Posted on: Friday, October 1, 2004
Hawai'i still leads in Census diversity
By Timothy Hurley
Advertiser Staff Writer
With a 77 percent nonwhite population, Hawai'i continues to lead an increasingly diverse country, the U.S. Census Bureau reported yesterday.
Advertiser library photo Texas edged closer to joining the group with a 49.5 percent minority population. New Mexico came in at 56 percent, while California was at 55 percent and the District of Columbia 72 percent.
Hawai'i's nonwhite population is largely made up of diverse groups of Asians. As a whole, Asians made up 58 percent of Hawai'i's population, the largest proportion among the 50 states, according to the estimates. Nearly 729,000 people in Hawai'i identified themselves as Asian or part-Asian.
In raw numbers, California was estimated to have both the largest population of Asians (4.6 million) in July 2003 and the largest numerical increase (367,100) since the 2000 Census.
On the county level, Los Angeles County had the largest population of Asians (1.3 million) and the largest numerical increase (76,700) from 2000 to 2003.
The Aloha State had the largest population of Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders (282,500). It was also the state where Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders made up the largest proportion (23 percent) of the total population, although California had the largest numerical increase (12,700) since the 2000 Census.
On the county level, Honolulu had the largest population of Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders (186,200), while Bronx County, N.Y., registered the largest numerical increase (4,100) between 2000 and 2003.
Reach Timothy Hurley at thurley@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808) 244-4880.
Hawai'i was one of three states and the District of Columbia where racial minorities made up the majority of the population, according to July 1, 2003, estimates.
Crowds in Hawai'i reflect the diversity indicated in Census data. People of Asian origin make up 58 percent of the population.
