Houston's fastest-growing demographic groups
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Asian and mixed-race populations, followed by Hispanic populations, grew the most in the Houston metro area between 2000 and last year, per a new Axios analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.
Why it matters: Demographic data shows how much Houston and the state as a whole have changed in the past two decades.
- Hispanic Texans now make up the largest share of the state's population. And non-Hispanic white residents now make up less than 40% of the population.
The big picture: Though the U.S. population is still largely white, other populations grew dramatically between 2000 and 2022, report Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick and Kavya Beheraj.
- The nationwide 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: Demographic trends are driven by a combination of factors, including varied birth, mortality and immigration rates among different socioeconomic groups.
By the numbers: Texas metro populations have boomed since 2000, with most increasing by more than 50%.
- The Houston metro area grew about 56%, from a population of 4.7 million to more than 7.3 million people.
Zoom in: The Houston area population is still majority white, but other races have seen the most growth in the last 20 years.
The intrigue: Political observers have long speculated that a growing Hispanic population in Texas could move the state toward purple or even blue.
- But Latino voters are favoring the Democratic Party less.