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CB00-FF.13                                    October 23, 2000

                     American Indian Heritage Month: 
                             November 2000
                                
To mark this observance, the U.S. Census Bureau has culled from previously
released reports on the American Indian and Alaska Native population the
following data:

Income and Poverty

 - American Indians and Alaska Natives had a median household income of
   $30,784, based on a three-year average (1997-1999). This is higher than
   for African Americans ($26,608) and not statistically different from
   Hispanics ($29,110), but lower than for non-Hispanic Whites ($43,287)
   and Asians and Pacific Islanders ($48,614).
   http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2000/cb00-158.html

 - Based on a three-year average (1997-1999), the poverty rate for
   American Indians and Alaska Natives was 25.9 percent. This is higher
   than the poverty rates for non-Hispanic Whites (8.2 percent) and
   Asians and Pacific Islanders (12.4 percent) but not statistically
   different from the rates for African Americans (25.4 percent) and 
   Hispanics (25.1 percent).
   http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2000/cb00-158.html

Health Insurance

 - Based on a three-year average (1997-1999), 27.1 percent of American
   Indians and Alaska Natives lack health insurance coverage. Their rate is
   significantly higher than that of African Americans (21.6 percent),
   Asians and Pacific Islanders (20.9 percent) and non-Hispanic Whites
   (11.6 percent), but lower than that of Hispanics (34.3 percent).
   http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2000/cb00-160.html

Voting

 - Nationwide, it is expected there will be 1.6 million American Indians
   and Alaska Natives of voting age on Election Day, Nov. 7, 2000.
   California (240,000), Oklahoma (170,000), Arizona (159,000) and New
   Mexico (103,000) will have the highest numbers of these.
   http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2000/cb00-125.html

Households and Families

- Between July 1, 2000, and July 1, 2010, the Census Bureau projects that
  the number of American Indian and Alaska Native households in the United
  States will climb from 754,180 to 906,036.
  http://www.census.gov/population/projections/nation/hh-fam/table4n.txt

- On July 1, 2000, according to projections made in 1995, 74 percent of
  the nation's American Indian and Alaska Native households were family
  households. Of these families, 65 percent were maintained by married
  couples, 26 percent by women with no husband present and 9 percent by
  men with no wife present. The typical American Indian and Alaska Native
  family was made up of 3.57 people, larger than the average 3.12
  people for families of all races.
  http://www.census.gov/population/projections/nation/hh-fam/table4n.txt

Education

 - In the fall of 1996, 134,000 non-Hispanic American Indians were
   enrolled in the nation's colleges and universities, up from 84,000 in the
   fall of 1980. Of these persons, about half attended two-year schools,
   nearly 6 in 10 were women, more than 8 in 10 went to public schools
   and more than 9 in 10 were undergraduates.
   http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-238.html

 - During the 1995-96 school year, about 15,000 of the nation's American
   Indians and Alaska Natives received college degrees -- either an
   associate's, bachelor's, master's, doctor's or other professional.
   http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-238.html

Population Distribution

 - The nation's American Indian and Alaska Native resident population
   grew by 371,000 between April 1, 1990, and Aug. 1, 2000, to  2.4 million.
   http://www.census.gov/population/estimates/nation/intfile3-1.txt

 - The American Indian and Alaska Native resident population has grown
   more rapidly than the nation's population as a whole during the last
   decade -- 17.9 percent versus 10.7 percent between April 1, 1990, and
   Aug. 1, 2000. 
   http://www.census.gov/population/estimates/nation/intfile3-1.txt


 - Despite its steady growth over the last 10 years, the nation's American
   Indian and Alaska Native population remained at 0.9 percent of the
   total population on Aug. 1, 2000.
   http://www.census.gov/population/estimates/nation/intfile3-1.txt

 - The nation's American Indian and Alaska Native resident population is
   young, with an estimated median age on Aug. 1, 2000, of 27.8 years
   eight years younger than the median for the population as a whole.
   http://www.census.gov/population/estimates/nation/intfile3-1.txt

