we are americans

WE ARE AMERICANS

WE CALL OURSELVES “AMERICANS.”

But what does that mean? Who are we?

We are a population that came to this region from

other continents. Some arrived earlier than

others…But all are immigrants

from other lands.

Some people have referred to our population as a

“melting pot” where people from all ethnic backgrounds, races, religions, and customs

live side-by-side and call themselves AMERICANS.

Every 10 years our government

takes a survey of

our population.

Census

This survey gathers statistics about who we are, what we

do for a living, and other

information to measure

changes and growth.

The first census was conducted in 1790.

The U.S. Constitution (1787) requires a census be taken.

The number of representatives each state receives in the

House of Representatives

depends on the number of people who live in

that state.

Let’s see what changes have occurred since the

last census...

Population Growth• U.S. population grew in both size &

ethnic diversity.

• Census 2000 showed that our population was

281 million.

• This is a 13 percent increase over the people counted in the previous census.

Now, let’s look at our ethnic diversity. The census asks

people to identify their ethnic or racial heritage.

The results show that we are indeed a great “melting pot” of citizens whose ancestors came from around the world!

Population by Race:

74%

2%

13%

4%1%

<1%6%

White Black of African American

American Indian and Alaska Native Asian

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Some Other Race

Two or More Races

White Population

According to the census

77 % of Americans

are Caucasians (white)

whose ethnic background

can be traced to Europe

and Southwest Asia.

States in Which Whites Represented Over 90 Percent of the Total Population

VT98%

ME98%

NH97%

WV95%

IA94%

ND93%

WY93%

ID92%

MT92%

KY91%

UT91%

NE90%

MN90%

WI90%

Profile of

African Americans

10 States With the Largest African-American Population

TX2.5

NC1.8

FL2.5Population in millions

GA2.4

MD1.5

LA1.5

VA1.4

SC1.2

AL1.2

MS1.0

Percent Distribution of African-Americans by Region:

States Where Blacks Represent over

25 Percent of the Total Population

GA29%

MD29%

SC30%

AL26%

MS37%

LA33%

DC61%

The

American

Indian and Alaska Native

Population:

American Indian population increased faster than the total population between 1990 and 2000

The American Indian

population increased

faster than the total

population between

1990 and 2010.

Percent Distribution of the American Indian and

Alaska Native Population by Region:

Ten States With the Largest American Indian Populations

TX215,599

NY 171,581

WA158,940

AZ292,552

CA627,562

OK391,949NM

191,495

NC131,736

MI124,412

AK119,241

Four out of ten American Indians live in the West.

Chart

The

Asian

Population:

Asians make up about four percent of the U.S. population.

The Asian population increased faster than the total population, also.

About one-half of the United States Asian population

livein the West.

NY 169,200

Ten States With the Largest Asian Populations

HI703,232

TX644,193

VA304,559

WA395,741

CA4,155,685

FL 333,013

NJ524,356

MA264,814

1,169,200

NY

Cities With the Largest Asian Populations

872,777

407,444

257,571 253,477 251,686189,413

140,517 114,140

New York,

NY

Los

Angeles, CA

San Jose,

CA

San

Francisco,

CA

Honolulu, HI San Diego,

CA

Chicago, IL Houston, TX

Asian-Americans in the Census Report:

Asian IndianChineseFilipinoJapaneseKoreanVietnameseOther Asian

Selected Asian Groups

1,228,427Korean

369,430Other Asian, not

specified1,148,932Japanese

1,223,736Vietnamese63,073Indonesian

150,283Thai186,310Hmong

144,795Taiwanese2,364,815Filipino

24,587Sri Lankan2,734,841Chinese, except

Taiwanese

204,309Pakistani206,052Cambodian

18,566Malaysian57,412Bangladeshi

198,203Laotian1,899,599Asian Indian

The Native Hawaiian

and

Other Pacific Islander

Population:

The term “Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander”

refers to people having origins in any of the

original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other

Pacific Islands.

Over half (58 percent) of the Pacific Islander population lived in just two states, Hawaii and

California.

Ten States With the LargestPacific Islander Populations:

TX29,094

NY28,612

WA42,761

OR16,019

NV16,234 UT

21,367

AZ13,415

CA221,458

FL 23,998

HI282,667

Census:

Age and Gender

The census

also measures our age, as a

society.

Keeping up-to-date information about age helps us plan for the future, like how many schools will be needed, or health care for the elderly…

How old are we?

In 2000 the median age of the population reached 35 years, the highest in our nation’s history.

What does this mean?

Why do you suppose this is?

It means that people are living longer.

Median Age

18.9

22.9

30.2

35.332.9

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

1850 1900 1950 1990 2000

Of the different age groups, the 50-to-54 year age group experienced the largest percentage growth.

Why do you suppose older people are living longer?

Better health care?Better diet?

There are also more older women than

older men!

Population by Sex for Selected Age Groups: 2000

(Numbers in millions)

14.4

37.1

20.6

35.2

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Under 18 Years 65-Years-and-Over

Males Females

Males MalesFemales Females

Median Age by Region: 2000

36.8

35.635.3

33.8

32.0%

32.5%

33.0%

33.5%

34.0%

34.5%

35.0%

35.5%

36.0%

36.5%

37.0%

37.5%

1Northeast Midwest South West

Percent Change in Population by Selected

Age Groups and Regions: 1990 to 2000

9.5%

6.6%

16.2%

21.1%

4.0%

8.8%

18.1%19.1%

5.4%6.6%

16.0%

19.9%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

Northeast Midwest South West

Under 18 18 - 64 65 and Over

States with the highest percentage of older people…Percent of Population 65 Years and Over: 2000

17.6%

15.6% 15.3% 14.9% 14.7% 14.5%

12.4%

0.0%

2.0%

4.0%

6.0%

8.0%

10.0%

12.0%

14.0%

16.0%

18.0%

20.0%

FL PA WV IA ND RI U.S.

Profile of Genderin the

United States.

The term “gender” refers to whether you are a male or female.

Gender in the United States

FemaleMale

138

million143

million

States with Highest Percent Increase in Total Population(male and female)

27.6

28.5

28.4

38.6

29.5

30.8

32.8

41.4

66.1

66.4

0 20 40 60 80

Idaho

Utah

Colorado

Arizona

Nevada

Male

Female

The female population outnumbers the male population in most

counties, including the U.S.

Look at the next chart that shows changes in both our “age” AND “gender.”

Can you describe some of the changes you see from

the last census?

WE ARE AMERICANS

Source:

U.S. Census, Commerce Department