An
Older and More Diverse Nation by Midcentury
The
nation will be more racially and ethnically diverse, as well as much older, by
midcentury, according to projections released today by the U.S. Census
Bureau.
Minorities, now roughly one-third of the
U.S. population, are expected to
become the majority in 2042, with the nation projected to be 54 percent minority
in 2050. By 2023, minorities will comprise more than half of all
children.
In
2030, when all of the baby boomers will be 65 and older, nearly one in five
U.S. residents is expected to be 65
and older. This age group is projected to increase to 88.5 million in 2050, more
than doubling the number in 2008 (38.7 million).
Similarly, the 85 and older population is expected
to more than triple, from 5.4 million to 19 million between 2008 and
2050.
By
2050, the minority population — everyone except for non-Hispanic, single-race
whites — is projected to be 235.7 million out of a total U.S. population of 439
million. The nation is projected to reach the 400 million population milestone
in 2039.
The
non-Hispanic, single-race white population is projected to be only slightly
larger in 2050 (203.3 million) than in 2008 (199.8 million). In fact, this group
is projected to lose population in the 2030s and 2040s and comprise 46 percent
of the total population in 2050, down from 66 percent in
2008.
Meanwhile, the Hispanic population is projected to
nearly triple, from 46.7 million to 132.8 million during the 2008-2050 period.
Its share of the nation’s total population is projected to double, from 15
percent to 30 percent. Thus, nearly one in three
U.S. residents
would be Hispanic.
The
black population is projected to increase from 41.1 million, or 14 percent of
the population in 2008, to 65.7 million, or 15 percent in
2050.
The
Asian population is projected to climb from 15.5 million to 40.6 million. Its
share of the nation’s population is expected to rise from 5.1 percent to 9.2
percent.
Among
the remaining race groups, American Indians and Alaska Natives are projected to
rise from 4.9 million to 8.6 million (or from 1.6 to 2 percent of the total
population). The Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander population is
expected to more than double, from 1.1 million to 2.6 million. The number of
people who identify themselves as being of two or more races is projected to
more than triple, from 5.2 million to 16.2 million.
Other
highlights:
- In 2050, the
nation’s population of children is expected to be 62 percent minority, up from
44 percent today. Thirty-nine percent are projected to be Hispanic (up from 22
percent in 2008), and 38 percent are projected to be single-race, non-Hispanic
white (down from 56 percent in 2008).
- The percentage of
the population in the “working ages” of 18 to 64 is projected to decline from 63
percent in 2008 to 57 percent in 2050.
- The working-age
population is projected to become more than 50 percent minority in 2039 and be
55 percent minority in 2050 (up from 34 percent in 2008). Also in 2050, it is
projected to be more than 30 percent Hispanic (up from 15 percent in 2008), 15
percent black (up from 13 percent in 2008) and 9.6 percent Asian (up from 5.3
percent in 2008).
-X-
Unless otherwise specified, the data refer to the
population who reported a race alone or in combination with one or more races.
The detailed tables show data for both this group and those who reported a
single race only. Censuses and surveys permit respondents to select more than
one race; consequently, people may be one race or a combination of races.
Hispanics may be of any race.
The federal government treats Hispanic origin and race
as separate and distinct concepts. In surveys and censuses, separate questions
are asked on Hispanic origin and race. The question on Hispanic origin asks
respondents if they are Spanish, Hispanic or Latino. Starting with Census 2000,
the question on race asked respondents to report the race or races they consider
themselves to be. Thus, Hispanics may be of any race. (See
U.S. Census Bureau Guidance
on the Presentation and Comparison of Race and Hispanic Origin
Data.)
The original race data from Census 2000 are modified to
eliminate the “some other race” category. This modification is used for all
Census Bureau projections products and is explained in the document titled
“Modified Race Data Summary File Technical Documentation and ASCII Layout” that
can be found on the Census Bureau Web site at <http://www.census.gov/popest/archives/files/MRSF-01-US1.html>
The projections for the resident population of the
United
States are available by single year of age,
sex, race and Hispanic origin. They are based on Census 2000 results and
assumptions about future childbearing, mortality and net international
migration.