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Minority Population Tops 100 Million
Release by the U.S. Census Bureau
May 17, 2007 - The nation’s minority population reached 100.7 million, according to the
national and state estimates by race, Hispanic origin, sex and age released
today by the U.S. Census Bureau. A year ago, the minority population totaled
98.3 million.
“About one in three U.S. residents is a minority,” said Census Bureau
Director Louis Kincannon. “To put this into perspective, there are more
minorities in this country today than there were people in the United States in
1910. In fact, the minority population in the U.S. is larger than the total
population of all but 11 countries.”
The population in 1910 was 92.2 million. On Oct. 17, 2006, the Census
Bureau reported that the overall population had topped 300 million.
California had a minority population of 20.7 million — 21 percent of the
nation’s total. Texas had a minority population of 12.2 million — 12 percent of
the U.S. total.
There were other milestones reached as well during the July 1, 2005, to
July 1, 2006, period: The nation’s black population surpassed 40 million, while
the Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander group reached the 1 million mark.
Hispanic remained the largest minority group, with 44.3 million on July
1, 2006 — 14.8 percent of the total population. Black was the second-largest
minority group, totaling 40.2 million in 2006. They were followed by Asian (14.9
million), American Indian and Alaska Native (4.5 million), and Native Hawaiian
and Other Pacific Islander (1 million). The population of non-Hispanic whites
who indicated no other race totaled 198.7 million in 2006.
With a 3.4 percent increase between July 1, 2005, and July 1, 2006,
Hispanic was the fastest-growing minority group. Asian was the second
fastest-growing minority group, with a 3.2 percent population increase during
the 2005-2006 period. The population of non-Hispanic whites who indicated no
other race grew by 0.3 percent during the one-year period. (See Table 1
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PDF.)
Four states and the District of Columbia are “majority-minority.” Hawaii
led the nation with a population that was 75 percent minority in 2006, followed
by the District of Columbia (68 percent), New Mexico (57 percent), California
(57 percent) and Texas (52 percent). No other state had a minority population
exceeding 42 percent of the total. (See Table 2
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PDF.)
Highlights for the various groups:
Hispanic
- Hispanics accounted for almost half (1.4 million) of the
national population growth of 2.9 million between July 1, 2005, and July 1,
2006.
- California had the largest Hispanic population of any
state as of July 1, 2006 (13.1 million), followed by Texas (8.4 million) and
Florida (3.6 million). Texas had the largest numerical increase between 2005
and 2006 (305,000), with California (283,000) and Florida (161,000)
following. In New Mexico, Hispanics comprised the highest proportion of the
total population (44 percent), with California and Texas (36 percent each)
next in line.
- The Hispanic population in 2006 was much younger, with a
median age of 27.4 compared with the population as a whole at 36.4. About a
third of the Hispanic population was younger than 18, compared with
one-fourth of the total population.
Black
- The black population increased by 1.3 percent, or
522,000, between 2005 and 2006.
- New York had the largest black population in 2006 (3.5
million), followed by Florida (3 million) and Texas (2.9 million). Texas had
the largest numerical increase between 2005 and 2006 (135,000), with Georgia
(101,000) and Florida (86,000) next. In the District of Columbia, the black
population comprised the highest percentage (57 percent); Mississippi (37
percent) and Louisiana (32 percent) were next.
- The black population in 2006 was younger, with a median
age of 30.1, compared with the population as a whole at 36.4. About 31
percent of the black population was younger than 18, compared with 25
percent of the total population.
Asian
- The Asian population rose by 3.2 percent, or 460,000,
between 2005 and 2006.
- California had the largest Asian population on July 1,
2006 (5 million), as well as the largest numerical increase during the 2005
to 2006 period (114,000). New York (1.4 million) and Texas (882,000)
followed in population; Texas (43,000) and New York (34,000) followed in
numerical increase. In Hawaii, Asians made up the highest proportion of the
total population (56 percent), with California (14 percent) and New Jersey
and Washington (8 percent each) next.
- The Asian population in 2006 was younger with a median
age of 33.5, compared with the population as a whole at 36.4.
American Indian and Alaska Native
- The American Indian and Alaska Native population rose by
1 percent or 45,000, from 2005 to 2006.
