CB01-FF.15
October 22, 2001
American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month: November 2001
Radio Soundbites
To mark this observance, the Census Bureau has culled the following facts from previously released statistics on the American Indian and Alaska Native population.
Population Distribution
Note: The data in this section, with the exception of the "Age Distribution"
paragraph, come from Census 2000.
4.1 million
The number of U.S. residents who reported as American Indian and Alaska Native alone or in combination with one or more races in Census 2000. These people made up 1.5 percent of the total population. The 2.5 million who reported as American Indian and Alaska Native alone represented 0.9 percent of the population. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2001/cb01cn61.html>
2.2 million
The increase in the number of people who reported as American Indian and Alaska Native alone or in combination with one or more races since the 1990 census (when respondents could choose only one race). The rate of increase was 110 percent. The increase in the population who reported as American Indian and Alaska Native alone was 516,700 or 26 percent. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2001/cb01cn61.html>
States
627,600
The number of California residents who reported as American Indian and Alaska
Native alone or in combination with one or more races in Census 2000, making the
Golden State the state with the highest number of such people. Oklahoma was
next, with 391,900. These two states also ranked first and second in number of
residents who reported as American Indian and Alaska Native alone, with 333,300
and 273,200, respectively. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2001/cb01cn64.html>
19%
Percentage of Alaska's population who reported as American Indian and Alaska
Native alone or in combination with one or more races in Census 2000. Alaska led
all states, followed by Oklahoma and New Mexico, each at 11 percent, and South
Dakota, at 9 percent. Sixteen percent of Alaska's population was American Indian
and Alaska Native alone, also tops in the nation, followed by New Mexico (10
percent) and South Dakota and Oklahoma (8 percent each). <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2001/cb01cn64.html>
Counties and Places
138,700
The number of people in Los Angeles County, Calif., who in Census 2000
reported as American Indian and Alaska Native alone or in combination with one
or more races, tops among the nation's counties. Maricopa County, Ariz.
(75,900), and McKinley County, N.M. (57,100), were second and third,
respectively. When it came to the number of people who reported as American
Indian and Alaska Native alone, the order was the same: Los Angeles was first
(77,000), followed by Maricopa (56,700) and McKinley (55,900). <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2001/cb01cn64.html>
95%
Percentage of residents of Shannon County, S.D., who in Census 2000 reported
as American Indian and Alaska Native alone or in combination with one or more
races -- the highest percentage of any county in the nation. This county also
led the nation in the proportion of residents who reported as American Indian
and Alaska Native alone (94 percent). <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2001/cb01cn64.html>
87,200
The number of people in New York city who in Census 2000 reported as American
Indian and Alaska Native alone or in combination with one or more races. New
York city led all the nation's cities in this category. Los Angeles was second,
with 53,100, followed by Phoenix, 35,100. For the population that reported as
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, the order was the same, with New York
city first (41,300), followed by Los Angeles (29,400) and Phoenix (26,700).
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2001/cb01cn64.html>
10%
Percentage of Anchorage, Alaska, residents who in Census 2000 reported as
American Indian and Alaska Native alone or in combination with one or more
races. Among cities of 100,000 or more, Anchorage edged out Tulsa, Okla. (8
percent). Other high-ranking cities were Oklahoma City, Okla. (6 percent),
Albuquerque, N.M. (5 percent), and Green Bay, Wis. (4 percent). As to the
proportion of those who reported as American Indian and Alaska Native alone,
Anchorage led, with 7 percent, followed again by Tulsa (5 percent), Albuquerque
(4 percent), Oklahoma City (4 percent) and Green Bay (3 percent). <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2001/cb01cn64.html>
Note: The data from this point forward comes from sources other than Census 2000.
Age Distribution
187,000
The number of American Indians and Alaska Natives who were 65 or over in
2000. This number represented 7 percent of the total American Indian and Alaska
Native population nationwide. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2001/cb01-96.html>
Income and Poverty
$31,799
Median household income for American Indians and Alaska Natives, based on a
1998-2000 average. This is higher than for African Americans ($28,679), not
statistically different from Hispanics ($31,703) and lower than for non-Hispanic
Whites ($45,514), and Asians and Pacific Islanders ($52,553). <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2001/cb01-158.html>
25.9%
The poverty rate for American Indians and Alaska Natives, based on a
1998-2000 average. This rate was not statistically different from the rates for
African Americans and Hispanics, but was higher than those for non-Hispanic
Whites, and Asians and Pacific Islanders. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2001/cb01-158.html>
701,000
Number of American Indians and Alaska Natives below the poverty line, based
on a 1998-2000 average. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2001/cb01-158.html>
Health Insurance
26.8%
Proportion of American Indians and Alaska Natives lacking health insurance
coverage, based on a 1998-2000 average. Their rate is significantly higher than
the rates of African Americans (19.5 percent), Asians and Pacific Islanders
(18.8 percent) and non-Hispanic Whites (10.1 percent), but lower than that of
Hispanics (32.8 percent). <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2001/cb01-162.html>
Businesses
197,300
Number of American Indian and Alaska Native-owned businesses
in the United States in 1997. These businesses employed 298,700 people
and generated $34.3 billion in revenues. They made up 0.9 percent of
the nation's 20.8 million nonfarm businesses and 6.5 percent of its 3.0
million minority-owned firms.
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2001/cb01-87.html> <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2001/cb01-115.html>
84%
The increase from 1992 to 1997 in the number of American Indian and Alaska
Native-owned firms, excluding C corporations for which prior comparable data are
not available. By comparison, the total number of firms in the United States
grew 7 percent over this period. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2001/cb01-87.html>
179%
The increase in receipts of American Indian and Alaska Native-owned firms
between 1992 and 1997; the increase for all U.S. firms over the same period was
40 percent. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2001/cb01-87.html>
34%
Proportion of all U.S. firms that were owned by American Indians and Alaska
Natives in 1997 in four states -- California (26,600), Texas (15,700), Oklahoma
(15,100) and Florida (10,500). <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2001/cb01-87.html>
11%
Proportion of all the firms in Alaska that were owned by American Indians and
Alaska Natives in 1997 -- the highest of any state in the nation. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2001/cb01-87.html>
$174,100
Average receipts of an American Indian and Alaska Native-owned firm in 1997.
About 2 percent (4,900) of all American Indian and Alaska Native-owned firms had
annual sales of $1 million or more. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2001/cb01-87.html>
27%
Proportion of the nation's American Indian and Alaska Native-owned firms in
1997 whose owners were women. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2001/cb01-115.html>
The preceding facts come from Census 2000, the Survey of Minority-Owned Business Enterprises and the Current Population Survey. The data are subject to sampling variability and other sources of error. Previous 2001 Census Bureau Facts for Features: African American History Month (February), Valentine's Day (Feb. 14), Women's History Month (March), Census Day, 2000: One Year Later (April 1), Mother's Day (May 13), Asian Pacific American Month (May), Older Americans Month (May), Father's Day (June 17), the Fourth of July, Americans with Disabilities Act Anniversary (July 26), Back to School (August), Grandparents' Day (Sept. 9), Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15) and Halloween (Oct. 31). Questions or comments should be directed to the Census Bureau's Public Information Office (Tel: 301-457-3030; Fax: 301-457-3670; e-mail: <pio@census.gov>).
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