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last updated: 11/20/07
library.reference@cmich.edu

Compiled by Dave Shirley. For more information and/or reference assistance, please contact Dave Shirley (Email: david.b.shirley@cmich.edu, Phone: 989-774-3414) or ask at the Reference Desk on the second floor of the Park Library (Phone: 774-3470).

The following data are based on previously released reports from the Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department of Commerce.

Income and Poverty

• American Indians and Alaska Natives had a median household income of $30,784, based on a three-year average (1997-1999). This is higher than for African Americans ($26,608) and not statistically different from Hispanics (29,110), but lower than for non-Hispanic Whites ($43,287) and Asians and Pacific Islanders ($48,614). http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2000/cb00-158.html
• Based on a three-year average (1997-1999), the poverty rate for American Indians and Alaska Natives was 25.9%. This is higher than the poverty rates for non-Hispanic Whites (8.2%) and Asians and Pacific Islanders (12.4%) but not statistically different from the rates for African Americans (25.4%) and Hispanics (25.1%). http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2000/cb00-158.html

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Health Insurance

• Based on a three-year average (1997-1999), 27.1% of American Indians and Alaska Natives lack health insurance coverage. Their rate is significantly higher than that of African Americans (21.6%), Asians and Pacific Islanders (20.9%) and non-Hispanic Whites (11.6%), but lower than that of Hispanics (34.3%). http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2000/cb00-160.html

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Voting

• Nationwide, it is estimated there were 1.6 million American Indians and Alaska Natives of voting age on Election Day, Nov. 7, 2000. California (240,000), Oklahoma (170,000), Arizona (159,000) and New Mexico (103,000) had the highest numbers of these. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2000/cb00-125.html

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Households and Families

• Between July 1, 2000, and July 1, 2010, the Census Bureau projects that the number of American Indian and Alaska Native households in the United States will climb from 754,180 to 906,036. http://www.census.gov/population/projections/nation/hh-fam/table4n.txt
• On July 1, 2000, according to projections made in 1995, 74% of the nation's American Indian and Alaska Native households were family households. Of these families, 65% were maintained by married couples, 26% by women with no husband present and 9% by men with no wife present. The typical American Indian and Alaska Native family was made up of 3.57 people, larger than the average 3.12 people for families of all races. http://www.census.gov/population/projections/nation/hh-fam/table4n.txt

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Education

• In the fall of 1996, 134,000 non-Hispanic American Indians were enrolled in the nation's colleges and universities, up from 84,000 in the fall of 1980. Of these persons, about half attended two-year schools, nearly 6 in 10 were women, more than 8 in 10 went to public schools and more than 9 in 10 were undergraduates. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-238.html
• During the 1995-96 school year, about 15,000 of the nation's American Indians and Alaska Natives received college degrees--either an associate's, bachelor's master's, doctor's or other professional. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-238.html

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Population Distribution

• The nation's American Indian and Alaska Native resident population grew by 371,000 between April 1, 1990, and Aug. 1, 2000, to 2.4 million. http://www.census.gov/population/estimates/nation/intfile3-1.txt
• The American Indian and Alaska Native resident population has grown more rapidly than the nation's population as a whole during the last decade 17.9% versus 10.7% between April 1, 1990, and Aug. 1, 2000. http://www.census.gov/population/estimates/nation/intfile3-1.txt
• Despite its steady growth over the last 10 years, the nation's American Indian and Alaska Native population remained at 0.9% of the total population on Aug. 1, 2000. http://www.census.gov/population/estimates/nation/intfile3-1.txt
• The nation's American Indian and Alaska Native resident population is young, with an estimated median age on Aug. 1, 2000, of 27.8 years--eight years younger than the median for the population as a whole. http://www.census.gov/population/estimates/nation/intfile3-1.txt
• According to population projections, the nation's American Indian and Alaska Native resident population will grow to 4.4 million by 2050. This means that this race group should see its population increase faster over the next half-century than either Whites or African Americans but more slowly than Hispanics (who may be of any race) or Asians and Pacific Islanders. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2000/cb00-05.html
• There were an estimated 167,000 American Indians and Alaska Natives age 65 and over and 22,000 age 85 and over residing in the United States as of July 1, 2000. Projections indicate these numbers will increase by July 1, 2050, to 662,000 and 148,000, respectively. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2000/cb00-05.html

Sources:

The preceding facts come from the Current Population Survey, the Statistical Abstract of United States, population estimates and projections, and the Property Owners and Managers 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. E-mail to: pio@census.gov