This was the population formula information that I removed from the final draft of the episode’s script:
It’s [Charleston’s] 1770 population was estimated to be around 11,000. That would put population growth at about 1.5% per year over those 20 years [to get the 1790 census figure]. While this is a totally realistic growth rate based on Charleston’s post revolutionary growth using the US census data, the 1.5% figure to backtrack to Washington’s birth won’t line up properly because another data point is when the population hit 1,000 in 1680. I know no one wants math on their historical podcast but using 1.5% growth would put the Charleston population at about 1,000 when Washington was born, not the 1680 year and there is no way Charleston sat at 1,000 people for 50 years.
A realistic explanation would be between 1770 and 1790 was duh, the American Revolution. Wars always impact population movements, whether its soldiers being relocated, new industries appearing because of the war, or people fleeing combat to the relative safety of a city so I’m throwing out that 1.5% figure as being the real average. Another complicating matter is the 1790 census form included slaves. I could not find that detail out for the 1770 data so it is harder to trust how the 1770 figure was formed.
So let’s toss out 1770 and just hope the 1,000 mark in 1680 was accurate. Using that and the 1790 census mark of 16,000 we get a reasonable growth rate over those 110 years of .85%. Apply that .85% growth for the roughly 50 years between 1680 and 1730 and Charleston’s population comes out to just under 8,000 people. Since there is the possibility of the minor population explosion from 1770 and 1790 exists, 8,000 people could be a bit high of an estimate but when compared to Boston’s roughly 13,000 people, Philadelphia’s estimated 12,000 citizens, New York City’s approximate 8,000 folks, and the complete lack of southern urban centers, it is clear that Charleston really was an outlier.
The American Presidents 