Census shows US is diversifying, white population shrinking

[brooklynite]

Source: Seattle Times

The Census Bureau on Thursday issued its most detailed portrait yet of how the U.S. has changed over the past decade, releasing a trove of demographic data that will be used to redraw political maps across an increasingly diverse country.

The census figures have been eagerly awaited by states, and they are sure to set off an intense partisan battle over representation at a time of deep national division and fights over voting rights. The numbers could help determine control of the U.S. House in the 2022 elections and provide an electoral edge for the next decade. The data will also shape how $1.5 trillion in federal spending is distributed each year.

The figures show continued migration to the South and Southwest and population losses in the Mississippi Delta and Appalachia. The numbers also indicate that the white population is aging and has fallen to its smallest share of the total population on record, though there are some exceptions. The share of the white population actually grew in coastal communities in the Carolinas and Virginia, as well as in counties stretching through the midsections of Georgia and Alabama. The population under age 18 is increasingly diverse.

The data comes from compiling forms filled out last year by tens of millions of Americans, with the help of census takers and government statisticians to fill in the blanks when forms were not turned in or questions were left unanswered. The numbers reflect countless decisions made over the past 10 years by individuals to have children, move to another part of the country or to come to the U.S. from elsewhere.

Read more: https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/nation/census-shows-us-is-diversifying-white-population-shrinking/

[Random Boomer]

1. 3...2...1...

The sound you hear is Republican heads exploding all over the country.

[brooklynite]

2. Dave Wasserman (Cook Political): result better than expected for Democrats

Link to tweet

[itcfish]

3. This is misleading

Since the census ask if you are "hispanic" etc and they treat "Hispanic" as a race which it is not. There are white, black, brown, and Asian Hispanics.

[brush]

9. That is a little unclear. How to fix that?

[IronLionZion]

10. Census says they treat Hispanic separate from the race category

The concept of race is separate from the concept of Hispanic origin. Percentages for the various race categories add to 100 percent, and should not be combined with the percent Hispanic.

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/note/US/RHI625219

And they include Arabs, Moroccans, Lebanese, etc. as white.

[muriel_volestrangler]

14. It's the way AP has put it that's misleading

For California, they say "white" when they actually mean "white non-Hispanic".

However, that changed in California, where Hispanics became the largest racial or ethnic group, growing to 39.4% from 37.6% over the decade, while the share of white people dropped from 40.1% to 34.7%.

Looking at the census site: https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/race-and-ethnicity-in-the-united-state-2010-and-2020-census.html , we can find the 39.4% figure given directly - select 'Hispanic Origin' and Group 'Hispanic or Latino', and California has the 39.4% (2nd highest, after New Mexico at 47.7%).

Under "Race by Ethnicity", the California 2020 figure for "White Alone" under "total population" is 41.2%. But if we look for "White Alone" of "Not Hispanic or Latino", we get 57.2%. So that's 57.2% * (100%-39.4%) = 34.7%.

[IronLionZion]

4. Foreigners and job stealers are increasingly born in America

the worst H-1bs are born in America

[SeattleVet]

5. The righties are all upset about this...

totally worried that whites are going to be a minority.

Hmmmmm... Why is that? Do they think that minorities are treated differently?

[wryter2000]

6. I can't wait until we're in the minority

I hope I outlive all those Trump voters.

[underpants]

7. "Awesome-sauce" may have been our last great contribution

Kicking. I duped you.

[electric_blue68]

11. not sure why, but I hate that phrase 😄

[brush]

8. Well with projections that the nation will be majority minority by around...

2040, this should not be a surprise. Whites will not be a majority then, just the largest minority group.

I sense adjustment to that won't exactly be smooth, and peaceful.

[electric_blue68]

12. Heh, it isn't even now (the adjustment). n/t

[brush]

13. I know. That's why I said projections are it won't happen until...

around 2040. but that's pretty soon...19 years give or take. It'll be a whole different country, what with magats dying off from not getting vaxxed, and from Oding on opoids, and with a lower birth than others, it's gonna be different for sure. I suspect there will be some violence.

