“Diversity” Increases in America: Mid-Decade News from the Census

By The US Census Bureau
Volume 17, Number 1 (Fall 2006)
Issue theme: "America beyond 300 million"

  • The percentage of immigrants, both legal and illegal, grew from 11.1 percent in 2000 to 12.4 percent in 2005. The number of additional foreign residents since 2000 in the U.S. is 4.9 million, giving an official total of 39.7 million according to the Census.
     
  • Mexico is by far the biggest contributor to the foreign-born population explosion, i.e. 11 million in 2005, compared to 1.8 million Chinese and 1.4 million Indians.

  • The estimated 4.9 million additional immigrants arriving 2000-2005 reached a total of 35.7 million foreign-born persons in America , a number larger than the population of Canada .

  • In Phoenix the Hispanic population has increased from 34 to 48 percent in just five years from 2000 to 2005.

  • In Georgia foreign-born persons accounted for 7.2 percent of the state’s population in 2000, and 9 percent in 2005.

  • In San Diego County, Hispanics currently represent 29 percent of the population, an increase from 27 percent in 2000.

  • California 's population exceeded 37.1 million persons as of January 1, 2006 , growing by 1.2 percent in 2005 and adding 444,000 residents, according to the state’s Department of Finance.

  • While the overall population of Oakland  dropped, Hispanics in the city increased by 12 percent from 2000 to 2005.

  • Several major cities are notable for their high proportion of foreign born: Los Angeles  (40.3 percent), San Jose  (37.9) and New York  (36.6).

  • The estimated Hispanic population of the United States  as of July 1, 2005 , was estimated at 42.7 million, or 14 percent of the nation’s total. In 1970, for example, they were 4 percent.