Race and Hispanic Origin, 2012

The diversity of the American population is growing rapidly, as revealed by the Census Bureau's latest population estimates. As of July 1, 2012, only 63.0 percent of the nation's population was non-Hispanic white, down from 63.4 percent a year earlier. During those 12 months, the non-Hispanic white population grew by a minuscule 0.09 percent. This compares with a 1.3 percent increase in the black (alone or in combination) population, a 2.2 percent increase in the Hispanic population, and a 2.9 percent increase in the Asian (alone or in combination) population.

Behind the shrinking non-Hispanic white share of the population is negative natural increase. Between 2011 and 2012, for the first time, there were more deaths than births among non-Hispanic whites: 1,974,794 births and 1,987,213 deaths. Immigration was the only factor that prevented the number of non-Hispanic whites from declining. The Census Bureau projects that the number of non-Hispanic whites will begin to shrink in 2025.

Number (and percent distribution) of the population by race and Hispanic origin in 2012:
Total: 313,914,040 (100.0%)
Asian: 18,855,104 (6.0%)
Black: 44,456,009 (14.2%)
Hispanic: 53,027,708 (16.9%)
Non-Hispanic white: 197,705,655 (63.0%)

Source: Census Bureau, National Characteristics: Vintage 2012