It'll be better on the whole though as the two infrastructure bills will just about reconstruct the nation...gasoline cars will have been phased out. Millions of good jobs. Young families, and not just white ones like it would've been before, getting the permanent child tax credit ($250-300 a month per child) which will reduce poverty, millions of good jobs to go around.

Maybe people won't have time to hate as they'll be busy living and having a better life than under the last fifty years of the results of Reaganism and republican obstructionism.

[Warpy]

15. Oh, goody, crazy white people gonna get even crazier

Last edited Thu Aug 12, 2021, 05:43 PM - Edit history (1)

Folks, my state is 42% non Hispanic white and 46% Hispanic. It's not bad, being a minority among minirities. You'll get used to it. You might even find you like it.

Edit, should've looked first, we're now 47.7% Hispanic. Fine with me.

[Random Boomer]

17. You'd think they'd be happy

They keep complaining that minorities get all the "free benefits", so now they qualify, too.

[Warpy]

20. Yes, and no more "white man's burden."

I always thought that was far too much responsibility for the poor dears.

[keopeli]

22. What frustrates me to no end are the Hispanics in NM that so desperately want to be like "whities".

In my area (Valencia County), they abound. I've known many to hang around lil' ol' me just because I'm a white boy, until they discover I'm part of the great unwashed Democrat Libruls. They know enough from their white friends to know that libruls are bad, like Gypsys or Hobos. I try to instill in them a bit of pride in their own heritage and a commonality in our community bonds, but it's tough.

To be sure, this is not a reflection of all Hispanics. Valencia County still has more Dems than GQPers, though we haven't been able to get them out to vote in high enough numbers on election day. Too many local Hispanics associate rural living, cowboy hats and rodeos with Republican branding for some odd reason. We local Dems are working hard on that, mind you. But, it's a slog.

As a white, rural male, I'm more than happy to be in the minority in my community. It enriches my own life and perspective, adds more flavor to our social "diet", and prevents a majority ruling class from being able to dictate the living conditions of minorities in our area. If we are all minorities, we all share in the burden of governing ourselves. If nothing else, US history has taught us that this is a far better way to govern than being ruled by a racial majority in a racist culture.

[NickB79]

16. Migration to the South and Southwest is a huge mistake

Apparently people still aren't taking climate change seriously.

Maybe dry taps in the deserts and tidal flooding on the coast in a few years will let them know how collosally they fucked up.

[Random Boomer]

18. The West and Northwest aren't doing so well either.

Property owners in the center of the country are sitting on gold. Renters are in for a shock as migration waves drive up rental prices even more.

[NickB79]

19. Yeah, I'm in Minnesota

I'm on a few acres near the Twin Cities, but I'm never selling. My permaculture farm is going to my daughter, as a lifeboat when times get tough in a couple decades. With solar, a well, a wood stove, a heat pump, and gardens and fruit trees, it's the best I can give her.

I'm currently looking at buying 30-40 acres of forest near Duluth, while it's still $1,000/acre.

[keopeli]

23. In the short to medium term, it's a good problem to have. By diluting the population of GQPers

in these states, we can start to trend away from the morass that US Conservatism has become. Plus, there are a number of places (inland islands, if you will) that are doing fine in these parts. They will likely survive for quite some time. And, they are still affordable.

In the long term, a Northward migration is inevitable. But reducing the abundance of poverty in the South and Southwest now through the migration of monied people to our region is definitely a boon. I don't expect any real exodus out of these areas until well past 2050. Mitigation efforts will help for some time to come.

[NickB79]

24. You're more optimistic than me

I'm pegged at 2035-2040 for the exodus to begin in full.

Once insurance companies stop writing policies in high risk areas like coastlines and fire zones, the property values will freefall. You don't even need waves or flames at your doorstep.

[bucolic_frolic]

21. No surprise

People who think the whole world is a hoax - Birthers, anti-vaxxers, Q Conspiracists, anti-maskers - also doubted the census meant a damn thing to them. So they hurt red rural counts as much as inner cities hid from census takers.

As for race or ethnicity, caucasian, white non-hispanic, hispanic, latino, mixed are some overlapping categories in my mind. Until they clarify how to answer, they're going to get muddled data.