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Larry Sink/Amy Smith
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Census Bureau Releases State and County Population Changes
for the Nation's Racial and Hispanic Groups -- Substantial
Increases Estimated from 1990
The Commerce Department's Census Bureau today released annual estimates,
from 1990 to 1998, of the population by race, Hispanic origin, age and sex
for the nation's 50 states, the District of Columbia and 3,142 counties.
"These estimates show that the number of Hispanics, and the number of
Asians and other racial groups living in the United States has increased
substantially during the 1990s," Census Bureau Director Kenneth Prewitt
said. "However, Census 2000 will provide more precise information on the
demographics of America. We need a good snapshot from next year's census
to document the increasing diversity of the country. That is why the
Census Bureau is moving full-steam-ahead in its efforts to count every
person residing in this country, assuring that next year's Census 2000 is
the most complete and accurate census ever."
The following are highlights from the estimates available on the Internet:
Hispanic Population (may be of any race)
Nationwide, the Hispanic population increased from 22.4 million in 1990
to 30.3 million in 1998, a gain of 35.2 percent or 7.9 million people. At
10.1 million, California's Hispanic population was the largest of any
state in 1998. Since the 1990 Census, California's Hispanic population
increased by 2.4 million, the largest numerical gain of any state. The
other big gainers in Hispanic population over this period were: Texas (1.5
million), Florida (669,000), New York (411,000), and Arizona (345,000).
New Mexico led all states with the highest concentration of Hispanics
(40.3 percent) in its overall population.
Asian and Pacific Islander Population
Nationwide, the Asian and Pacific Islander population increased from 7.5
million in 1990 to 10.5 million in 1998, a gain of 40.8 percent or 3.0
million people. California had both the largest population and the largest
numerical increase in the Asian and Pacific Islander population of any
state. The increase in this population in California between 1990 and 1998
(990,000) was larger than the total Asian and Pacific Islander population
of any other state in 1990. The other big gainers in Asian and Pacific
Islander population over this period were: New York (285,000); Texas
(225,000); New Jersey (176,000); and Florida (115,000). Hawaii had the
highest concentration (63.4 percent) of Asians and Pacific Islanders in
its population in 1998.
African American Population
Nationwide, the African American population increased from 30.5 million
in 1990 to 34.4 million in 1998, a gain of 12.8 percent or 3.9 million
people. The state with the largest African American population in 1998 was
New York, with 3.2 million. Between 1990 and 1998, Florida registered the
largest numerical increase (495,000) in this population, followed by
Georgia (430,000), Texas (382,000), Maryland (232,000) and North Carolina
(204,000). In 1998, 62.3 percent of the District of Columbia's total
population was African American -- the largest percent among any state or
state equivalent.
American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut Population
Nationwide, the American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut population increased
from 2.1 million in 1990 to 2.4 million in 1998, a gain of 14.3 percent or
295,000 people. California's 1998 American Indian population of 309,000
was the largest of any state. The largest numerical increase among states
for the American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut population over the 1990-1998
period occurred in Arizona (42,000). Rounding out the top five gainers in
this category were New Mexico (25,000), Texas (23,000), California
(23,000) and Florida (21,000). In 1998, 16.2 percent of Alaska's
population was American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut, the highest percentage
among all states.
Other Information
The data for states and counties include estimates by single year of age
(to age 85 and over), race (White, Black, American Indian, Eskimo and
Aleut, and Asian and Pacific Islander), Hispanic origin and sex.
Additional tables provide rankings by race and Hispanic origin for states
and counties in 1998.
The state data are available on the Internet at
http://www.census.gov/population/www/estimates/statepop.html
and consist of:
- 1990 to 1998 Annual Time Series of State Population Estimates by Race
and Hispanic Origin;
- 1990 to 1998 Annual Time Series of State Population Estimates by Age,
Sex, Race and Hispanic Origin; and
- 1998 State Population Estimates Ranked by Race and Hispanic Origin
Population.
The county data are available on the Internet at
http://www.census.gov/population/www/estimates/countypop.html
and consist of:
- 1990 to 1998 Annual Time Series of County Population Estimates by Age
and Sex;
- 1990 to 1998 Annual Time Series of County Population Estimates by Race
and Hispanic Origin;
- 1990 to 1998 Annual Time Series of County Population Estimates by Age,
Sex, Race and Hispanic Origin;
- 1990 to 1998 Annual Time Series of County Population Estimates by
Selected Age Groups; and
- 1998 County Population Estimates Ranked by Race and Hispanic Origin
Population.
The estimates presented in these products are based on a method that is
still in a developmental stage and should be used with caution since
individual data cells may not be accurate in every case.
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