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Facts for Features: American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month: November 2014

Press Release Number CB14-FF.26

The first American Indian Day was celebrated in May 1916 in New York. Red Fox James, a Blackfeet Indian, rode horseback from state to state, getting endorsements from 24 state governments, to have a day to honor American Indians. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed a joint congressional resolution designating November 1990 as “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Similar proclamations have been issued every year since 1994. This Facts for Features presents statistics for American Indians and Alaska Natives, as this is one of the six major Office of Management and Budget race categories.

Note: Unless otherwise specified, the statistics in the “Population” section refer to the population who reported a race alone or in combination with one or more other races.

Population

5.2 million

The nation’s population of American Indians and Alaska Natives, including those of more than one race. They made up about 2 percent of the total population in 2013. Of this total, about 49 percent were American Indian and Alaska Native only, and about 51 percent were American Indian and Alaska Native in combination with one or more other races.
Source: 2011-2013 American Community Survey
<//factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_13_3YR_S0201&prodType=table>

11.2 million

The projected population of American Indians and Alaska Natives, alone or in combination, on July 1, 2060. They would comprise 2.7 percent of the total population.
Source: Population projections
<//www.census.gov/population/projections/files/summary/NP2012-T4.xls>

432,343

The American Indian and Alaska Native population, alone or in combination, 65 and over.
Source: 2013 American Community Survey
<//factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_13_3YR_S0201&prodType=table>

14

Number of states with more than 100,000 American Indian and Alaska Native residents, alone or in combination, in 2013. These states were California, Oklahoma, Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Washington, New York, North Carolina, Florida, Alaska, Michigan, Oregon, Colorado and Minnesota.
Source: 2013 American Community Survey
<//factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/12_1YR/S0201/0100000US.04000/popgroup~009>

14.3%

The proportion of Alaska’s population identified as American Indian and Alaska Native, alone or in combination, in 2013, the highest share for this race group of any state. Alaska was followed by Oklahoma (7.5 percent), New Mexico (9.1), South Dakota (8.5 percent) and Montana (6.8 percent).
Source: 2013 American Community Survey
<//factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_13_1YR_DP05&prodType=table>

30.8

Median age for those who were American Indian and Alaska Native, alone or in combination, in 2013. This compares with a median age of 37.5 for the U.S. population as a whole.
Source: 2011-2013 American Community Survey
<//factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_13_3YR_S0201&prodType=table>

Reservations

325

Number of federally recognized American Indian reservations in 2012. All in all, excluding Hawaiian Home Lands, there are 630 American Indian and Alaska Native legal and statistical areas for which the Census Bureau provides statistics.
Source: Census Bureau Geography Division
<https://www.census.gov/geo/reference/gtc/gtc_aiannha.html>

Tribes

566

Number of federally recognized Indian tribes. Data courtesy of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 2013
<//www.bia.gov/cs/groups/public/documents/text/idc015898.pdf>

Families

1,698,815

The number of American Indian and Alaska Native family households in 2013 (households with a householder who was American Indian and Alaska Native alone or in combination with another race). Of these, 38.5 percent were married-couple families, including those with children.
Source: 2011-2013 American Community Survey
<//factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_13_3YR_S0201&prodType=table>

6.1 %

The percentage of American Indian and Alaska Natives, alone or in combination with other races, who were grandparents living with at least one of their grandchildren in 2013.
Source: 2011-2013 American Community Survey
<//factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_13_3YR_S0201&prodType=table>

Housing

53.9%

The percentage of single-race American Indian and Alaska Native householders who owned their own home in 2013. This is compared with 64.0 percent of the overall population.
Source: 2011-2013 American Community Survey
<//factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_13_3YR_S0201&prodType=table>

Languages

20.0%

Percentage of American Indians and Alaska Natives, alone or in combination. age 5 and older who spoke a language other than English at home in 2011-2013, compared with 21 percent for the nation as a whole.
Source: 2011-2013 American Community Survey
<//factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_13_3YR_S0201&prodType=table>

Education

82.2%

The percentage of American Indians and Alaska Natives 25 and older who had at least a high school diploma, GED certificate or alternative credential. In addition, 17.6 percent obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher. In comparison, 86.3 percent of the overall population had a high school diploma or higher and 29.1 percent had a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Source: 2011-2013, American Community Survey
<//factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_13_3YR_S0201&prodType=table>

39.8%

Single-race American Indians and Alaska Natives 25 and older whose bachelor’s degree or higher was in science and engineering, or science and engineering-related fields in 2013. This compares with 43.7 percent for all people 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Source: 2013 American Community Survey
<//factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/12_1YR/C15010C>
Source: 2001-2013 American Community Survey
<//factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_13_3YR_C15010&prodType=table>

13.5%

Percentage of single-race American Indians and Alaska Natives 25 and older who had a bachelor’s degree, graduate or professional degree in 2013.
Source: 2013 American Community Survey
<//factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_13_3YR_S0201&prodType=table>

Jobs

25.9%

The percentage of civilian-employed single-race American Indian and Alaska Native people 16 and older who worked in management, business, science and arts occupations in 2013. In addition, 25.2 percent worked in service occupations and 22.7 percent in sales and office occupations.
Source: 2011-2013 American Community Survey
<//factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_13_3YR_S0201&prodType=table>

Veterans

152,897

The number of single-race American Indian and Alaska Native veterans of the U.S. armed forces in 2011-2013.
Source: 2011-2013 American Community Survey
<//factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_13_3YR_B21001C&prodType=table>

Income and Poverty

$36,252

The median household income of single-race American Indian and Alaska Native households in 2013. This compares with $52,176 for the nation as a whole.
Source: 2013 American Community Survey
<//factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_13_3YR_S0201&prodType=table>

29.2%

The percent of single-race American Indians and Alaska Natives that were in poverty in 2013, the highest rate of any race group. For the nation as a whole, the poverty rate was 15.9 percent.
Source: 2011-2013 American Community Survey
<//factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/12_1YR/S0201//popgroup~002|004|006|009|012>
<//factfinder2.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=ACS_13_3YR_S0201&prodType=table>

Health Insurance

26.9%

The percentage of single-race American Indians and Alaska Natives who lacked health insurance coverage in 2013. For the nation as a whole, the corresponding percentage was 14.5 percent.
Source: 2013 Current Population Survey <//www.census.gov/hhes/www/cpstables/032014/health/People%20Without%20Health%20Insurance%20Coverage%20by%20Race%20and%20Hispanic%20Origin.xls>

The following is a list of observances typically covered by the Census Bureau’s Facts for Features series:

Black (African American) History Month (February)
Super Bowl
Valentine's Day (Feb. 14)
Women's History Month (March)
Irish-American Heritage Month (March)/
      St. Patrick's Day (March 17)
Earth Day (April 22)
Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May)
Older Americans Month (May)
Mother's Day
Hurricane Season Begins (June 1)
Father's Day
The Fourth of July (July 4)
Anniversary of Americans With Disabilities Act (July 26)
Back to School (August)
Labor Day
Grandparents Day
Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15)
Unmarried and Single Americans Week
Halloween (Oct. 31)
American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month (November)
Veterans Day (Nov. 11)
Thanksgiving Day
The Holiday Season (December)

Editor’s note: The preceding data were collected from a variety of sources and may be subject to sampling variability and other sources of error. Facts for Features are customarily released about two months before an observance in order to accommodate magazine production timelines. Questions or comments should be directed to the Census Bureau’s Public Information Office: telephone: 301-763-3030; or e-mail: pio@census.gov.

Page Last Revised - December 16, 2021
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