Chapter 1 The Population
Population Overview of the United States
Current Population Statistics
- The U.S. population is currently 281,421,906, reflecting an increase of nearly 33 million since the 1990 census.
- This figure positions the United States as the third most populous country globally, following China and India.
Population Breakdown by Race and Origin
- According to the latest census data:
- White: 75.1%
- Black: 12.3%
- Asian: 3%
- Native American: 1%
- Two or more races: 2.4%
- Other races: 5.5%
- Hispanics account for approximately 12.5% of the U.S. population but are included in other racial categories mentioned above.
- There are about 31 million foreign-born individuals in the U.S., with Mexico being the largest source at approximately 27.6%. The Philippines follows at around 4.3%.
Geographical Distribution of Population
- The five most populous states are:
- California: ~34 million
- New York: ~21 million
- Texas: ~19 million
- Florida: ~16 million
- Illinois: ~12.5 million
- Over half (58%) of the U.S. population resides in the South and West regions, despite higher density in Eastern states due to larger land areas in Southern and Western states contributing to this distribution pattern.
- Approximately three-quarters of Americans live in metropolitan areas like Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and Houston; only about 20% reside in rural areas. Additionally, around three million citizens live abroad.
Age and Sex Distribution Insights
- As per the census data from year 2000, there are over five million more women than men in the U.S., attributed to a higher male death rate as they age despite more males being born each year.
- Life expectancy figures indicate that women live longer (80.4 years) compared to men (74.5 years), a trend observed globally where women generally have a higher life expectancy than men.
- The average age of the U.S population has increased from 33.1 years in 1990 to approximately 35.3 years by year-end of year2000 due to declining birth rates and increasing life expectancy trends overall among populations over decades studied here today.