Figure AC

Agriculture employment as a share of total employment and food expenditure as a share of total personal consumption expenditures, 1800–2017

Food and nonalcoholic beverages purchased for off-premises consumption as a share of total personal consumption expenditures (Cummings) Food and nonalcoholic beverages purchased for off-premises consumption as a share of total personal consumption expenditures (NIPA) Agricultural employment as a share of total employment
1800 73.7%
1810 80.9%
1820 78.8%
1830 86.8% 68.8%
1840 63.1%
1850 54.8% 
1860 76.1%  52.9%
1870 52.5%
1880 51.3%
1890 42.7%
1900 40.2%
1901 46.3%
1910 31.4%
1920 25.9%
1929 19.1%
1930 15.4% 19.3% 21.6%
1931 17.8%
1932 16.8%
1933 18.4%
1934 18.0%
1935 18.2%
1936 18.5%
1937 18.2%
1938 18.2%
1939 17.4%
1940 17.2% 17.0%
1941 17.3%
1942 18.6%
1943 18.3%
1944 17.9%
1945 17.6%
1946 18.7%
1947 19.7%
1948 19.6%
1949 18.8%
1950 18.0% 12.0%
1951 18.7%
1952 18.8%
1953 18.1% 
1954 18.3%
1955 17.5%
1956 17.4%
1957 17.6%
1958 17.9%
1959 17.3%
1960 16.8% 8.1%
1961 16.7%
1962 15.9%
1963 15.3%
1964 15.1%
1965 15.0%
1966 15.1%
1967 14.6%
1968 14.3%
1969 14.1%
1970 14.2% 4.4%
1971 13.4% 4.3%
1972 13.0% 4.2%
1973 13.1% 4.1%
1974 13.6% 4.0%
1975 13.4% 4.0%
1976 12.9% 3.8%
1977 12.5% 3.6%
1978 12.2% 3.5%
1979 12.2% 3.4%
1980 12.1% 3.4%
1981 11.6% 3.4%
1982 11.4% 3.4%
1983 10.7% 3.4%
1984 10.3% 3.2%
1985 9.8% 3.0%
1986 9.6% 2.9%
1987 9.3% 2.9%
1988 9.1% 2.8%
1989 9.1% 2.7%
1990 9.1% 2.7%
1991 9.1% 2.8%
1992 8.6% 2.7%
1993 8.3% 2.6%
1994 8.1% 2.8%
1995 8.0% 2.8%
1996 7.8% 2.7%
1997 7.6% 2.6%
1998 7.3% 2.6%
1999 7.2% 2.5%
2000 7.0% 1.8%
2001 7.0% 1.7%
2002 6.8% 1.7%
2003 6.8% 1.7%
2004 6.7% 1.6%
2005 6.7% 1.6%
2006 6.6% 1.5%
2007 6.7% 1.4%
2008 6.9% 1.5%
2009 6.9% 1.5%
2010 6.8% 1.6%
2011 6.8% 1.6%
2012 6.8% 1.5%
2013 6.6% 1.5%
2014 6.5% 1.5%
2015 6.4% 1.6%
2016 6.2% 1.6%
2017 1.6%
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Economic Policy Institute

Note: Food expenditure includes food and nonalcoholic beverages purchased for off-premises consumption

Source: EPI analysis of Census, Current Population Survey, and Bureau of Economic Analysis data, Cummings 1940, and Lebergott 1966

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