Texas has now joined Hawaii, New Mexico and California as a majority-minority state, along with the District of Columbia, the U.S. Census Bureau reported today. Five states — Maryland, Mississippi, Georgia, New York and Arizona — are next in line with minority populations of about 40 percent. (The minority population includes all people except non-Hispanic single-race whites.)

     According to July 1, 2004, population estimates, Texas had a minority population of 11.3 million, comprising 50.2 percent of its total population of 22.5 million. In comparison, 77 percent of Hawaii’s population was minority. In New Mexico and California, the proportions were 57 percent and 56 percent, respectively, while the District of Columbia was 70 percent minority.

     The following race data are for people reporting their specified race, whether or not they reported any other races, and for Hispanics (who may be of any race). Table 1 [Excel] presents data for states. Table 2 [Excel] presents data for counties with total populations of 1 million or more.

State and County Highlights

• Hispanics (may be of any race) — California had the largest Hispanic population in July 2004 (12.4 million) and the largest numerical increase (351,000) since July 2003; New Mexico was the state where Hispanics comprised the highest proportion of the total population (43 percent).
  
  Los Angeles County, Calif., had the largest Hispanic population (4.6 million) in 2004 and the biggest numerical increase (76,400) since July 2003.

• Blacks — New York had the largest black population in July 2004 (3.5 million); Florida had the largest numerical increase (85,900) since July 2003. The District of Columbia was where blacks comprised the highest proportion of the total population (59 percent).
  
  Cook County, Ill., had the largest black population (1.4 million); and Broward County, Fla., had the largest numerical increase (17,900) between 2003 and 2004.

• Asians — California had both the largest Asian population (4.8 million) in July 2004 and the largest numerical increase (123,000) since July 2003; Hawaii was the state where Asians made up the highest proportion of the total population (58 percent).
  
  Los Angeles County, Calif., had the largest Asian population (1.4 million) and the largest numerical increase (25,200) from 2003 to 2004.

• American Indians and Alaska natives (AIAN) — California had the largest population of AIAN (687,400) in July 2004; Arizona had the largest numerical increase (6,400) since July 2003; Alaska was the state where AIAN made up the highest proportion (19 percent) of the total.
  
  Los Angeles County had the largest population of AIAN in 2004 (153,500); Maricopa County, Ariz., had the largest numerical increase between 2003 and 2004 (3,000).

• Native Hawaiians and other Pacific islanders (NHPI) — Hawaii had the largest population of NHPI (279,700); California, the largest numerical increase (3,400) since July 2003; Hawaii also was where NHPI made up the largest proportion (22 percent) of the total population.
  
  Honolulu County, Hawaii, had the largest population of NHPI (183,200); and Clark County, Nev., registered the largest numerical increase (1,100) between 2003 and 2004.

     The federal government treats Hispanic origin and race as distinct concepts. Therefore, separate questions are asked about them. For further details, see U.S. Census Bureau Guidance on the Presentation and Comparison of Race and Hispanic-Origin Data (June 12, 2003), available at <http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/compraceho.html>.

     The estimates for each race and Hispanic group are cross-tabulated by single year of age and selected age groups for each state and by five-year age groups for counties.

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The Census Bureau develops state and county population estimates by characteristics using administrative records on births, deaths and migration to estimate population change from the most recent census. For more detail regarding the methodology, please see <http://www.census.gov/popest/topics/methodology>.