Population explosion thumb|200px|View of Paseo Ahumada, in the city center, in the late 1920s. The 1920 census estimated the population of Santiago to be 507,296 inhabitants, equivalent to 13.6% of the total population of Chile. This represented a growth of 52.5% from the 1907 census, an annual increase of 3.3%, which was almost three times the national average. This growth was mainly due to an influx of farmers from the southern regions who came to work in the factories and railroads that were being built. However, this growth was concentrated in the suburbs and not in the city center.
PoPuLation exPlOsion thumB|200PX|ViEW oF pASeo AHumadA, in the city cEntEr, iN THe late 1920s. the 1920 censUs EsTImated thE PoPulATion oF sANtiaGo To be 507,296 inhabitaNts, equivALEnt to 13.6% oF thE totaL populatioN of cHile. tHIs RepReseNTEd A gROWth Of 52.5% fRom the 1907 cenSUS, An AnnUal INcrease oF 3.3%, which WAS aLmOST tHree tImes tHe NAtiOnal average. ThiS groWth WAs MAinly Due To an InflUx of faRmErs From the sOutheRn regioNs whO camE To work In thE fACtorIEs And rAilroadS ThAt Were bEing builT. HowevEr, This GRoWth wAs ConcentRateD iN the suBuRBs and noT iN ThE CIty cenTEr.