Over 90% of US population growth since 2020 came from Hispanics

By Alex Tanzi | Bloomberg

The Hispanic population in the US grew by 3.2 million from the beginning of the pandemic to mid-2023, making up 91% of the country’s overall gain, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data.

An uptick in immigration alongside shifts in both births and deaths from April 2020 to July 2023 has contributed to a “diversity explosion,” according to William Frey, a demographer and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. The trend represents an important part of the nation’s future, he said in a report, and “a phenomenon that American policies and politics need to recognize.”

Overall, the US population increased by 3.4 million over the period, Frey’s analysis showed. At the same time, the White population declined by 2.1 million, and the shrinking group of White youth drove a 1.6 million drop in the number of Americans under the age of 18.

The smaller White population is mostly the result of more deaths than births. Due to an aging population, there are proportionately fewer White women who are of childbearing age and fertility rates are lower compared to other groups.

Both natural increase — measured as births minus deaths — and immigration contributed to the recent gains of all other groups.

Looking ahead, Hispanic and other nonwhite groups are projected to make up 44% of the population in 2030, with Hispanic residents comprising one fifth of the total. By 2050, one-quarter of the population will be Hispanic residents and more than half will be nonwhite groups.

Overall, 15 states saw a decline in population, led by California and New York, which lost a combined 1.2 million residents during the three-year period.