Demography - Hispanics

"Hispanic" is a broad term used to describe a varied ethnic group of individuals who trace their cultural heritage to Spain or to Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America. The term can also refer to persons whose Spanish ancestors were residents of the southwestern region of the United States that was formerly under Spanish or Mexican control.

According to Census 2000, Americans of Hispanic origin are the largest minority group in the United States, at 12.5 percent of the population. (See Table 1.1.) Their population in the United States is growing rapidly. In 1950 Hispanics comprised less than 3 percent of the population. By 1980 they represented 6.4 percent of the population (14.6 million). In 1990 Hispanics totaled about 22.5 million, representing 9.1 percent of the total U.S. population,

TABLE 1.3
Projections of the resident population by race, Hispanic origin, and nativity, middle series, 2050–2070
(Numbers in thousands.)

	July 1, 2050	July 1, 2055	July 1, 2060	July 1, 2065	July 1, 2070
Total
Population	403,686	417,477	432,010	447,415	463,639
Percent of total	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0
Native population	349,890	362,093	375,306	389,605	404,894
Percent of total	86.7	86.7	86.9	87.1	87.3
Foreign-born population	53,796	55,384	56,704	57,809	58,744
Percent of total	13.3	13.3	13.1	12.9	12.7
White
Population	302,453	310,300	318,752	327,907	337,719
Percent of total	74.9	74.3	73.8	73.3	72.8
Native population	273,794	281,302	289,574	298,674	308,525
Percent of group	90.5	90.7	90.8	91.1	91.4
Foreign-born population	28,659	28,997	29,178	29,233	29,193
Percent of group	9.5	9.3	9.2	8.9	8.6
Black
Population	59,239	61,627	64,055	66,544	69,096
Percent of total	14.7	14.8	14.8	14.9	14.9
Native population	51,887	53,905	55,998	58,183	60,454
Percent of group	87.6	87.5	87.4	87.4	87.5
Foreign-born population	7,352	7,721	8,056	8,361	8,641
Percent of group	12.4	12.5	12.6	12.6	12.5
American Indian
Population	4,405	4,602	4,802	5,005	5,208
Percent of total	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1	1.1
Native population	4,024	4,210	4,401	4,596	4,794
Percent of group	91.4	91.5	91.6	91.8	92.0
Foreign-born population	380	392	401	408	414
Percent of group	8.6	8.5	8.4	8.2	8.0
Asian and Pacific Islander
Population	37,589	40,947	44,400	47,958	51,614
Percent of total	9.3	9.8	10.3	10.7	11.1
Native population	20,184	22,674	25,331	28,152	31,119
Percent of group	53.7	55.4	57.1	58.7	60.3
Foreign-born population	17,404	18,273	19,068	19,805	20,495
Percent of group	46.3	44.6	42.9	41.3	39.7
Hispanic
Population	98,228	106,370	114,796	123,508	132,492
Percent of total	24.3	25.5	26.6	27.6	28.6
Native population	78,598	86,684	95,168	104,025	113,212
Percent of group	80.0	81.5	82.9	84.2	85.4
Foreign-born population	19,629	19,685	19,627	19,483	19,280
Percent of group	20.0	18.5	17.1	15.8	14.6
White, Non-Hispanic
Population	212,990	213,418	214,190	215,405	217,028
Percent of total	52.8	51.1	49.6	48.1	46.8
Native population	201,988	202,115	202,643	203,659	205,125
Percent of group	94.8	94.7	94.6	94.5	94.5
Foreign-born population	11,002	11,302	11,547	11,745	11,902
Percent of group	5.2	5.3	5.4	5.5	5.5
Black, Non-Hispanic
Population	53,466	55,369	57,297	59,268	61,286
Percent of total	13.2	13.3	13.3	13.2	13.2
Native population	47,399	48,941	50,534	52,195	53,924
Percent of group	88.7	88.4	88.2	88.1	88.0
Foreign-born population	6,066	6,428	6,763	7,073	7,361
Percent of group	11.3	11.6	11.8	11.9	12.0

TABLE 1.3
Projections of the resident population by race, Hispanic origin, and nativity, middle series, 2050–2070 [CONTINUED]

	July 1, 2050	July 1, 2055	July 1, 2060	July 1, 2065	July 1, 2070
American Indian, Non-Hispanic
Population	3,241	3,345	3,448	3,551	3,652
Percent of total	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.8
Native population	3,120	3,218	3,316	3,413	3,511
Percent of group	96.3	96.2	96.2	96.1	96.1
Foreign-born population	120	126	132	137	141
Percent of group	3.7	3.8	3.8	3.9	3.9
Asian and Pacific Islander, Non-Hispanic
Population	35,759	38,974	42,277	45,681	49,179
Percent of total	8.9	9.3	9.8	10.2	10.6
Native population	18,783	21,133	23,643	26,311	29,121
Percent of group	52.5	54.2	55.9	57.6	59.2
Foreign-born population	16,976	17,840	18,633	19,369	20,057
Percent of group	47.5	45.8	44.1	42.4	40.8
SOURCE: "Table NP-T5-G. Projections of the Resident Population by Race, Hispanic Origin, and Nativity: Middle Series, 2050 to 2070," U.S. Census Bureau, Population Projections Program, Population Division, Washington, DC, 2000 [Online] http://www.census.gov/population/www/projections/natsum-T5.html [accessed March 1, 2004]

or one out of every eleven persons. In Census 2000 the number rose to some 35.3 million. The Census Bureau predicts that by 2050, Hispanics will make up 24.3 percent of the population, and by 2070, there will be nearly 132.5 million persons of Hispanic descent, making up 28.6 percent of the total population. (See Table 1.3.)

Immigration and high birth rates are two major reasons for the large growth of the Hispanic population. As a result of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (PL 99-603), by 1992 about 2.6 million Mexicans were granted legal status in the United States. In 1997 the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) estimated that, as of October 1996, approximately five million (with a range of 4.6 to 5.4 million) illegal aliens lived in the United States, with the majority (2.7 million) coming from Mexico. In 2002 the Department of Justice estimated that the number of illegal aliens had risen to 7.6 million, although there was no indication how many of these people came from Mexico.

The Census Bureau counts all persons in the United States regardless of legal status, although illegal aliens are likely to be undercounted. Many members of the Hispanic community, particularly those who immigrated to the United States in recent years, have yet to become citizens. While 74.2 percent of Hispanics who entered the country before 1970 became citizens by 2000, only 6.7 percent of those who entered the country between 1990 and 2000 became citizens by 2000. (See Figure 1.2.)

