Geography & Travel States & Other Subdivisions

What Was Life Like in America in 1776?

By Amy Tikkanen, Britannica Editors, June 29, 2026 • History

As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, let’s go back in time to see what life was like in the colonies in 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was signed.

How many people lived in the colonies?

According to the U.S. Census, in 1776 the population of the 13 colonies was approximately 2.56 million, which included about 450,000 enslaved people. The colonies were overwhelmingly rural. More than 96 percent of Americans lived on farms, plantations, or small settlements.

Urban America was extremely small by modern standards. The largest city was Philadelphia, with a population of about 30,000. Second was New York City, home to approximately 25,000. By comparison, London—the largest city in the British Empire—had some 740,000 people in 1760.

The population of the colonies varied widely. Virginia was the largest, with approximately 550,000 residents, many of whom were enslaved people. Next was Pennsylvania, home to more than 300,000. The smallest colony was Delaware, with about 37,000 people.

How does that compare to today? As of 2026 the population of the United States exceeded 340 million. About 80 percent of Americans live in urban areas, and the most populous city is New York City. It was the largest city according to the first official census in 1790—when it had a population of 33,131—and is now home to more than 8.5 million people. That’s roughly 3.5 times the population of all 13 colonies combined in 1776. California is the largest state, with more than 39 million people.

How tall were Americans?

Contrary to popular belief, American colonists were not short. In fact they were the world’s tallest people during the Revolutionary period—and for more than 150 years thereafter. Studies indicate that the typical male colonist stood about 5 feet 8 inches—that’s just one inch shorter than the average American man in 2026. And it’s three inches taller than the typical Englishman in 1776. One of the reasons for the height disparity was nutrition. In the colonies people had access to more and better food. A strong economy—and good wages—also helped.

How long did people live?

The average life expectancy in America in the late 18th century was about 38 years. While this seems incredibly low, the number reflects the high infant and child mortality rates of the time. Some research suggests that about 43 percent of children died before age five. Those who reached adulthood, however, often lived into their 60s and 70s. The most common causes of death were infectious diseases, including smallpox, malaria, and dysentery.

Today life expectancy in the United States is almost 77 years for men and some 81 years for women. The leading causes of death are heart disease, cancer, stroke, and accidental injuries.

Did colonists go to the dentist?

Technically, colonists did get dental care, though there were few true dentists in America in the late 1700s—this was unfortunate because dental hygiene was very limited. When colonists did clean their teeth, they typically used rags or chew sticks—twigs with frayed ends that worked like a brush. If there was a problem, they usually waited until the tooth was so rotted or painful that it had to be removed. And that’s when the local barber-surgeon (as it sounds, these were barbers who often performed medical procedures), physician, or even blacksmith would step in. They would pull out the problem tooth—typically with little or no pain relief.

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