U.S. Census Office, Taxation in the United States Per Capita (1874)

This choropleth map from the “Statistical Atlas of the United States Based on the Results of the Ninth Census 1870,” published in 1874 under the direction of Francis A. Walker, visualizes the degree of taxation per capita East of the 100th Meridian. The lightest shading indicates less than $1 per capita and the darkest shading indicates $17 or more. An area with high taxation is Western Iowa. Walker explains that though this area was newly and sparsely populated, settlers chose to invest in infrastructure in preparation for an increased population. Walker explains in the preface to the Atlas, “consequently, with what they call a wise prevision, they tax themselves heavily, through their town-meetings, or their County Boards, knowing well that they will receive back tenfold the money they now put into roads, schools and bridges, through the enhanced value of their lands, in a near future.” (p.5). This visualization helps trace migration patterns, as well as how geographic factors and rapid industrialization inform local economies.