Census Bureau Facts for Features CB99-FF.14 October 21, 1999 American Indian Heritage Month: November 1-30 Population Distribution - The nation's American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut resident population grew by more than 300,000 between April 1, 1990 and July 1, 1999, to 2.4 million. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-101.html - The American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut resident population has grown more rapidly than the nation's population as a whole in the 1990s 16.0 percent versus 9.7 percent between April 1, 1990 and July 1, 1999. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-101.html - Despite its steady growth over the last five years, the nation's American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut population remained at 0.9 percent of the total population on July 1, 1999. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-101.html - The nation's American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut resident population is young, with an estimated median age on July 1, 1999, of 27.6 years nearly eight years younger than the median for the population as a whole. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-101.html - According to middle-series population projections, the nation's American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut resident population will grow to 3.1 million by 2020. This means that this race group should see its population increase faster over the next two decades than either Whites or African Americans but more slowly than Hispanics (who may be of any race) or Asians and Pacific Islanders. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb96-36.html - There were an estimated 161,000 American Indians, Eskimos and Aleuts age 65 and over and 20,000 age 85 and over residing in the United States as of July 1, 1999. Projections indicate these numbers will double by July 1, 2020, to 321,000 and 51,000, respectively. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb96-36.html - In 1997, about half of the nation's American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut households were located outside metro areas; the remainder were split about equally between the suburbs and the central cities of metro areas. http://www.census.gov/ftp/pub/mp/www/pub/con/mscho20a.html - As of July 1, 1996, the metropolitan areas with the largest American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut populations were Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, Calif., with 113,000; Phoenix-Mesa, Ariz., 65,000; New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, N.Y.-N.J.-Conn.-Pa., 61,000; Tulsa, Okla, 50,000; San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, Calif., 49,000; Oklahoma City, Okla., 48,000; Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, Wash., 45,000; Albuquerque, N.M., 38,000; Flagstaff, Ariz.-Utah, 34,000; and Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.-Wis., 28,000. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb98-226.html - Among these metropolitan areas, the three with the highest concentration of American Indians, Eskimos and Aleuts were Flagstaff (where persons of this group constituted 28 percent of the total population), Tulsa (7 percent) and Albuquerque (6 percent). http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb98-226.html As of July 1, 1998, according to population estimates: - The 10 states with the largest American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut populations were: California (309,000), Oklahoma (263,000), Arizona (256,000), New Mexico (163,000), Washington (103,000), Alaska (100,000), North Carolina (98,000), Texas (96,000), New York (76,000) 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/www/1999/cb99-170.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/www/1999/cb99-170.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: Maricopa, Ariz. (54,000); Apache, Ariz. (53,000); Navajo, Ariz. (50,000); McKinley, N.M. (49,000); Robeson, N.C. (47,000); San Juan, N.M. (41,000); Coconino, Ariz. (34,000); Pima, Ariz. (27,000); and Tulsa, Okla. (27,000). http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-170.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., and Wade Hampton Census Area, Alaska, where 94 percent of residents were American Indians, Eskimos or Aleuts, led the nation, followed by Menominee,Wis. (88 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/www/1999/cb99-170.html Between April 1, 1990, and July 1, 1998, according to population estimates: - Arizona added 42,000 American Indians, Eskimos and Aleuts to its population, more than any other state. Next were New Mexico (25,000), Texas (23,000), California (23,000), Florida (21,000) and North Carolina (17,000). http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-170.html - Florida's American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut population increased 56 percent tops among all the states. Nevada, at 48 percent, was the runner-up. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-170.html - Both of the counties that added the most American Indians, Eskimos and Aleuts to their populations were located in Arizona. Maricopa led the way, adding 12,000 over the period, followed by Navajo (10,000). http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-170.html Households and Families - Between July 1, 1999, 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 740,165 to 906,036. http://www.census.gov/population/projections/nation/hh-fam/table4n.txt - On July 1, 1999, according to projections made in 1995, 74.4 percent of the nation's American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut households were family households. Of these families, 64.7 percent were maintained by married couples, 26.5 percent by women with no husband present and 8.8 percent by men with no wife present. The typical American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut family was made up of 3.59 people, larger than the average 3.12 people for families of all races. http://www.census.gov/population/projections/nation/hh-fam/table4n.txt Education - In fall 1996, 134,000 non-Hispanic American Indians were enrolled in the nation's colleges and universities, up from 84,000 in fall 1980. Of these 134,000 persons, about 5 in 10 attended two-year schools. Additionally, of the 134,000, nearly 6 in 10 were women. More than 8 in 10 of the non-Hispanic American Indians enrolled in college went to public schools. Finally, more than 9 in 10 of the total number of enrollees were undergraduates. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb98-226.html - During the 1994-95 school year, more than 14,000 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/cb98-226.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 1997. http://www.census.gov/ftp/pub/mp/www/pub/con/mscho20a.html Mobility - In 1997, about one-quarter of the nation's American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut households had moved during the preceding year. http://www.census.gov/ftp/pub/mp/www/pub/con/mscho20a.html Property Ownership - As of 1996, American Indians, Eskimos and Aleuts owned 40,700 single-family rental properties and 22,000 rental units in multi-family rental properties nationwide. http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poms.html - In 1997, slightly fewer American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut households in the United States owned their homes than rented them. Forty-six percent were homeowners and 54 percent were renters. http://www.census.gov/ftp/pub/mp/www/pub/con/mscho20a.html 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 ______________________________________________________________________________ The preceding facts come from, 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 1999 Facts for Features: African American History Month (February), Valentine's Day (February 14), Women's History Month (March), Countdown to Census 2000 (April 1), Secretaries' Day (Apr. 21), Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month (May), Mother's Day (May 9), Father's Day (June 20), the Fourth of July, Back to School (August), Grandparents Day (September 12), Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 - October 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).
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