The United States has always been a nation in transition. Even during those periods characterized as "uneventful," in actuality a lot was happening.

     Take the 1950s, for example. By most popular accounts, this was a rather drab era characterized by mindless conformity and maintenance of the status quo.

     Nothing could be farther from the truth. The 1950s was an exciting decade. It gave birth to the age of television, space exploration, civil rights and economic prosperity for many Americans.

     Boring? The 1950s were an age of monumental change in the nation's history.

     Paradoxically, as the world continues to shrink, the pace of life in America continues to accelerate exponentially. In fact, most Americans are now experiencing change at a rate that would have been inconceivable only a couple of decades ago.

     But what are we becoming as a result of these changes? Are they necessarily for the good? And how is society evolving as a result of these changes?

     One way to try and get a fix on where we are headed is to look at the data provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. Even a cursory glance at some of the key statistics from the 2000 Census reveals some very interesting trends as well as a few surprises.

     First, it should come as no surprise that the American population is growing more diverse. More than 68 million people, or 12 percent, are blacks and hispanics; there are 14 million Asians, making this the fastest growing segment in the United States.

     While its no surprise that the population is aging, many don't realize how quickly it's taking place. In 1980, the vast majority (about 64 percent) of the population was under 40 years old, while only 16 percent were 60 and over.

     In 2000, approximately 45 million people in the nation were age 60 and over. By 2030, this number is expected to increase to 91 million, going from 16 percent to 26 percent of the total population in a span of only 50 years.

     The implications of this dramatic change in our population demographics are enormous.

     More and more Americans are continuing to choose the faster pace of city life over the historically slower pace in rural communities. More than 80 percent of the population currently resides in urban areas, with about a third of the population living in the 10 largest metropolitan areas of the United States. Another 11 percent live in the second tier of metropolitan areas.

     Between 1982 and 1997, the total amount of "urbanized" land in the United States increased from around 51 million acres to about 76 million acres, an increase of some 47 percent.

     The nature of the family, the fundamental building block of society, has also experienced unprecedented change. In 1970, there were a total of 63 million households in the United States. By 2000, there were 105 million households. One- or two-person households now account for some 59 percent of the total, while three- or four-person households account for an additional 31 percent.

     In 1970, the average household consisted of 3.12 members; by 2000, this number had dropped about 14 percent to 2.62 members. So, how are the 2.62 members of your family doing these days?

     In 1970, about 70 percent of all U.S. households were classified as "married." Of these, 57 percent included children. By 2000, the percentage of households classified as "married" had fallen to 53 percent, with about less than half including children. Overall, the proportion of married with children households has decreased from 40.3 percent in 1970 to 24.1 percent in 2000.

     When it comes to single-parent households, women rule. There are now around 13 million single-parent households in the United States and about 25 percent of all children in America live with only one parent.

     Women head 79 percent of white single-parent households, 83 percent of Hispanic single-parent households, and 90 percent of black single-parent households.

     Sadly, approximately 45 percent of children in the United States who are raised by divorced mothers and 69 percent of those raised by never-married mothers live at or below the poverty line. The challenges that lie ahead for this segment of the population continue to be daunting and have substantial ramifications for all Americans.

     Again, there are many ways to consider how the United States is evolving. And while looking at the information provided by the Census Bureau is only one way of characterizing these changes, it is nonetheless very relevant to any attempt to assess where we are and where we are going.

     If nothing else, you now have something interesting to talk about at the dinner table this evening - with the 2.62 members of your family.

     - Aaron W. Hughey is interim director of the Institute for Economic Development at Western Kentucky University.