US White Population Declines for the First Time Ever... Hispanic and Asian Groups Surge (Update)

US 2020 Census Shows First Decline in White Population Count and Racial Proportion
Population Growth Rate Hits Lowest Since Great Depression
Half of Population Increase Attributed to Hispanics

On the 12th (local time) in Los Angeles, California, USA, pedestrians of various ethnicities are walking on the Santa Monica Pier. The U.S. Census Bureau announced that according to last year's census results, the white population decreased to 191 million from 196 million in 2010. This is the first time since the founding of the country that the white population has declined. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] A survey revealed that the white population in the United States has decreased for the first time since the country's founding. Unlike whites, the proportions of Asian and Hispanic populations are rapidly increasing, expanding the diversity of the U.S. population.

According to the U.S. Census results released on the 12th (local time), the white population in the U.S. last year was 191 million, a decrease of 5 million from 196 million in 2010. The proportion of whites among the total U.S. population was 57.8%, down 5.9 percentage points from 63.7% in 2010. The total U.S. population increased by 7.4% over the past decade to 331 million.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that this was the first time the white population had decreased according to the census. The New York Times (NYT) interpreted that the aging of the white population and declining birth rates led to the decrease in the white proportion.

The decrease in the white population was offset by increases in the Asian and Hispanic populations. Hispanics accounted for 51% of the U.S. population growth. The Asian population grew by about 36% over the past decade, reaching 20 million. The Black population increased by 6% during the same period, reaching 41 million. However, their share of the total population decreased by 0.2 percentage points to 12.4%. The NYT reported that 25% of Americans were either Hispanic or Asian.

The diversification of the U.S. population is expected to accelerate further. In this survey, the proportion of non-white children reached 47%.

Despite the increase in Hispanic and Asian populations, the slowdown in U.S. population growth raised concerns. The WSJ noted that the U.S. population growth rate was the second lowest since the Great Depression in the 1930s.

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