The US population is becoming more diverse. The nation’s non-white population has almost doubled over the past four decades, growing from about 24% of the population in 1990 to over 40% in 2023.
What is the racial breakdown of the US?
In 2023, 58% of the population identified as non-Hispanic white, 20% as Hispanic, 13% as Black, 6% as Asian or Pacific Islander, and 3% as other.
Of the 335 million people in the US, 195 million identified as non-Hispanic white in 2023, or 12 out of every 20 people. This is down since 1990, when about 15 out of every 20 people identified as white.
The Hispanic population grew from 23 million in 1990 to 65 million in 2023 — an increase of 42 million. The Asian or Pacific Islander population also increased, up from 7 million to 21 million.
This has changed the racial landscape of the US: The share of the population for both groups more than doubled, with Hispanics growing from 9% to 20% and Asian or Pacific Islanders from 2.8% to 6.4%. The Hispanic population is now the largest non-white group in the US.
The Black population increased from 29 million to 42 million people, while its share of the US population has remained relatively steady at 12.6%.
What is the fastest growing racial group?
The Asian or Pacific Islander population is the nation’s fastest-growing racial and ethnic group. Between 2000 and 2023, there was a growth of almost 100%. In other words, a doubling of the population.
Alongside the 83% growth of the Hispanic population between 2000 and 2023, the non-Hispanic multiracial population[1] is also expanding; it grew 137%[2] between 2000 and 2023 from 3.5 million to 8.2 million people.
According to the US Census Bureau, the multiracial population is projected to be the fastest-growing racial or ethnic group over the next four decades, followed by the Asian or Pacific Islander and Hispanic populations. The non-Hispanic white population is expected to continue shrinking.
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[1] Two or more races
[2] Changes in the 2020 census race and origin questions — including more flexible write-in options and improved coding rules — likely resulted in more respondents identifying as multiracial given the increased specificity allowed.
