America's fastest-growing demographic groups
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The country's Pacific Islander, Asian and Hispanic populations saw the biggest percentage increases between 2000 and 2022, per a new Axios analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.
Why it matters: Such demographic data is a vital snapshot of how the racial and ethnic makeup of the U.S. is changing over time, and can inform policies and programs nationwide.
By the numbers: The number of Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders grew about 120%, to nearly 879,000.
- The Asian population grew about 105%, to 21 million.
- The Hispanic population grew about 80%, to nearly 64 million.
- The Black population grew 31%, to 45.4 million.
Of note: The U.S. is still predominantly white, with growth of 19% between 2000 and 2022, to nearly 252 million.
Driving the news: Demographic trends are driven by a combination of factors, including varied birth, mortality and immigration rates among different socioeconomic groups.
Zoom in: Some states are seeing far more rapid demographic shifts than others.
- In Texas, for instance, Hispanic residents now officially make up the largest share of the state's population, the Texas Tribune reports.
- "The new population figures show Hispanic Texans made up 40.2% of the state's population last summer, barely edging out non-Hispanic white Texans, who made up 39.8%," per the Tribune.
Meanwhile: The country is also rapidly aging, Axios' Emily Peck recently reported, with the median age reaching a record 38.9 last year.
