Census Bureau Projects Surge in Hispanic and Asian Populations
Feature Story by civilrights.org staff - 4/7/2004
A recent U.S. Census Bureau projection shows that the nation's Hispanic and Asian populations will triple in size over the next half century, while the population of white Americans will decrease by 19 percent.
The estimates, which are projected through 2050, show that as early as 2010 the minority population will have grown to 110 million out of a total 309 million. The projection shows the white and minority population eventually balancing out to an almost 50/50 status.
The Census Bureau projects that the Latino population will grow to 103 million by 2050, a threefold increase from the 2000 figure of 36 million.
"These kind of data pushes us to think about the country in different ways, and how we define America," said Sonia Perez, vice president of research for the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic advocacy group.
Some experts, though excited about the recent findings, have concerns about the accuracy of the projections.
According to the Census Bureau, the terms "Hispanic" and "Latino" are only in reference to ethnicity, but not race. Because of this, Hispanics have identified their race as being white in previous census data. Researchers see this as a problem down the line, where it could skew data and not promote "clear" projections.
The Asian population, much like the Latino population, looks to grow to 33 million out of the total population – three times its population of 11 million in 2000.
Despite the growth of the two minority populations, the projection shows that the black population will remain in a strong second, with 61 million out of the total population.
Projections show that by 2050 the number of baby boomers retiring will increase from 35 million to 87 million, which experts say have implications for the rising minority populations. The large number of Americans vying for Social Security will have an increased reliance on the growing Latino and Asian communities.
"Financing the old age of the baby boomers would be more difficult without a growing Hispanic population," said Roberto Suro of the Pew Hispanic Center.
Echoing Suro's remarks are those of Edward Telles, a UCLA sociologist.
"It's going to be immigrant labor supporting the aging white populations," Telles said.
These projections, though 50 years in advance, speak to a growing trend in diversity in the nation's population, as well as the growing number of minority groups that overall support the country.