Hispanic Origins

Hispanic Americans trace their origins to a number of countries. In a population survey in March 2000, the Census Bureau reported that 66.1 percent of the Hispanics in the United States were of Mexican heritage. (See Figure 1.3.) Approximately 14.5 percent were of Central and South American origin, and 9 percent were of Puerto Rican heritage. Another 6.4 percent had origins in the Caribbean and other countries, while 4 percent were of FIGURE 1.1
Question on race from Census 2000 Cuban descent. The differences in origin can often mean significant variations in where Hispanics live, their education, income, and living conditions.

Fertility

The fertility rate refers to the number of live births per 1,000 women ages fifteen to forty-four in a specified group. The National Center for Health Statistics in 2000 found that Hispanic women had a higher fertility rate than non-Hispanic women. According to the National Vital Statistics Report, in 2000, there were 105.9 births per 1,000 Hispanic women ages fifteen to forty-four, compared to a fertility rate of 61.8 births per 1,000 non-Hispanic women. Among subsets of Hispanics, the fertility rate varied widely. In 2000 Mexican women had a fertility rate of 115.1 births per 1,000 women, while Puerto Rican women had a fertility rate of 84.3 births, and Cuban women had a fertility rate of 57.3 births. (See Table 1.4.)

A Younger Population

According to Census 2000, the median age (half are older, half are younger) of Hispanics was 25.8 years, considerably lower than the median age of the non-Hispanic white population of 38.6 years, indicating a great concentration of younger people. More than one-third (35 percent) of all Hispanics were less than eighteen years old, compared to 22.6 percent of the non-Hispanic white population. Only 4.9 percent of Hispanics were found by FIGURE 1.2
U.S. citizenship of the foreign-born Hispanic population by year of entry, 2000
(In percent) Census 2000 to be sixty-five years and older, compared to 15 percent of non-Hispanic whites. (See Table 1.5.)

Geographic Distribution

The majority of Hispanic Americans live in the western United States. As of March 2000, 44.7 percent of Hispanics lived in the West, followed by 33.2 percent in the South. Some 14.1 percent of Hispanics lived in the Northeast, while only 7.9 percent lived in the Midwest. (See Figure 1.4.)

Despite the disparity in the numbers of Hispanics living in different regions of the country, the likelihood of Hispanics living in a particular place depends upon their country of descent. According to Census 2000, Hispanics of Mexican descent made up 18.1 percent of the West population—the area of the country where they were most likely to live. (See Table 1.6.) Hispanics of Puerto Rican descent were more likely to live in the Northeast, where they made up 3.9 percent of the population. (See Table 1.7.) Hispanics of Cuban descent were more concentrated in the South, where they comprised 0.9 percent of the population. (See Table 1.8.)

Mexican Americans

The majority of Hispanic Americans are descendants of the Spanish and Mexican people who lived in the West and Southwest when those regions were first Spanish FIGURE 1.3
Hispanics by origin, 2000
(In percent) (starting in the 1500s) and later Mexican territory (after Mexico gained its independence from Spain in 1821). Their forebears were absorbed into the United States when Texas revolted, broke away from Mexico, became a republic, and then finally joined the United States during the 1840s. The Mexican-American War (1846–48) added California, the Southwest (Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado), and the Rio Grande boundary to the United States with the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848. As a result, Hispanics living in those areas became Americans.

The Mexican-origin population, which more than doubled in the last two decades of the twentieth century, continues to grow. Hispanic Americans of Mexican origin numbered 20.6 million, or 7.3 percent of the country's total population, according to Census 2000. (See Table 1.1.) They remain concentrated for the most part in the West and in the South. (See Table 1.6 and Table 1.8.)

According to Census 2000, Hispanics made up 19.3 percent of the population of central cities inside metropolitan areas. Hispanics of Mexican descent alone accounted for 11 percent of that population. (See Table 1.9.) Residents with Mexican origins also outnumbered other Hispanics living outside metropolitan areas. According to Census 2000, Hispanics of Mexican descent made up 3.8 percent of the total population outside metropolitan areas, compared with Hispanics of Puerto Rican descent (0.2 percent) and Cuban Americans (0.1 percent). (See Table 1.10.)

FIGURE 1.4
Population by Hispanic origin and region of residence, 2000
(As a percent of each population)

Puerto Rican Americans

The situation of Puerto Ricans is unique in American society. Ceded to the United States by the Treaty of Paris in 1898, which ended the Spanish-American War, the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, formerly a Spanish colony, became a U.S. commonwealth. In 1917 the Revised Organic Act (the Jones Act) granted the island a bill of rights and its own legislature. It also conferred U.S. citizenship to all Puerto Ricans.

Following World War II (1939–45), an industrialization program was launched in Puerto Rico. While the program benefited many, it sharply reduced the number of agricultural jobs, driving many rural residents to the cities. Combined with a high birth rate, this led to unemployment, overcrowding, and poverty. More recently, industries have moved away in search of cheaper labor, further compounding the economic problems. As a result, between 1940 and 1970, approximately 750,000 Puerto Ricans immigrated to the U.S. mainland. In 1940 fewer than 70,000 Puerto Ricans lived in the contiguous United States; in 1999, three million called the United States home. Partly because of the relative ease with which Puerto Ricans can travel in the United States, many move freely between the United States and Puerto Rico.

Most of the first Puerto Ricans who arrived in the United States settled in New York City in the Manhattan neighborhood of East Harlem, which came to be known

TABLE 1.4
Live births, birth rates, and fertility rates by Hispanic origin of mother and by race for mothers of non-Hispanic origin, 1989–2000
[Birth rates are live births per 1,000 population in specified group. Fertility rates are live births per 1,000 women aged 15-44 years in specified group]

