America's Children in Brief: Key National Indicators of Well-Being, 2008
Demographic Background
Understanding the changing demographic characteristics of America's children is critical for shaping social programs and policies. The number of children determines the demand for schools, health care, and other services that are essential to meet the daily needs of families. While the number of children living in the United States has grown, the ratio of children to adults has decreased. At the same time, the racial and ethnic composition of the Nation's children continues to change.
In 2007, there were 73.9 million children in the United States, 1.5 million more than in 2000. This number is projected to increase to 80 million in 2020. In 2007, there were approximately equal numbers of children in each of these age groups: 0–5 (25 million), 6–11 (24 million), and 12–17 (25 million) years of age.
Since the mid–1960s, children have been decreasing as a proportion of the total U.S. population. In 2007, children made up 25 percent of the population, down from a peak of 36 percent at the end of the "baby boom" (1964). Children are projected to remain a fairly stable percentage of the total population through 2020, when they are projected to compose 24 percent of the population.
Racial and ethnic diversity has grown dramatically in the United States in the last three decades. This increased diversity appeared first among children and later in the older population. This diversity is projected to increase even more in the decades to come. In 2007, 57 percent of children were White, non-Hispanic, 21 percent were Hispanic, 15 percent were Black, 4 percent were Asian, and 4 percent were of all other races (Figure 1).The percentage of children who are Hispanic has increased faster than that of any other racial or ethnic group, growing from 9 percent of the child population in 1980 to 21 percent in 2007. By 2020, it is projected that nearly 1 in 4 children in the United States will be of Hispanic origin.
Figure 1: Percentage of U.S. children ages 0–17 by race and Hispanic origin, 1980–2007 and projected 2008–2020
NOTE: Data from 2000 onward are not directly comparable with data from earlier years. Prior to 2000, race data followed a 1977 Office of Management and Budget directive on the collection and presentation of statistics on race and ethnicity. Data for 2000 and subsequent years reflect conversion to OMB's 1997 directive on the collection and presentation of statistics on race and ethnicity. The new directive refined many race categories and included a provision for identifying multiracial respondents. Identification of Hispanic and other ethnic origins is done independently of race. Thus, Hispanics may be of any race. Except for the "All other races" category, all race groups discussed from 2000 onward refer to people who indicated only one racial identity. Non-Hispanic Whites are used as the comparison group for other race groups and Hispanics. For additional information see http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/race/racefactcb.html and http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/fedreg/1997standards.html. Unless otherwise specified, statistics by race reported here include persons of Hispanic origin.
SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates and Projections.