WASHINGTON — The nation’s minority population is steadily rising and now makes up 35 percent of the U.S., advancing a trend that could make minorities the new American majority by mid-century.
As white baby boomers age, younger Latino parents are having children — and driving U.S. population growth.
“The aging of baby boomers beyond young middle age will have profound impacts on our labor force, housing market, schools and generational divisions on issues such as Social Security and Medicare,” said William H. Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution.
The census estimates released Thursday documented a widening age and race divide. The numbers could change the balance of political power when legislative districts are redrawn based on population and racial diversity.
A key factor in the demographic transformation is aging baby boomers. Since 2000, the number of whites younger than 45 decreased by 8.4 million, while the number of whites over that age rose by 12.6 million.
The result is that the number of white younger adults and children fell in 42 states. Fifteen states have lost more than 10 percent of their younger white population since 2000.
The rise in the minority population is due to recent sharp increases in minority births, especially among Latinos, who accounted for more than half of total U.S. population gains last year. There are now roughly nine births for every one death among Latinos, compared with a roughly one-to-one ratio for whites.
Numbers speak
New census estimates for 2009 show:
• Minorities added more than 2 percent to now make up 35 percent of the U.S., or 107.2 million people. The population was boosted by a surge in Latino births and more people who described themselves as multiracial.
• The white population remained flat, making up roughly 199.9 million, or 65 percent, of the country. By comparison, whites comprised 69 percent of the total population in 2000, and minorities 31 percent.
• Four states — Hawaii, New Mexico, California and Texas — as well as the District of Columbia — have minority populations that exceeded 50 percent. That is one state more than in 2000, when Texas was not on the list.
• About 311 of the 3,143 counties — one in 10 — have minority populations of 50 percent or greater. That is up from about 250 counties in 2000.