		Hispanic						Non-Hispanic
Measure and year	All origins1	Total	Mexican	Puerto Rican	Cuban	Central and South American	Other and unknown Hispanic	Total2	White	Black
Number
2000	4,058,814	815,868	581,915	58,124	13,429	113,344	49,056	3,199,994	2,362,968	604,346
1999	3,959,417	764,339	540,674	57,138	13,088	103,307	50,132	3,147,580	2,346,450	588,981
1998	3,941,553	734,661	516,011	57,349	13,226	98,226	49,849	3,158,975	2,361,462	593,127
1997	3,880,894	709,767	499,024	55,450	12,887	97,405	45,001	3,115,174	2,333,363	581,431
1996	3,891,494	701,339	489,666	54,863	12,613	97,888	46,309	3,133,484	2,358,989	578,099
1995	3,899,589	679,768	469,615	54,824	12,473	94,996	47,860	3,160,495	2,382,638	587,781
1994	3,952,767	665,026	454,536	57,240	11,889	93,485	47,876	3,245,115	2,438,855	619,198
1993	4,000,240	654,418	443,733	58,102	11,916	92,371	48,296	3,295,345	2,472,031	641,273
19923	4,049,024	643,271	432,047	59,569	11,472	89,031	51,152	3,365,862	2,527,207	657,450
19913	4,094,566	623,085	411,233	59,833	11,058	86,908	54,053	3,434,464	2,589,878	666,758
19904	4,092,994	595,073	385,640	58,807	11,311	83,008	56,307	3,457,417	2,626,500	661,701
19895	3,903,012	532,249	327,233	56,229	10,842	72,443	65,502	3,297,493	2,526,367	611,269
Birth rate
20006	14.7	25.1	27.1	20.2	10.4	23.9		13.4	12.2	18.1
19996	14.5	24.4	26.4	19.4	9.7	23.4		13.2	12.2	17.9
19986	14.6	24.3	26.4	19.0	10.0	23.2		13.4	12.3	18.2
19976	14.5	24.2	26.8	18.1	10.1	22.4		13.3	12.2	18.1
19966	14.7	24.8	27.4	17.9	10.7	23.4		13.5	12.4	18.3
19956	14.8	25.2	26.9	19.7	11.0	25.3		13.7	12.6	18.8
19946	15.2	25.5	27.0	21.4	10.8	25.7		14.0	12.8	20.0
19936	15.5	26.0	27.4	21.9	10.5	26.9		14.4	13.1	21.1
19926, 7	15.9	26.5	27.8	23.2	10.1	27.9		14.8	13.5	21.9
19916, 7	16.3	26.7	29.2	21.0	10.1	26.5		15.2	13.9	22.5
19904, 6	16.7	26.7	28.7	21.6	10.9	27.5		15.7	14.4	23.0
19895, 6	16.3	26.2	25.7	23.7	10.0	28.3		15.4	14.2	22.8
Fertility rate
20006	67.5	105.9	115.1	84.3	57.3	94.3		61.8	58.5	73.7
19996	65.9	102.0	111.6	77.7	51.2	92.6		60.7	57.8	72.2
19986	65.6	101.1	112.1	75.5	50.1	90.2		60.7	57.7	73.0
19976	65.0	102.8	116.6	71.7	57.4	87.6		60.1	57.0	72.4
19966	65.3	104.9	119.3	71.3	58.9	90.2		60.3	57.3	72.5
19956	65.6	105.0	117.0	75.7	55.1	94.5		60.8	57.6	74.5
19946	66.7	105.6	115.4	81.9	55.9	97.7		62.0	58.3	79.0
19936	67.6	106.9	114.8	82.5	55.5	105.0		63.1	59.0	82.7
19926, 7	68.9	108.6	116.0	89.9	50.3	107.0		64.4	60.2	85.5
19916, 7	69.6	108.1	121.6	80.9	49.1	99.3		65.4	61.0	87.6
19904, 6	71.0	107.7	118.9	82.9	52.6	102.7		67.1	62.8	89.0
19895, 6	69.2	104.9	106.6	86.6	49.8	95.8		65.7	60.5	84.8
1Includes origin not stated.
2Includes races other than white and black.
3Excludes data for New Hampshire, which did not report Hispanic origin.
4Excludes data for New Hampshire and Oklahoma, which did not report Hispanic origin.
5Excludes data for Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Oklahoma, which did not report Hispanic origin.
6Rates for the Central and South American population include other and unknown Hispanic.
7Rates are estimated for the United States based on birth data for 49 states and the District of Columbia. Births for New Hampshire that did not report Hispanic origin are included in the rates for non-Hispanic women.
Note: Race and Hispanic origin are reported separately on birth certificates. Persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race. In this table Hispanic women are classified only by place of origin; non-Hispanic women are classified by race. Rates for some population groups, particularly Hispanic and Asian or Pacific Islander, may be overstated for more recent years.
SOURCE: Joyce A. Martin, Brady E. Hamilton, Stephanie J. Ventura, Fay Menacker, and Melissa M. Park, "Table 6. Live Births, Birth Rates, and Fertility Rates by Hispanic Origin of Mother and by Race for Mothers of Non-Hispanic Origin: United States, 1989–2000," in "Births: Final Data for 2000," National Vital Statistics Reports, vol. 50, no. 5, February 12, 2002

as El Barrio (the neighborhood). Eventually, Puerto Rican immigrants moved in greater numbers to other boroughs of the city and into New Jersey.

Census 2000 listed 3.4 million Hispanics of Puerto Rican descent, making up 1.2 percent of the total population. (See Table 1.1.) They are more likely to live in the Northeast and reside mainly inside central cities in metropolitan areas, where they make up 2.3 percent of the population in such areas. (See Table 1.9.)

Cuban Americans

Cuban Americans are the third-largest group of Hispanic Americans and numbered 1.2 million as of Census 2000. (See Table 1.1.) Fleeing Cuba during the early 1960s after the regime of Fulgencio Batista was overthrown by Fidel Castro, many Cubans settled in Miami, Florida, and surrounding Dade County. Most of these political refugees were older, middle class, and educated. Many fled to be able to maintain a capitalist way of life,

