Census Bureau Facts for Features
A product of the U.S. Census Bureau's Public Information Office
CB98-FF.13 October 26, 1998 American Indian Heritage Month: November 1-30 Population Distribution - On August 1, 1998, an estimated 2.4 million American Indians, Eskimos and Aleuts resided in the United States. They comprised almost 1 percent of the total population. Since July 1, 1990, the American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut population has increased 14 percent, while the population as a whole grew 8 percent. http://www.census.gov/population/estimates/nation/intfile3-1.txt - The nation's American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut population is young, with an estimated median age on August 1, 1998, of 27.4 years about 8 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, Eskimo and Aleut population will grow to 3.1 million by 2020. This would mean that this race group would increase faster over the next two decades than either the White or African American populations but slower than Asians and Pacific Islanders. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb96-36.html - Projections indicate that the number of elderly (ages 65 or older) American Indians, Eskimos and Aleuts in the United States will more than double between July 1, 1998, and July 1, 2020, from 156,000 to 321,000. Meanwhile, the number 85 years old or over is expected to nearly triple, from 19,000 to 51,000. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb96-36.html - In 1995, about half of the nation's American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut households were located outside metro areas; the remainder were split approximately equally between the suburbs and the central cities of metro areas. http://www.census.gov/prod/www/titles.html#house As of July 1, 1997, according to population estimates: - The 10 states with the largest American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut population were: California (307,000), Oklahoma (260,000), Arizona (255,000), New Mexico (158,000), Washington (100,000), Alaska (97,000), North Carolina (95,000), Texas (93,000), New York (74,000) and Michigan (60,000). Overall, nearly one-half of the nation's American Indians, Eskimos and Aleuts lived in Western states. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb98-158.html - Each of the 10 states with the largest percentage of American Indians, Eskimos and Aleuts were located west of the Mississippi River. They were: Alaska (where persons of this group constituted 16 percent of the total population), New Mexico (9 percent), South Dakota (8 percent), Oklahoma (8 percent), Montana (6 percent), Arizona (6 percent), North Dakota (5 percent), Wyoming (2 percent), Nevada (2 percent) and Washington (2 percent). http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb98-158.html - Of the 10 counties with the largest American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut population, seven were located in either Arizona or New Mexico. However, it was Los Angeles, Calif., that topped the nation, with 56,000 American Indians, Eskimos and Aleuts. Rounding out the top 10 were: Apache, Ariz. (54,000); Maricopa, Ariz. (53,000); Navajo, Ariz. (50,000); McKinley, N.M. (49,000); Robeson, N.C. (46,000); San Juan, N.M. (39,000); Coconino, Ariz. (34,000); Pima, Ariz. (27,000); and Tulsa, Okla. (26,000). http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb98-158.html - Of the seven counties (or county equivalents) with the largest percentage of American Indians, Eskimos and Aleuts, six were located in either South Dakota or Alaska. Shannon, S.D., where 95 percent of residents were American Indians, Eskimos or Aleuts, led the nation, followed by Wade Hampton Census Area, Alaska (94 percent); Menominee, Wis. (90 percent); Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska (86 percent); Bethel Census Area, Alaska (84 percent); Todd, S.D. (83 percent); and Buffalo, S.D. (79 percent). http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb98-158.html Between April 1, 1990, and July 1, 1997, according to population estimates: - Arizona added 41,000 American Indians, Eskimos and Aleuts to its population, more than any other state. California (21,000), Texas (21,000), New Mexico (20,000), Florida (18,000) and North Carolina (15,000) followed. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb98-158.html - Each of the three counties which added the most American Indians, Eskimos and Aleuts to their populations were located in Arizona. Maricopa led the way, adding 10,000 over the period, followed by Navajo (9,000) and Apache (6,000). http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb98-158.html Coming to America - Not every American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut is actually native to America. In fact, in 1997, 6 percent (142,000) of the nation's American Indians, Eskimos and Aleuts were foreign-born. Three of every four of these residents were noncitizens who arrived in this country since 1980. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb98-57.html Households and Families - Between July 1, 1998, and July 1, 2010, the Census Bureau projects that the number of American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut households in the United States will climb from 726,702 to 906,036. http://www.census.gov/population/projections/nation/hh-fam/table4n.txt - On July 1, 1998, according to projections, 74 percent of the nation's American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut households consisted of families. 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, Eskimo and Aleut family was made up of 3.6 people, larger than the average 3.1 people for families of all races. http://www.census.gov/population/projections/nation/hh-fam/table4n.txt Education - In fall 1995, 131,000 non-Hispanic American Indians were enrolled in the nation's colleges and universities, up from 84,000 in fall 1980. Nearly 6 in 10 of these students were women, more than 8 in 10 attended public schools and more than 9 in 10 were undergraduates. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb97-199.html - During the 1993-94 school year, more than 13,000 of the nation's American Indians, Eskimos and Aleuts received college degrees either an associate's, bachelor's, master's, doctor's or professional. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb97-199.html Poverty - About one-third of the nation's American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut households had incomes that placed them below the poverty line in 1995. http://www.census.gov/prod/www/titles.html#house Mobility - In 1995, about one-quarter of the nation's American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut households had moved during the preceding year. http://www.census.gov/prod/www/titles.html#house Property Ownership - As of 1996, American Indians, Eskimos and Aleuts owned 40,700 single-family rental properties and 22,000 multi-family rental properties nationwide. http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poms.html - In 1995, about half of the American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut households in the United States owned the homes they lived in; the other half rented theirs. http://www.census.gov/prod/www/titles.html#house Businesses - The number of U.S. businesses owned by American Indians, Eskimos and Aleuts increased 93 percent between 1987 and 1992, from 52,980 to 102,271. The rate of increase for all U.S. firms was 26 percent (13.7 million in 1987 to 17.3 million in 1992). http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb96-127.html - In 1992, the United States had 95,040 American Indian-owned, 2,738 Aleut-owned and 4,493 Eskimo-owned firms. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb96-127.html - Receipts for the nation's American Indian-, Eskimo- and Aleut-owned businesses increased 115 percent from 1987 to 1992, from $3.7 billion to $8.1 billion. Receipts for all U.S. firms during the same period grew by 67 percent, from $2 trillion to $3.3 trillion. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb96-127.html-X-The preceding facts come from the Current Population Survey, the Statistical Abstract of the United States, population estimates and projections, the Survey of Minority-Owned Business Enterprises, the Property Owners and Managers Survey and the American Housing Survey. The data are subject to sampling variability and other sources of error. Previous Facts for Features in 1998 were: African-American History Month (February), Valentine's Day (Feb. 14), Women's History Month (March), Secretaries' Day (Apr. 22), Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month (May), Mother's Day (May 10), Father's Day (June 21), the Fourth of July, Back to School (August), Grandparents Day (Sept. 13), Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 - Oct. 15) and Disability Employment Awareness Month (October). 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.).
