RELEASED: 12:01 A.M. EDT, THURSDAY, MAY 17, 2007
- Robert Bernstein
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Minority Population Tops 100 Million
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 Excel | 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 Excel | 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.
- 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).
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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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