TABLE 1.5
Total population by age, race and Hispanic or Latino origin, 2000

		Race
		One race
Age	Total population	Total	White	Black or African American	American Indian and Alaska Native	Asian	Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	Some other race	Two or more races	Hispanic or Latino (of any race)	White alone, not Hispanic or Latino
Five-year age groups
Total population	281 421 906	274 595 678	211 460 626	34 658 190	2 475 956	10 242 998	398 835	15 359 073	6 826 228	35 305 818	194 552 774
Under 5 years	19 175 798	18 227 583	12 859 892	2 804 786	213 052	670 406	33 391	1 646 056	948 215	3 717 974	11 194 346
5 to 9 years	20 549 505	19 719 732	13 944 882	3 205 512	239 007	680 536	36 503	1 613 292	829 773	3 623 680	12 303 903
10 to 14 years	20 528 072	19 824 608	14 322 638	3 121 530	245 677	684 525	35 772	1 414 466	703 464	3 163 412	12 882 540
15 to 19 years	20 219 890	19 597 998	14 167 148	2 929 553	232 351	746 511	37 328	1 485 107	621 892	3 171 646	12 759 934
20 to 24 years	18 964 001	18 411 917	13 064 891	2 628 752	198 010	816 452	38 693	1 665 119	552 084	3 409 427	11 594 742
25 to 29 years	19 381 336	18 868 887	13 501 773	2 548 968	186 689	986 222	35 224	1 610 011	512 449	3 385 334	11 990 863
30 to 34 years	20 510 388	20 026 210	14 818 786	2 618 602	186 072	949 418	33 129	1 420 203	484 178	3 124 901	13 365 410
35 to 39 years	22 706 664	22 235 945	17 031 493	2 826 361	202 013	909 439	33 031	1 233 608	470 719	2 825 158	15 665 973
40 to 44 years	22 441 863	22 021 176	17 265 995	2 700 418	189 201	846 118	28 760	990 684	420 687	2 304 152	16 135 362
45 to 49 years	20 092 404	19 754 156	15 810 626	2 275 191	159 422	749 777	23 675	735 465	338 248	1 775 168	14 908 211
50 to 54 years	17 585 548	17 316 932	14 213 875	1 805 457	128 303	626 255	18 938	524 104	268 616	1 360 935	13 478 949
55 to 59 years	13 469 237	13 280 566	11 107 247	1 306 641	90 531	433 749	13 428	328 970	188 671	960 033	10 545 669
60 to 64 years	10 805 447	10 662 421	8 945 842	1 063 469	67 189	342 795	10 142	232 984	143 026	750 407	8 482 012
65 to 69 years	9 533 545	9 421 591	8 040 225	881 786	49 463	274 085	7 698	168 334	111 954	599 353	7 650 827
70 to 74 years	8 857 441	8 766 843	7 648 193	731 386	36 434	220 066	5 529	125 235	90 598	477 266	7 327 622
75 to 79 years	7 415 813	7 348 823	6 530 019	550 024	25 608	155 965	3 614	83 593	66 990	326 726	6 307 373
80 to 84 years	4 945 367	4 904 714	4 408 597	346 465	14 646	88 183	2 155	44 668	40 653	179 538	4 284 906
85 years and over	4 239 587	4 205 576	3 778 504	313 289	12 288	62 496	1 825	37 174	34 011	150 708	3 674 132
Selected age groups
Under 18 years	72 293 812	69 436 926	49 598 289	10 885 696	840 312	2 464 999	127 179	5 520 451	2 856 886	12 342 259	44 027 087
Under 1 year	3 805 648	3 602 103	2 535 928	548 955	42 167	129 803	6 464	338 786	203 545	771 053	2 190 838
1 to 4 years	15 370 150	14 625 480	10 323 964	2 255 831	170 885	540 603	26 927	1 307 270	744 670	2 946 921	9 003 508
5 to 13 years	37 025 346	35 623 089	25 411 015	5 727 934	436 694	1 227 263	65 181	2 755 002	1 402 257	6 185 947	22 601 452
14 to 17 years	16 092 668	15 586 254	11 327 382	2 352 976	190 566	567 330	28 607	1 119 393	506 414	2 438 338	10 231 289
18 to 64 years	174 136 341	170 511 205	131 456 799	20 949 544	1 497 205	6 977 204	250 835	9 379 618	3 625 136	21 229 968	121 280 827
18 to 24 years	27 143 454	26 344 912	18 761 162	3 804 437	287 785	1 133 431	54 508	2 303 589	798 542	4 743 880	16 708 378
25 to 44 years	85 040 251	83 152 218	62 618 047	10 694 349	763 975	3 691 197	130 144	5 254 506	1 888 033	11 639 545	57 157 608
45 to 64 years	61 952 636	61 014 075	50 077 590	6 450 758	445 445	2 152 576	66 183	1 821 523	938 561	4 846 543	47 414 841
65 years and over	34 991 753	34 647 547	30 405 538	2 822 950	138 439	800 795	20 821	459 004	344 206	1 733 591	29 244 860
16 years and over	217 149 127	212 931 366	167 496 002	24 938 758	1 730 434	8 067 815	286 008	10 412 349	4 217 761	24 203 944	155 603 375
18 years and over	209 128 094	205 158 752	161 862 337	23 772 494	1 635 644	7 777 999	271 656	9 838 622	3 969 342	22 963 559	150 525 687
21 years and over	196 899 193	193 295 686	153 365 469	22 015 342	1 503 158	7 298 935	247 716	8 865 066	3 603 507	20 938 932	142 909 556
50 years and over	76 851 985	75 907 466	64 672 502	6 998 517	424 462	2 203 594	63 329	1 545 062	944 519	4 804 966	61 751 490
55 years and over	59 266 437	58 590 534	50 458 627	5 193 060	296 159	1 577 339	44 391	1 020 958	675 903	3 444 031	48 272 541
60 years and over	45 797 200	45 309 968	39 351 380	3 886 419	205 628	1 143 590	30 963	691 988	487 232	2 483 998	37 726 872
62 years and over	41 256 029	40 830 934	35 605 726	3 436 327	176 248	996 678	26 539	589 416	425 095	2 162 289	34 177 279
67 years and over	31 101 522	30 805 496	27 156 414	2 445 876	116 797	684 051	17 437	384 921	296 026	1 477 367	26 159 804
72 years and over	21 794 764	21 601 789	19 222 626	1 630 168	72 803	430 949	10 674	234 569	192 975	923 393	18 591 941
75 years and over	16 600 767	16 459 113	14 717 120	1 209 778	52 542	306 644	7 594	165 435	141 654	656 972	14 266 411
Median age (years)	35.3	35.6	37.7	30.2	28.0	32.7	27.5	24.6	22.7	25.8	38.6
Percent distribution
Total population	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0
Under 18 years	25.7	25.3	23.5	31.4	33.9	24.1	31.9	35.9	41.9	35.0	22.6
Under 1 year	1.4	1.3	1.2	1.6	1.7	1.3	1.6	2.2	3.0	2.2	1.1
1 to 4 years	5.5	5.3	4.9	6.5	6.9	5.3	6.8	8.5	10.9	8.3	4.6
5 to 13 years	13.2	13.0	12.0	16.5	17.6	12.0	16.3	17.9	20.5	17.5	11.6
14 to 17 years	5.7	5.7	5.4	6.8	7.7	5.5	7.2	7.3	7.4	6.9	5.3
18 to 64 years	61.9	62.1	62.2	60.4	60.5	68.1	62.9	61.1	53.1	60.1	62.3
18 to 24 years	9.6	9.6	8.9	11.0	11.6	11.1	13.7	15.0	11.7	13.4	8.6
25 to 44 years	30.2	30.3	29.6	30.9	30.9	36.0	32.6	34.2	27.7	33.0	29.4
45 to 64 years	22.0	22.2	23.7	18.6	18.0	21.0	16.6	11.9	13.7	13.7	24.4
65 years and over	12.4	12.6	14.4	8.1	5.6	7.8	5.2	3.0	5.0	4.9	15.0
SOURCE: "Table 1. Total Population by Age, Race and Hispanic or Latino Origin for the United States: 2000," in Population by Age, Sex, Race, and Hispanic or Latino Origin for the United States: 2000, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC, 2000

and many succeeded in achieving economic prosperity in the United States. While language differences caused initial difficulties, most adapted well, and Cubans are the most economically successful of the Hispanic ethnic groups. Unlike Americans of Mexican and Puerto Rican backgrounds, who began migrating throughout the country

