EMBARGOED UNTIL: 12:01 A.M. EDT, SEPTEMBER 17, 1999 (FRIDAY)
Public Information Office CB99-171
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Robert Perkins
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Nearly 1 in 10 U.S. Residents Are Foreign-Born,
Census Bureau Reports
Foreign-born residents made up 9.3 percent of the U.S. population on
July 1, 1998, up from 8.0 percent on April 1, 1990, according to estimates
released today by the Commerce Department's Census Bureau.
The estimates, available on the Internet, show that the proportion
of foreign-born residents in the United States is midway between the peak
of 14.7 percent in the 1910 census and the low point of 4.7 percent in the
1970 census.
Between 1990 and 1998, the latest estimates show that the growth in the
foreign-born population (27.1 percent) was nearly four times that of the
native population (7.1 percent). The number of foreign-born residents
jumped from 19.8 million to 25.2 million, while native residents increased
from 228.9 million to 245.1 million.
"The increase in the foreign-born population since 1990 underscores the
need to make Census 2000 the most complete and accurate census in
history," said Census Bureau Director Kenneth Prewitt. "Virtually every
program that helps new residents adapt to life in America is based on
information collected in the decennial census."
Some other highlights:
- In 1998, foreign-born Asians and Pacific Islanders (an estimated 6.4
million) outnumbered the 4.1 million native Asians and Pacific Islanders.
Foreign-born Asians and Pacific Islanders increased by 39.2 percent, from
the 4.6 million residing in the United States in 1990.
- The African American foreign-born population increased by 42.4 percent
(from 1.7 million to 2.4 million) between 1990 and 1998.
- The number of foreign-born Hispanics, who may be of any race, grew
34.1 percent (from 8.0 million to 10.7 million) between 1990 and 1998.
These estimates are the first the Census Bureau has produced for the
foreign-born population by updating census data with administrative
estimates of population change (births, deaths and migration). The
national nativity estimates cover the foreign-born and native resident
populations by single year of age, sex, race and Hispanic origin.
The Census Bureau's Current Population Survey (CPS) uses a different
method to estimate nativity, and may show different counts of foreign-born
and native populations from those presented here.
-X-
Foreign-Born Population Estimates and Historical Decennial Census Data
Foreign-Born Resident Native Resident
Population Population
Number Percent of U.S. Number Percent of U.S.
(millions) Population (millions) Population
July 1, 1998 25.2 9.3 245.1 90.7
April 1, 1990 19.8 8.0 228.9 92.0
1980 Census 14.1 6.2 212.5 93.8
1970 Census 9.6 4.7 193.6 95.3
1960 Census 9.7 5.4 169.6 94.6
1950 Census 10.3 6.9 139.9 93.1
1940 Census 11.6 8.8 120.1 91.2
1930 Census 14.2 11.6 108.6 88.4
1920 Census 13.9 13.2 91.8 86.8
1910 Census 13.5 14.7 78.5 85.3
1900 Census 10.3 13.6 65.7 86.4
Source: Population Estimates Program (for the April 1, 1990 and July 1,
1998 dates) and decennial census data, U.S. Census Bureau.
