Percentage of Asian American Population Increases in US

Population share of Asian Americans and Hispanics continue to rise in the US.

The US Census Beaureu released its recent data on population broadly based on ethnicity on 12 August. 

photo courtesy: Census.gov 

According to the US census data of 2020 released earlier this week. Asian population, which held a 3.6 percent and 4.7 percent in 2000 and 2010 respectively, continues to rise and is at a 5.9 percent according to the latest data.

The Hispanics (18.7 percent), like the Asians continue to rise in percentage population of the US. The population shares of the Black and American Indian, and the Alaskan native are at a more or less constant of 12.1 and 0.7 respectively. The White population, the one with the highest share has been steeply decreasing over the years. It holds a population share of 57.8 percent.

"The United States Census Bureau’s new demographic data confirms what we knew to be true: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are growing in size all across the nation and are driving our country’s population growth," said Christine Chen, executive director of Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote, in a press release.

"Our population growth means an opportunity to increase our political voice and power. Elected officials cannot afford to ignore us," she added.

The census data, which not only impacts the share in public services and money but also the redistricting for Congressional seats, was release by the Bureau on 12 August. The census is performed every 10 years to understand the needs of people and states and boost their infrastructure share, including housing and public health.

While there is an increase of two congressional seats proposed in Texas, the states of Florida, North Carolina, Montana, Colorado and Montana will be given one extra seat in the Congress, owing to an increase in population in the States. However some states, like California, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, will lose one seat each due to decrease in population share.

Even though the decade (2010-2020) has been slow in terms of population growth, the increase of Asian American and Hispanic populations has widened the diversity in the population of the United States.

While the Under-18 population has decreased and America is aging, the minor population is more diverse in its ethnicity. There has been a rise in the population residing in metro areas, which traditionally have a more cosmopolitan nature.

The US population is much more ethnically diverse than what we have measured in the past.

Nicholas Jones, director and senior advisor of Race and Ethnic Research and Outreach at the Census Bureau, in a press briefing