TABLE 1.6
Profile of general demographic characteristics in the western United States, 2000

Subject	Number	Percent	Subject	Number	Percent
Total population	63,197,932	100.0	Hispanic or Latino and race
			Total population	63,197,932	100.0
Sex and age			Hispanic or Latino (of any race)	15,340,503	24.3
Male	31,543,478	49.9	Mexican	11,413,265	18.1
Female	31,654,454	50.1	Puerto Rican	246,936	0.4
			Cuban	105,994	0.2
Under 5 years	4,579,212	7.2	Other Hispanic or Latino	3,574,308	5.7
5 to 9 years	4,903,683	7.8	Not Hispanic or Latino	47,857,429	75.7
10 to 14 years	4,768,303	7.5	White alone	36,911,587	58.4
15 to 19 years	4,642,608	7.3
20 to 24 years	4,456,555	7.1	Relationship
25 to 34 years	9,408,543	14.9	Total population	63,197,932	100.0
35 to 44 years	10,115,035	16.0	In households	61,715,566	97.7
45 to 54 years	8,324,716	13.2	Householder	22,444,733	35.5
55 to 59 years	2,851,529	4.5	Spouse	11,661,687	18.5
60 to 64 years	2,225,619	3.5	Child	19,178,218	30.3
65 to 74 years	3,663,151	5.8	Own child under 18 years	15,037,150	23.8
75 to 84 years	2,452,691	3.9	Other relatives	4,320,035	6.8
85 years and over	806,287	1.3	Under 18 years	1,527,802	2.4
Median age (years)	33.8	(X)	Nonrelatives	4,110,893	6.5
			Unmarried partner	1,329,557	2.1
18 years and over	46,166,472	73.1	In group quarters	1,482,366	2.3
Male	22,804,041	36.1	Institutionalized population	736,262	1.2
Female	23,362,431	37.0	Noninstitutionalized population	746,104	1.2
21 years and over	43,382,822	68.6
62 years and over	8,202,618	13.0	Household by type
65 years and over	6,922,129	11.0	Total households	22,444,733	100.0
Male	2,964,071	4.7	Family households (families)	15,311,714	68.2
Female	3,958,058	6.3	With own children under 18 years	7,759,087	34.6
			Married-couple family	11,661,687	52.0
Race			With own children under 18 years	5,652,802	25.2
One race	60,469,648	95.7	Female householder, no husband present	2,576,277	11.5
White	43,274,074	68.5	With own children under 18 years	1,544,286	6.9
Black or African American	3,076,884	4.9	Nonfamily households	7,133,019	31.8
American Indian and Alaska Native	1,187,989	1.9	Householder living alone	5,436,513	24.2
Asian	5,003,611	7.9	Householder 65 years and over	1,760,101	7.8
Asian Indian	390,737	0.6
Chinese	1,186,226	1.9	Households with individuals under 18 years	8,539,077	38.0
Filipino	1,252,610	2.0	Households with individuals 65 years and over	4,900,382	21.8
Japanese	579,870	0.9	Average household size	2.75	(X)
Korean	474,090	0.8	Average family size	3.30	(X)
Vietnamese	564,424	0.9
Other Asian1	555,654	0.9	Housing occupancy
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	304,246	0.5	Total housing units	24,378,020	100.0
Native Hawaiian	117,853	0.2	Occupied housing units	22,444,733	92.1
Guamanian or Chamorro	34,427	0.1	Vacant housing units	1,933,287	7.9
Samoan	73,306	0.1	For seasonal, recreational, or
Other Pacific Islander2	78,660	0.1	occasional use	737,629	3.0
Some other race	7,622,844	12.1
Two or more races	2,728,284	4.3	Homeowner vacancy rate (percent)	1.7	(X)
			Rental vacancy rate (percent)	5.4	(X)
Race alone or in combination with one or more other races:3			Housing tenure
White	45,522,199	72.0	Occupied housing units	22,444,733	100.0
Black or African American	3,495,625	5.5	Owner-occupied housing units	13,802,820	61.5
American Indian and Alaska Native	1,771,244	2.8	Renter-occupied housing units	8,641,913	38.5
Asian	5,870,499	9.3
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	637,196	1.0	Average household size of owner-occupied units	2.82	(X)
Some other race	8,893,349	14.1	Average household size of renter-occupied units	2.64	(X)
-Represents zero or rounds to zero. (X) Not applicable.
1Other Asian alone, or two or more Asian categories.
2Other Pacific Islander alone, or two or more Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander categories.
3In combination with one or more of the other races listed. The six numbers may add to more than the total population and the six percentages may add to more than 100 percent because individuals may report more than one race.
SOURCE: "Table DP-1. Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000, Geographic Area: West Region," in Profiles of General Demographic Characteristics 2000, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC, May 2001

during the 1990s, the Cuban population has generally remained concentrated in Florida, although large numbers also live in New Jersey, New York, and California.

In 1980 Castro's forces ousted 125,000 people from Cuba in what became known as the Mariel Boatlift, named after the town in Cuba from which they sailed. Because

TABLE 1.7
Profile of general demographic characteristics in the northeastern United States, 2000

