporting No flush toilet
toilet facilities
Number Per-
cent
US 45,261,040 11,086,857 24.5%
AL 833,884 461,408 55.3%
AK 30,442 13,169 43.3%
AZ 236,143 67,029 28.4%
AR 567,585 355,069 62.6%
CA 3,543,969 268,517 7.6%
CO 429,666 117,945 27.5%
CT 599,206 27,787 4.6%
DE 95,614 20,221 21.1%
DC 226,932 7,374 3.2%
FL 935,728 209,387 22.4%
GA 951,381 475,727 50.0%
HI 119,940 23,597 19.7%
ID 185,712 59,392 32.0%
IL 2,630,569 431,947 16.4%
IN 1,216,217 346,539 28.5%
IA 802,285 261,591 32.6%
KS 616,112 200,050 32.5%
KY 810,387 442,645 54.6%
LA 766,493 343,536 44.8%
ME 299,663 91,178 30.4%
MD 677,241 115,265 17.0%
MA 1,374,131 47,172 3.4%
MI 1,933,138 320,137 16.6%
MN 906,438 282,965 31.2%
MS 601,704 399,948 66.5%
MO 1,245,651 453,039 36.4%
MT 190,990 66,339 34.7%
NE 409,262 132,125 32.3%
NV 54,683 10,932 20.0%
NH 184,419 30,230 16.4%
NJ 1,479,390 77,961 5.3%
NM 193,601 84,574 43.7%
NY 4,535,415 238,433 5.3%
NC 1,044,962 540,851 51.8%
ND 173,032 98,479 56.9%
OH 2,372,280 440,537 18.6%
OK 704,454 275,568 39.1%
OR 516,506 95,261 18.4%
PA 2,995,233 461,664 15.4%
RI 241,855 12,229 5.1%
SC 548,890 291,717 53.1%
SD 192,273 96,300 50.1%
TN 910,715 471,307 51.8%
TX 2,359,715 803,355 34.0%
UT 198,098 28,038 14.2%
VT 119,130 21,058 17.7%
VA 887,918 357,730 40.3%
WA 793,990 106,094 13.4%
WV 537,402 250,060 46.5%
WI 1,040,368 261,232 25.1%
WY 90,610 28,915 31.9%
Alaska and Hawaii are not included in 1950 U.S. total
UNITS LACKING A FLUSH TOILET: 1940
Units reporting No flush toilet
toilet facilities
Number Per-
cent
US 36,769,610 12,975,770 35.3%
AL 694,670 493,059 71.0%
AK NA NA NA
AZ 144,471 69,023 47.8%
AR 512,354 402,090 78.5%
CA 2,309,234 237,002 10.3%
CO 348,133 144,699 41.6%
CT 481,116 44,277 9.2%
DE 74,816 24,209 32.4%
DC 182,504 9,906 5.4%
FL 578,910 212,037 36.6%
GA 781,040 516,060 66.1%
HI NA NA NA
ID 149,771 81,983 54.7%
IL 2,254,104 544,059 24.1%
IN 992,520 433,210 43.6%
IA 716,758 340,330 47.5%
KS 537,992 283,226 52.6%
KY 717,800 474,921 66.2%
LA 610,543 371,460 60.8%
ME 255,455 99,750 39.0%
MD 490,084 146,676 29.9%
MA 1,202,192 71,611 6.0%
MI 1,500,272 407,822 27.2%
MN 763,297 324,181 42.5%
MS 547,177 444,774 81.3%
MO 1,125,810 534,216 47.5%
MT 174,838 92,459 52.9%
NE 383,089 189,351 49.4%
NV 35,912 13,956 38.9%
NH 154,579 38,157 24.7%
NJ 1,206,073 107,530 8.9%
NM 142,483 97,683 68.6%
NY 3,959,873 330,226 8.3%
NC 805,457 528,073 65.6%
ND 160,397 117,004 72.9%
OH 1,956,400 529,967 27.1%
OK 635,755 381,054 59.9%
OR 363,770 109,553 30.1%
PA 2,582,714 621,875 24.1%
RI 202,071 18,509 9.2%
SC 451,718 310,392 68.7%
SD 176,452 118,307 67.0%
TN 731,931 475,377 64.9%
TX 1,776,475 960,773 54.1%
UT 146,097 46,087 31.5%
VT 104,948 30,271 28.8%
VA 651,018 367,546 56.5%
WA 581,310 149,699 25.8%
WV 452,430 263,530 58.2%
WI 887,242 328,742 37.1%
WY 75,555 39,068 51.7%
