American Indian Alaska Native Affiliates

Did you know?
Facts from US Census Bureau data

Did you know the nation's American Indian, Eskimo, and Aleut resident population grew by more than 300,000 between April 1, 1990 and July 1, 1999-- to 2.4 million. There's a wealth of information at the Census Bureau website. Here's a sample with links to Census Bureau webpages from which the information was drawn:

The American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut resident population has grown more rapidly than the nation's population as a whole in the 1990s-16.0% percent versus 9.7% between April 1, 1990 and July 1, 1999. (source)

Despite its steady growth over the last five years, the nation's American Indian, Eskimo, and Aleut population remained at 0.9% of the total population on July 1, 1999. (source)

The nation's American Indian, Eskimo, and Aleut resident population is young, with an estimated median age on July 1, 1999, of 27.6 years-nearly eight years younger than the median for the population as a whole. (source)

According to middle-series population projections, the nation's American Indian, Eskimo, and Aleut resident population will grow to 3.1 million by 2020. This means that this race group should see its population increase faster over the next two decades than either Whites or African Americans, but more slowly than Hispanics (who may be of any race) or Asians and Pacific Islanders. (source)

As of July 1, 1999 there were an estimated 161,000 American Indians, Eskimos, and Aleuts age 65 and over, and 20,000 age 85 and over residing in the United States. Projections indicate these numbers will double by July 1, 2020-to 321,000 and 51,000, respectively. (source)

In 1997, about half of the nation's American Indian, Eskimo, and Aleut households were located outside metro areas. The remainder were split about equally between the suburbs and the central cities of metro areas. (source)

As of July 1, 1996, the metropolitan areas with the largest American Indian, Eskimo, and Aleut populations were: (source)
1. Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA: 113,000
2. Phoenix-Mesa, AZ: 65,000
3. New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY/NJ/CT/PA: 61,000
4. Tulsa, OK: 50,000
5. San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA: 49,000
6. Oklahoma City, OK: 48,000
7. Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA: 45,000
8. Albuquerque, NM: 38,000
9. Flagstaff, AZ/UT: 34,000
10. Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN/WI: 28,000

Among these metropolitan areas, the three with the highest concentration of American Indians, Eskimos, and Aleuts were Flagstaff (where persons of these groups constituted 28% of the total population), Tulsa (7%), and Albuquerque (6%). (source)

The 10 states with the largest American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut populations were: California (309,000), Oklahoma (263,000), Arizona (256,000), New Mexico (163,000), Washington (103,000), Alaska (100,000), North Carolina (98,000), Texas (96,000), New York (76,000), and Michigan (60,000). Overall, nearly one-half of the nation's American Indians, Eskimos, and Aleuts lived in Western states. (source)

Each of the 10 states with the largest percentage of American Indians, Eskimos, and Aleuts were located west of the Mississippi River. They were: Alaska (where persons of this group constituted 16% of the total population), New Mexico (9%), South Dakota (8%), Oklahoma (8%), Montana (6%), Arizona (6%), North Dakota (5%), Wyoming (2%), Nevada (2%) and Washington (2%). (source)

Of the 10 counties with the largest American Indian, Eskimo, and Aleut population, seven were located in either Arizona or New Mexico. However, it was Los Angeles, CA that topped the nation, with 56,000 American Indians, Eskimos, and Aleuts. Rounding out the top 10 were: Maricopa, AZ (54,000); Apache, AZ (53,000); Navajo, AZ (50,000); McKinley, NM (49,000); Robeson, NC (47,000); San Juan, NM, (41,000); Coconino, AZ (34,000); Pima, AZ (27,000); and Tulsa, OK (27,000). (source)

Of the seven counties (or county equivalents) with the largest percentage of American Indians, Eskimos, and Aleuts, six were located in either South Dakota or Alaska. The highest percentages were in Shannon, SD and the Wade Hampton Census Area, AK-where 94% of residents were American Indians, Eskimos, or Aleuts. These areas were followed by Menominee,WI (88%); Northwest Arctic Borough, AK (86%); Bethel Census Area, AK (84%); Todd, SD (83%); and Buffalo, SD (79%). (source)

Arizona added 42,000 American Indians, Eskimos, and Aleuts to its population, more than any other state. Next were New Mexico (25,000), Texas (23,000), California (23,000), Florida (21,000), and North Carolina (17,000). (source)

Florida's American Indian, Eskimo, and Aleut population increased 56%- top among all the states. Nevada, at 48%, was the runner-up. (source)

Both of the counties that added the most American Indians, Eskimos, and Aleuts to their populations were located in Arizona. Maricopa led the way (adding 12,000 over the period), followed by Navajo (10,000). (source)

Households and Families

Between July 1, 1999, and July 1, 2010, the Census Bureau projects that the number of American Indian, Eskimo, and Aleut households in the United States will climb from 740,165 to 906,036. (source)

On July 1, 1999, 74.4% of the nation's American Indian, Eskimo, and Aleut households were family households. Of these families, 64.7% percent were maintained by married couples, 26.5% by women with no husband present, and 8.8% by men with no wife present. The typical American Indian, Eskimo, and Aleut family was made up of 3.59 people, larger than the average 3.12 people for families of all races. (source)

In fall 1996, 134,000 non-Hispanic American Indians were enrolled in the nation's colleges and universities-up from 84,000 in fall 1980. Of these 134,000 persons, about 5 in 10 attended two-year schools. Additionally, of the 134,000, nearly 6 in 10 were women. More than 8 in 10 of the non-Hispanic American Indians enrolled in college went to public schools. Finally, more than 9 in 10 of the total number of enrollees were undergraduates. (source)

During the 1994-95 school year, more than 14,000 of the nation's American Indians, Eskimos, and Aleuts received college degrees-either an associate's, bachelor's, master's, doctor's or professional degree. (source)

About one-third of the nation's American Indian, Eskimo, and Aleut households had incomes that placed them below the poverty line in 1997. (source)

In 1997, about one-quarter of the nation's American Indian, Eskimo, and Aleut households had moved during the preceding year. (source)

As of 1996, American Indians, Eskimos, and Aleuts owned 40,700 single-family rental properties and 22,000 rental units in multi-family rental properties nationwide. (source)

In 1997, slightly fewer American Indian, Eskimo, and Aleut households in the United States owned their homes than rented them: 46% were homeowners and 54% were renters. (source)

The number of U.S. businesses owned by American Indians, Eskimos, and Aleuts increased 93% between 1987 and 1992-from 52,980 to 102,271. The rate of increase for all U.S. firms was 26% (13.7 million in 1987 to 17.3 million in 1992). (source)

In 1992, the United States had 95,040 American Indian-owned, 2,738 Aleut-owned, and 4,493 Eskimo-owned firms. (source)

Receipts for the nation's American Indian-, Eskimo-, and Aleut-owned businesses increased 115% from 1987 to 1992-from $3.7 billion to $8.1 billion. Receipts for all U.S. firms during the same period grew by 67%-from $2 trillion to $3.3 trillion. (source)

The preceding facts come from, the Statistical Abstract of the United States, population estimates and projections, the Survey of Minority-Owned Business Enterprises, the Property Owners and Managers Survey and the American Housing Survey. The data are subject to sampling variability and other sources of error. Questions or comments should be directed to the Census Bureau's Public Information Office (301-457-3030; Fax: 301-457-3670; E-mail: [email protected]).