Subject	Number	Percent	Subject	Number	Percent
Total population	53,594,378	100.0	Hispanic or Latino and race
			Total population	53,594,378	100.0
Sex and age			Hispanic or Latino (of any race)	5,254,087	9.8
Male	25,897,327	48.3	Mexican	479,169	0.9
Female	27,697,051	51.7	Puerto Rican	2,074,574	3.9
			Cuban	168,959	0.3
Under 5 years	3,395,914	6.3	Other Hispanic or Latino	2,531,385	4.7
5 to 9 years	3,743,901	7.0	Not Hispanic or Latino	48,340,291	90.2
10 to 14 years	3,761,967	7.0	White alone	39,327,262	73.4
15 to 19 years	3,593,498	6.7
20 to 24 years	3,310,411	6.2	Relationship
25 to 34 years	7,417,849	13.8	Total population	53,594,378	100.0
35 to 44 years	8,807,882	16.4	In households	51,926,613	96.9
45 to 54 years	7,383,303	13.8	Householder	20,285,622	37.9
55 to 59 years	2,676,017	5.0	Spouse	10,127,653	18.9
60 to 64 years	2,131,354	4.0	Child	15,898,920	29.7
65 to 74 years	3,768,272	7.0	Own child under 18 years	11,779,791	22.0
75 to 84 years	2,665,551	5.0	Other relatives	2,911,203	5.4
85 years and over	938,459	1.8	Under 18 years	965,446	1.8
Median age (years)	36.8	(X)	Nonrelatives	2,703,215	5.0
			Unmarried partner	1,077,988	2.0
18 years and over	40,546,595	75.7	In group quarters	1,667,765	3.1
Male	19,209,254	35.8	Institutionalized population	776,269	1.4
Female	21,337,341	39.8	Noninstitutionalized population	891,496	1.7
21 years and over	38,389,981	71.6
62 years and over	8,608,845	16.1	Household by type
65 years and over	7,372,282	13.8	Total households	20,285,622	100.0
Male	2,952,387	5.5	Family households (families)	13,547,677	66.8
Female	4,419,895	8.2	With own children under 18 years	6,372,906	31.4
			Married-couple family	10,127,653	49.9
Race			With own children under 18 years	4,576,777	22.6
One race	52,365,917	97.7	Female householder, no husband present	2,594,091	12.8
White	41,533,502	77.5	With own children under 18 years	1,428,982	7.0
Black or African American	6,099,881	11.4	Nonfamily households	6,737,945	33.2
American Indian and Alaska Native	162,558	0.3	Householder living alone	5,519,312	27.2
Asian	2,119,426	4.0	Householder 65 years and over	2,125,149	10.5
Asian Indian	554,302	1.0
Chinese	691,755	1.3	Households with individuals under 18 years	6,956,202	34.3
Filipino	202,100	0.4	Households with individuals 65 years and over	5,212,164	25.7
Japanese	76,350	0.1	Average household size	2.56	(X)
Korean	246,144	0.5	Average family size	3.14	(X)
Vietnamese	115,487	0.2
Other Asian1	233,288	0.4	Housing occupancy
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	20,880	–	Total housing units	22,180,440	100.0
Native Hawaiian	4,493	–	Occupied housing units	20,285,622	91.5
Guamanian or Chamorro	4,595	–	Vacant housing units	1,894,818	8.5
Samoan	3,821	–	For seasonal, recreational, or
Other Pacific Islander2	7,971	–	occasional use	823,429	3.7
Some other race	2,429,670	4.5
Two or more races	1,228,461	2.3	Homeowner vacancy rate (percent)	1.4	(X)
			Rental vacancy rate (percent)	5.0	(X)
Race alone or in combination with one or more other races:3			Housing tenure
White	42,395,625	79.1	Occupied housing units	20,285,622	100.0
Black or African American	6,556,909	12.2	Owner-occupied housing units	12,651,302	62.4
American Indian and Alaska Native	374,035	0.7	Renter-occupied housing units	7,634,320	37.6
Asian	2,368,297	4.4
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	63,907	0.1	Average household size of owner-occupied units	2.71	(X)
Some other race	3,138,918	5.9	Average household size of renter-occupied units	2.30	(X)
-Represents zero or rounds to zero. (X) Not applicable.
1Other Asian alone, or two or more Asian categories.
2Other Pacific Islander alone, or two or more Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander categories.
3In combination with one or more of the other races listed. The six numbers may add to more than the total population and the six percentages may add to more than 100 percent because individuals may report more than one race.
SOURCE: "Table DP-1. Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000, Geographic Area: Northeast Region," in Profiles of General Demographic Characteristics 2000, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC, May 2001

most of these new immigrants were from less wealthy and less educated backgrounds than their predecessors, and some were actually criminals or people who were mentally ill, many had difficulty fitting into the existing Cuban communities in the United States. Also, unlike the Cubans who came before them, they had spent twenty years living under a communist government very different from the democratic government they encountered in the United States.

TABLE 1.8
Profile of general demographic characteristics in the southern United States, 2000

Subject	Number	Percent	Subject	Number	Percent
Total population	100,236,820	100.0	Hispanic or Latino and race
			Total population	100,236,820	100.0
Sex and age			Hispanic or Latino (of any race)	11,586,696	11.6
Male	49,057,320	48.9	Mexican	6,548,081	6.5
Female	51,179,500	51.1	Puerto Rican	759,305	0.8
			Cuban	921,427	0.9
Under 5 years	6,847,503	6.8	Other Hispanic or Latino	3,357,883	3.3
5 to 9 years	7,213,897	7.2	Not Hispanic or Latino	88,650,124	88.4
10 to 14 years	7,233,891	7.2	White alone	65,927,794	65.8
15 to 19 years	7,217,184	7.2
20 to 24 years	6,880,955	6.9	Relationship
25 to 34 years	14,319,343	14.3	Total population	100,236,820	100.0
35 to 44 years	15,947,301	15.9	In households	97,400,148	97.2
45 to 54 years	13,295,731	13.3	Householder	38,015,214	37.9
55 to 59 years	4,871,216	4.9	Spouse	19,740,328	19.7
60 to 64 years	3,971,532	4.0	Child	29,065,944	29.0
65 to 74 years	6,711,853	6.7	Own child under 18 years	22,499,811	22.4
75 to 84 years	4,295,868	4.3	Other relatives	5,833,561	5.8
85 years and over	1,430,546	1.4	Under 18 years	2,476,865	2.5
Median age (years)	35.3	(X)	Nonrelatives	4,745,101	4.7
			Unmarried partner	1,809,254	1.8
18 years and over	74,669,917	74.5	In group quarters	2,836,672	2.8
Male	35,958,852	35.9	Institutionalized population	1,604,097	1.6
Female	38,711,065	38.6	Noninstitutionalized population	1,232,575	1.2
21 years and over	70,252,266	70.1
62 years and over	14,748,176	14.7	Household by type
65 years and over	12,438,267	12.4	Total households	38,015,214	100.0
Male	5,129,011	5.1	Family households (families)	26,257,626	69.1
Female	7,309,256	7.3	With own children under 18 years	12,436,531	32.7
			Married-couple family	19,740,328	51.9
Race			With own children under 18 years	8,764,414	23.1
One race	98,389,805	98.2	Female householder, no husband present	4,971,496	13.1
White	72,819,399	72.6	With own children under 18 years	2,910,498 7.7
Black or African American	18,981,692	18.9	Nonfamily households	11,757,588	30.9
American Indian and Alaska Native	725,919	0.7	Householder living alone	9,630,163	25.3
Asian	1,922,407	1.9	Householder 65 years and over	3,396,582	8.9
Asian Indian	440,714	0.4
Chinese	342,523	0.3	Households with individuals under 18 years	13,852,937	36.4
Filipino	244,547	0.2	Households with individuals 65 years and over	8,814,434	23.2
Japanese	77,468	0.1	Average household size	2.56	(X)
Korean	224,260	0.2	Average family size	3.08	(X)
Vietnamese	335,679	0.3
Other Asian1	257,216	0.3	Housing occupancy
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	51,217	0.1	Total housing units	42,382,546	100.0
Native Hawaiian	12,494	–	Occupied housing units	38,015,214	89.7
Guamanian or Chamorro	14,631	–	Vacant housing units	4,367,332	10.3
Samoan	8,813	–	For seasonal, recreational, or
Other Pacific Islander2	15,279	–	occasional use	1,302,807	3.1
Some other race	3,889,171	3.9
Two or more races	1,847,015	1.8	Homeowner vacancy rate (percent)	1.9	(X)
			Rental vacancy rate (percent)	8.7	(X)
Race alone or in combination with one or more other races:3			Housing tenure
White	74,303,744	74.1	Occupied housing units	38,015,214	100.0
Black or African American	19,528,231	19.5	Owner-occupied housing units	25,987,886	68.4
American Indian and Alaska Native	1,259,230	1.3	Renter-occupied housing units	12,027,328	31.6
Asian	2,267,094	2.3
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	117,947	0.1	Average household size of owner-occupied units	2.63	(X)
Some other race	4,719,249	4.7	Average household size of renter-occupied units	2.41	(X)
–Represents zero or rounds to zero. (X) Not applicable.
1Other Asian alone, or two or more Asian categories.
2Other Pacific Islander alone, or two or more Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander categories.
3In combination with one or more of the other races listed. The six numbers may add to more than the total population and the six percentages may add to more than 100 percent because individuals may report more than one race.
SOURCE: "Table DP-1. Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000, Geographic Area: South Region," in Profiles of General Demographic Characteristics 2000, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC, May 2001