 - According to middle-series population projections, the nation's
   American Indian and Alaska Native resident population will grow to 
   4.4 million by 2050. This means that this race group should see 
   its population increase faster over the next half-century than either
   Whites or African Americans but more slowly than Hispanics (who may be
   of any race) or Asians and Pacific Islanders.
   http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2000/cb00-05.html

 - There were an estimated 167,000 American Indians and Alaska Natives age
   65 and over and 22,000 age 85 and over residing in the United States as
   of July 1, 2000. Projections indicate these numbers will increase by
   July 1, 2050, to 662,000 and 148,000, respectively.
   http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2000/cb00-05.html

As of July 1, 1999, according to population estimates:

 - The five states with the largest American Indian and Alaska Native
   populations were: California (314,000), Oklahoma (263,000), Arizona
   (261,000), New Mexico (166,000) and Washington (105,000) Overall,
   roughly one-half of the nation's American Indians and Alaska Natives 
   lived in Western states.
   http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2000/cb00-126.html

 - Each of the five states with the largest percentage of American Indians
   and Alaska Natives were located west of the Mississippi River. They
   were: Alaska (where persons of this group constituted 16 percent of the 
   total population), New Mexico (10 percent),South Dakota (8 percent), 
   Oklahoma (8 percent) and Montana (7 percent).
   http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2000/cb00-126.html

 - Of the five counties with the largest American Indian and Alaska Native
   population, four were located in either Arizona or New Mexico. However,
   it was Los Angeles, Calif., that topped the nation, with 56,700
   American Indians and Alaska Natives. Rounding out the top five
   were: Maricopa, Ariz. (56,400); Apache, Ariz. (53,300); Navajo,
   Ariz. (51,300); and McKinley, N.M. (48,900).
   http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2000/cb00-126.html

 - Of the six counties (or county equivalents) with the largest percentage
   of American Indians and Alaska Natives, five were located in either
   South Dakota or Alaska. Shannon, S.D., where 95 percent of residents
   were American Indians and Alaska Natives, led the nation, followed 
   by Wade Hampton Census Area, Alaska (94 percent), Menominee, Wis.
   (89 percent); Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska (86 percent); Bethel 
   Census Area, Alaska (85 percent); and Todd, S.D. (84 percent).
   http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2000/cb00-126.html

Between April 1, 1990, and July 1, 1999, according to population estimates:

 - Arizona added 46,700 American Indians and Alaska Natives to its
   population, more than any other state. Next were New Mexico (28,300),
   California (27,000), Texas (25,100) and Florida (23,200). 
   http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2000/cb00-126.html

 - Florida's American Indian and Alaska Native population increased 
   63 percent -- tops among all the states. Nevada, at 56 percent, New
   Jersey, at 42 percent, Georgia, at 37 percent, and Texas, 
   at 35 percent, were the runners-up.
   http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2000/cb00-126.html

 - Both of the counties that added the most American Indians and Alaska
   Natives to their populations were located in Arizona. Maricopa led the
   way, adding 14,100 over the period, followed by Navajo (10,700). Rounding 
   out the top five were San Juan, N.M. (8,700), Robeson, N.C. (7,200) and 
   Sandoval, N.M. (6,600).
   http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2000/cb00-126.html


The preceding facts come from the Current Population Survey, the
Statistical Abstract of the United States, population estimates and
projections and the Property Owners and Managers Survey. The data are
subject to sampling variability and other sources of error.  Previous
Census Bureau Facts for Features this year: African American History Month
(February), Valentine's Day (February 14), Women's History Month (March),
Census Day, 2000 (April 1), Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (May),
Mother's Day (May 14), Father's Day (June 18), the Fourth of July, Back to
School (August), Grandparents Day (Sept. 10), Hispanic Heritage Month
(Sept. 15-Oct. 15) and Election Day (Nov. 7). Questions or comments should
be directed to the Census Bureau's Public Information Office (Tel:
301-457-3030; fax: 301-457-3670; email:pio@census.gov.
 
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau | Public Information Office |  Last Revised: August 09, 2007