When you walk through a grocery store in Houston, a tech hub in Seattle, or a small town in the Rust Belt, the face of America looks different than it did even five years ago. People often argue about who exactly makes up the "majority" now. Honestly, the answer depends entirely on how you define your terms. Are we talking about race? Ethnicity? Ancestry?
The data is in. As of early 2026, the biggest ethnic group in the United States remains White Americans, but that "top spot" is a lot more complicated than a single bar chart suggests.
The Numbers Game: Who Actually Takes the Lead?
If we look at the raw data from the U.S. Census Bureau and recent 2025/2026 projections, White Americans are the largest racial and ethnic group. They make up roughly 58% to 59% of the population when you exclude those who also identify as Hispanic. If you include everyone who checks the "White" box—even if they also identify as Hispanic or Latino—that number jumps to about 61.6%.
But wait.
The real story isn't just about who is number one. It's about the speed of the shift. The non-Hispanic White population is actually shrinking in absolute numbers. It's the only group where deaths are outpacing births—a phenomenon demographers call "natural decrease."
Meanwhile, Hispanic and Latino Americans are the powerhouse of U.S. population growth. They now represent roughly 19% to 20% of the country. That is over 65 million people. Basically, one out of every five people you meet identifies as Hispanic.
Why Everyone Is Confused About Ethnicity vs. Race
The Census Bureau treats "Hispanic" as an ethnicity, not a race. You can be a White Hispanic, a Black Hispanic, or an Indigenous Hispanic. This is why the question of the "biggest group" gets so messy.
If you look at specific ancestries—meaning where someone's family actually came from generations ago—the landscape shifts again. For a long time, German-Americans were the biggest self-reported group. Now, English ancestry has reclaimed the lead in many surveys, with about 46.6 million people.
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Check out the breakdown of the major players:
- White (Non-Hispanic): ~195 million people.
- Hispanic/Latino (Any Race): ~65-68 million people.
- Black or African American: ~42-47 million people (around 12.6%).
- Asian American: ~20-23 million people (the fastest-growing group by percentage).
It’s worth noting that the "Two or More Races" category is exploding. It’s up over 200% since 2010. People are increasingly comfortable claiming their full, messy, blended heritage rather than picking just one box.
The New "MENA" Category
Something big happened just recently. The federal government finally added a dedicated category for Middle Eastern or North African (MENA) people. Previously, people from Lebanon, Egypt, or Iran were legally classified as "White."
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This change, finalized in 2024 and rolling into 2026 data collections, is going to shrink the "White" category even further. It gives millions of people their own statistical home for the first time. It’s a huge deal for health research and civil rights monitoring.
Where the Growth Is Actually Coming From
If you think immigration is the only thing driving these shifts, you’re mistaken. For the Hispanic community, the growth is mostly "natural increase." That’s just a fancy way of saying more babies are being born than people are passing away.
For the Asian American community, however, international migration is still the primary driver.
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Geography matters too. The "majority-minority" shift has already happened in states like California, Texas, New Mexico, Nevada, Maryland, and Hawaii. In these places, no single group holds more than 50% of the population.
What This Means for You
Understanding the biggest ethnic group in the United States isn't just for trivia night. It changes how businesses market products, how politicians campaign, and how healthcare is delivered.
Honestly, the "average" American is getting younger and more diverse every single day. If you’re looking to stay ahead of the curve, here are the actionable takeaways:
- Stop thinking in silos. The fastest-growing group isn't one specific race; it's people who identify as "multiracial."
- Watch the "MENA" data. As the 2026 data matures, we will see a much clearer picture of Middle Eastern and North African communities that were previously "invisible" in the data.
- Acknowledge the youth gap. Among Americans under 18, the non-Hispanic White population is already below 50%. The future of the workforce is diverse, period.
- Localize your view. National stats are great, but the "biggest group" in Florida (Cuban influence) is vastly different from the biggest group in Minnesota (German/Scandinavian/Somali influence).
The United States is currently in the middle of its most significant demographic transformation since the early 20th century. While White Americans are still the largest group by the numbers, the momentum is entirely with the Hispanic, Asian, and multiracial populations.