In 1993 and 1994 more than 29,000 Cubans tried to enter the United States after fleeing a severe economic crisis in their own country. Most attempted the trip by boats and rafts, but were intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard and taken back to Cuba, where they were detained at the U.S. Air Force base at Guantanamo Bay. By January 1996 most detainees had been allowed to enter the United States, and the detention camps were closed.

TABLE 1.9
Profile of general demographic characteristics inside central cities in metropolitan ares, 2000

Subject	Number	Percent	Subject	Number	Percent
Total population	85,401,127	100.0	Hispanic or Latino and race
			Total population	85,401,127	100.0
Sex and age			Hispanic or Latino (of any race)	16,459,217	19.3
Male	41,517,287	48.6	Mexican	9,407,070	11.0
Female	43,883,840	51.4	Puerto Rican	1,973,596	2.3
			Cuban	339,443	0.4
Under 5 years	6,086,807	7.1	Other Hispanic or Latino	4,739,108	5.5
5 to 9 years	6,191,412	7.2	Not Hispanic or Latino	68,941,910	80.7
10 to 14 years	5,820,641	6.8	White alone	43,891,379	51.4
15 to 19 years	6,229,626	7.3
20 to 24 years	7,365,797	8.6	Relationship
25 to 34 years	13,935,332	16.3	Total population	85,401,127	100.0
35 to 44 years	13,021,399	15.2	In households	82,487,335	96.6
45 to 54 years	10,441,623	12.2	Householder	32,753,918	38.4
55 to 59 years	3,571,680	4.2	Spouse	13,232,903	15.5
60 to 64 years	2,880,503	3.4	Child	24,394,149	28.6
65 to 74 years	5,016,687	5.9	Own child under 18 years	18,487,304,	21.6
75 to 84 years	3,557,918	4.2	Other relatives	6,163,975	7.2
85 years and over	1,281,702	1.5	Under 18 years	2,370,360	2.8
Median age (years)	32.7	(X)	Nonrelatives	5,942,390	7.0
			Unmarried partner	1,956,841	2.3
18 years and over	63,935,306	74.9	In group quarters	2,913,792	3.4
Male	30,552,343	35.8	Institutionalized population	1,122,911	1.3
Female	33,382,963	39.1	Noninstitutionalized population	1,790,881	2.1
21 years and over	59,515,710	69.7
62 years and over	11,523,613	13.5	Household by type
65 years and over	9,856,307	11.5	Total households	32,753,918	100.0
Male	3,860,393	4.5	Family households (families)	19,887,988	60.7
Female	5,995,914	7.0	With own children under 18 years	9,842,765	30.1
			Married-couple family	13,232,903	40.4
Race			With own children under 18 years	6,097,762	18.6
One race	82,596,807	96.7	Female householder, no husband present	5,133,109	15.7
White	51,220,698	60.0	With own children under 18 years	3,048,934	9.3
Black or African American	18,413,537	21.6	Nonfamily households	12,865,930	39.3
American Indian and Alaska Native	621,504	0.7	Householder living alone	10,146,021	31.0
Asian	4,565,739	5.3	Householder 65 years and over	3,046,325	9.3
Asian Indian	629,328	0.7
Chinese	1,200,007	1.4	Households with individuals under 18 years	11,082,094	33.8
Filipino	759,370	0.9	Households with individuals 65 years and over	7,136,657	21.8
Japanese	325,571	0.4	Average household size	2.52	(X)
Korean	425,384	0.5	Average family size	3.20	(X)
Vietnamese	553,336	0.6
Other Asian1	672,743	0.8	Housing occupancy
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	138,381	0.2	Total housing units	35,414,873	100.0
Native Hawaiian	35,493	–	Occupied housing units	32,753,918	92.5
Guamanian or Chamorro	22,586	–	Vacant housing units	2,660,955	7.5
Samoan	36,899	–	For seasonal, recreational, or
Other Pacific Islander2	43,403	0.1	occasional use	309,299	0.9
Some other race	7,636,948	8.9
Two or more races	2,804,320	3.3	Homeowner vacancy rate (percent)	1.9	(X)
			Rental vacancy rate (percent)	6.5	(X)
Race alone or in combination with one or more other races:3			Housing tenure
White	53,337,923	62.5	Occupied housing units	32,753,918	100.0
Black or African American	19,261,202	22.6	Owner-occupied housing units	16,541,014	50.5
American Indian and Alaska Native	1,168,477	1.4	Renter-occupied housing units	16,212,904	49.5
Asian	5,202,866	6.1
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	296,810	0.3	Average household size of owner-occupied units	2.65	(X)
Some other race	9,136,620	10.7	Average household size of renter-occupied units	2.38	(X)
–Represents zero or rounds to zero. (X) Not applicable.
1Other Asian alone, or two or more Asian categories.
2Other Pacific Islander alone, or two or more Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander categories.
3In combination with one or more of the other races listed. The six numbers may add to more than the total population and the six percentages may add to more than 100 percent because individuals may report more than one race.
SOURCE: "Table DP-1. Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000, Geographic Area: United States, Inside Metropolitan Areas, Inside Central Cities," in Profiles of General Demographic Characteristics 2000, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC, May 2001

