The  rate  of  natural  increase  for  1950  was  9.7  per  1,000  population  for  registered
births  and  also  averaged  9.7  for  the  five  years  1945  to  1949.  The  rate  of  increase  was
9.6  for  allocated  births  in  1950.
The  number  of  births  is  greatly  in  excess  of  the  number  of  deaths,  and  this  fact
coupled  with  the  steady  decrease  in  infant  mortality,  has  resulted  in  a  net  gain  in
the  natural  increase  in  population.  The  excess  of  births  over  deaths  amounted  to
90.9  per  cent  in  1949;  89.1  per  cent  in  1948;  106.8  per  cent  in  1947;  89.9  per  cent  in
1946  and  50.6  per  cent  in  1945.  The  excess  of  registered  births  over  registered
deaths  in  1950  was  45,602  or  89.3  per  cent,  while  the  increase  of  allocated  births
over  allocated  deaths  was  45,260  or  89.9  per  cent.
For  comparisons  previous  to  1900  relative  to  the  natural  increase  from  1851,  and
for  figures  from  that  date  up  to  and  including  1919,  reference  may  be  made  to  the
Annual  Report  of  Vital  Statistics  of  Massachusetts  for  the  year  ending  December
31,  1919,  Public  Document  No.  1.
270


P.D.  1.
Table  41

Registered  and  Allocated  Live  Births  in  Cities  and  Towns  by  Sex,  and

Birth  Rates  per  1,000  Population,  in  Each  County,  City  and  Town:  1950.
Registered.
Allocated.
Popula-

Counties and

tion

Municipalities.!

Total.
sex.
Rate.
Total.
sex.
Rate.
(Esti-

mated,
July  1,
1950.)

Male.
Female.
Male.
Female.
The  State.
96,693

49,960

46,733

20.6

95,619

49,416

46,203

20.3

4,699,859

Counties.
Barnstable.