- California had the largest population of American Indians
and Alaska Natives (689,000) on July 1, 2006, with Oklahoma (397,000) and
Arizona (331,000) next. Arizona had the largest numerical increase (8,000)
since July 1, 2005, followed by Texas (7,000) and Florida (4,000). In
Alaska, American Indians and Alaska Natives made up the highest proportion
of the total population (18 percent), with Oklahoma and New Mexico, at 11
percent each, next.
- The American Indian and Alaska Native population in 2006
was younger, with a median age of 31, compared with the population as a
whole at 36.4. About 28 percent of the American Indian and Alaska Native
population was younger than 18, compared with 25 percent of the total
population.
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
- The Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander population
rose by 1.7 percent, or 17,000, from 2005 to 2006.
- Hawaii had the largest population (275,000), followed by
California (260,000) and Washington (49,000); California had the largest
numerical increase (3,400) of people of this group, with Texas (2,000) and
Florida (1,500) next. In Hawaii, Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific
Islanders comprised the largest proportion (21 percent) of the total
population, followed by Utah (1 percent) and Alaska (0.9 percent).
- The Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander population
in 2006 was younger, with a median age of 28.6, compared with the population
as a whole at 36.4. About 30 percent of the Native Hawaiian and Other
Pacific Islander population was younger than 18, compared with 25 percent of
the total population.
Non-Hispanic White
- The non-Hispanic, single-race white population, which
represented 66 percent of the total population, accounted for less than a
fifth (18 percent) of the nation’s total population growth.
- California, New York and Texas had the largest population
of this group (15.7 million, 11.7 million and 11.4 million, respectively),
but Texas experienced the largest numerical increase (104,000), followed by
North Carolina (91,000) and Arizona (78,000). Maine and Vermont had the
highest proportion of single-race non-Hispanic whites (96 percent each),
followed by West Virginia (94 percent).
- The non-Hispanic, single-race white population in 2006
was older than the population as a whole: The respective median ages were
40.5 and 36.4. About 21 percent of the population of this group was younger
than 18, compared with 25 percent of the total population.
Also released today were tabulations by age, which showed:
- There were 37.3 million people 65 and older in 2006,
accounting for 12 percent of the total population. In 2005, this group
numbered an estimated 36.8 million.
- The number of people 85 and older reached 5.3 million, up
from 5.1 million in 2005.
- In 2006, working-age adults (18 to 64) totaled 188.4
million, which was 63 percent of the population. A year earlier, the total
was 186.2 million.
- The number of preschoolers (younger than 5) in the United
States in 2006 was estimated at 20.4 million, up slightly from 20.3 million.
- The number of elementary school-age (5 through 13)
children was 36.1 million, with high-school age (14 through 17) children
numbering 17.2 million.
- States with the highest percentages of older people (65
and older) include Florida (16.8 percent), West Virginia (15.3 percent) and
Pennsylvania (15.2 percent). States with the lowest percentages were Alaska
(6.8 percent), Utah (8.8 percent) and Georgia (9.7 percent).
- States with the highest percentages of preschoolers
include Utah (9.7 percent), Texas (8.2 percent) and Arizona (7.8 percent).
States with the lowest percentages were Vermont (5.3 percent), Maine (5.3
percent) and New Hampshire (5.6 percent).
-X-
Unless otherwise specified, the data refer to the
population who reported a race alone or in combination with one or more other
races. The detailed tables show data for both this group and those who reported
a single race only. Censuses and surveys permit respondents to select more than
one race; consequently, people may be one race or a combination of races.
Hispanics may be any race.
The federal government treats Hispanic origin and race as separate
and distinct concepts. In surveys and censuses, separate questions are asked on
Hispanic origin and race. The question on Hispanic origin asks respondents if
they are Spanish, Hispanic or Latino. Starting with Census 2000, the question on
race asked respondents to report the race or races they consider themselves to
be. Thus, Hispanics may be of any race. (See U.S. Census Bureau Guidance on
the Presentation and Comparison of Race and Hispanic Origin Data.)
These data are based on estimates of U.S. population for July 1,
2006. The Census Bureau estimates population change from the most recent
decennial census (Census 2000) using annual data on births, deaths and
international migration. More detailed information on the methodology used to
produce these estimates can be found at <http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/compraceho.html>.
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