A case that highlighted the plight of Cuban immigrants was that of six-year-old Elian Gonzalez. In November 1999 Gonzalez, along with his mother, left Cuba for the United States in a boat with several other Cubans seeking refuge in the United States. The boat capsized and several passengers drowned, including Gonzalez's mother. The six-year-old was saved and taken to live with his mother's relatives in Miami, Florida. When his father,

TABLE 1.10
Profile of general demographic characteristics outside metropolitan areas, 2000

Subject	Number	Percent	Subject	Number	Percent
Total population	55,440,227	100.0	Hispanic or Latino and race Total population	55,440,227		100.0
Sex and age			Hispanic or Latino (of any race)	3,131,876		5.6
Male	27,477,604	49.6	Mexican	2,132,552		3.8
Female	27,962,623	50.4	Puerto Rican	125,015		0.2
			Cuban	36,131		0.1
Under 5 years	3,498,652	6.3	Other Hispanic or Latino	838,178		1.5
5 to 9 years	3,850,619	6.9	Not Hispanic or Latino	52,308,351		94.4
10 to 14 years	4,104,951	7.4	White alone	45,437,147		82.0
15 to 19 years	4,239,028	7.6
20 to 24 years	3,527,020	6.4	Relationship
25 to 34 years	6,773,709	12.2	Total population	55,440,227		100.0
35 to 44 years	8,382,621	15.1	In households	53,404,450		96.3
45 to 54 years	7,531,671	13.6	Householder	21,175,216		38.2
55 to 59 years	2,907,616	5.2	Spouse	11,735,239		21.2
60 to 64 years	2,490,647	4.5	Child	15,883,595		28.6
65 to 74 years	4,282,547	7.7	Own child under 18 years	12,563,096		22.7
75 to 84 years	2,828,862	5.1	Other relatives	2,316,199		4.2
85 years and over	1,022,284	1.8	Under 18 years	1,066,135		1.9
Median age (years)	37.2	(X)	Nonrelatives	2,294,201		4.1
			Unmarried partner	1,019,280		1.8
18 years and over	41,434,525	74.7	In group quarters	2,035,777		3.7
Male	20,281,093	36.6	Institutionalized population	1,315,638		2.4
Female	21,153,432	38.2	Noninstitutionalized population	720,139		1.3
21 years and over	38,945,868	70.2
62 years and over	9,595,364	17.3	Household by type
65 years and over	8,133,693	14.7	Total households	21,175,216		100.0
Male	3,427,381	6.2	Family households (families)	14,837,486		70.1
Female	4,706,312	8.5	With own children under 18 years	6,755,517		31.9
			Married-couple family	11,735,239		55.4
Race			With own children under 18 years	4,923,492		23.3
One race	54,604,665	98.5	Female householder, no husband present	2,265,103		10.7
White	46,991,330	84.8	With own children under 18 years	1,363,232		6.4
Black or African American	4,764,919	8.6	Nonfamily households	6,337,730		29.9
American Indian and Alaska Native	1,054,824	1.9	Householder living alone	5,362,361		25.3
Asian	416,888	0.8	Householder 65 years and over	2,346,001		11.1
Asian Indian	53,218	0.1
Chinese	56,714	0.1	Households with individuals under 18 years	7,417,411		35.0
Filipino	101,229	0.2	Households with individuals 65 years and over	5,659,960		26.7
Japanese	71,789	0.1	Average household size	2.52		(X)
Korean	42,029	0.1	Average family size	3.02		(X)
Vietnamese	28,266	0.1
Other Asian1	63,643	0.1	Housing occupancy
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	59,820	0.1	Total housing units	25,091,681		100.0
Native Hawaiian	37,782	0.1	Occupied housing units	21,175,216		84.4
Guamanian or Chamorro	5,856	–	Vacant housing units	3,916,465		15.6
Samoan	5,620	–	For seasonal, recreational, or
Other Pacific Islander2	10,562	–	occasional use	1,937,838		7.7
Some other race	1,316,884	2.4
Two or more races	835,562	1.5	Homeowner vacancy rate (percent)	2.1		(X)
			Rental vacancy rate (percent)	9.3		(X)
Race alone or in combination with one or more other races:3			Housing tenure
White	47,724,236	86.1	Occupied housing units	21,175,216		100.0
Black or African American	4,922,900	8.9	Owner-occupied housing units	15,655,003		73.9
American Indian and Alaska Native	1,420,577	2.6	Renter-occupied housing units	5,520,213		26.1
Asian	585,781	1.1
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	145,791	0.3	Average household size of owner-occupied units	2.57		(X)
Some other race	1,552,445	2.8	Average household size of renter-occupied units	2.38		(X)
–Represents zero or rounds to zero. (X) Not applicable.
1Other Asian alone, or two or more Asian categories.
2Other Pacific Islander alone, or two or more Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander categories.
3In combination with one or more of the other races listed. The six numbers may add to more than the total population and the six percentages may add to more than 100 percent because individuals may report more than one race.
SOURCE: "Table DP-1. Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000, Geographic Area: United States, Outside Metropolitan Areas," in Profiles of General Demographic Characteristics 2000, U.S. Census Bureau, Washington, DC, May 2001

who still lived in Cuba, demanded that Gonzalez be returned to him, it touched off a custody war between the father and the Florida relatives that quickly escalated and captured the attention of the media and the nation. The INS ruled that Gonzalez was to be returned to Cuba to his father, a decision that was ultimately upheld despite several legal challenges. However, many Cuban Americans pointed to the hardships under the communist rule of Castro as grounds for allowing Gonzalez to stay in the United States. Others asserted that regardless of the political situation in Cuba, the United States had no right to keep young Elian from his father, who wanted to remain in Cuba.