White people are still the majority race in US households, but the numbers look a lot different than they did twenty years ago. If you look at the 2020 Census—which is basically our gold standard for this stuff—the "White alone" population clocked in at about 204.3 million people. That’s roughly 61.6% of the country.
It’s a big number.
But it’s also a shrinking one. Back in 2010, that percentage was closer to 72.4%. We’re seeing a massive shift in how Americans identify, and honestly, it’s not just about who is moving here. It’s about how we see ourselves. For the first time since the government started counting in 1790, the number of people identifying as White alone actually decreased. It dropped by about 8.6% over a decade. That’s a huge deal for demographers who spend their whole lives staring at these spreadsheets.
Why the "Majority" isn't as simple as it used to be
When we talk about the majority race in US contexts, we usually mean White, non-Hispanic people. But the Census Bureau loves to get technical. They distinguish between "White alone" and "White in combination with another race."
This is where things get interesting.
The Multiracial population—people who check more than one box—absolutely exploded. We're talking a 276% increase. In 2010, about 9 million people said they were more than one race. By 2020? That number hit 33.8 million. It turns out, we’re a lot more blended than the old paperwork suggested. You’ve probably noticed this in your own neighborhood or office. The categories are getting blurry, and that’s arguably the biggest story in American demographics right now.
The Hispanic or Latino population, which the Census treats as an ethnicity rather than a race, also grew to 62.1 million. That’s about 18.7% of the total population. If you’re trying to understand the "majority," you have to realize that many people who identify as Hispanic also identify as White, while others identify as "Some Other Race." In fact, "Some Other Race" is now the second-largest racial group in the country if you count it that way, leapfrogging over the Black or African American population.
Regional differences are wild
You can't just look at the national average and think you know what’s happening. Maine and Hawaii might as well be different planets when it comes to the majority race in US regional data.
In Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire, the White population is still way up there, often above 90%. But then you look at Hawaii. There is no "majority" there in the traditional sense. Asian Americans make up the largest group at around 37%. California is another outlier where no single group holds a majority; it’s a "majority-minority" state where the Hispanic population recently became the largest single group.
Texas joined that club too. It's weird to think about, but the demographics of the South and the West are moving at light speed compared to the Midwest.
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The age gap is the real story
If you want to see the future of the majority race in US statistics, look at a kindergarten classroom.
The White population is significantly older on average. According to William Frey, a senior fellow at Brookings and a guy who basically breathes census data, the "diversity explosion" is bottom-up. Among Americans under age 18, White people are already less than half the population (about 47.3%).
Younger generations are just more diverse. Period.
Older generations—the Boomers and the Silent Generation—are overwhelmingly White. This creates a "cultural generation gap." You’ve got an older, whiter voting bloc and a younger, more diverse workforce. That tension shows up in everything from school board meetings to how Netflix markets its shows. It’s not just a statistic; it’s a fundamental shift in how the country functions.
What happened to the "White Alone" numbers?
A lot of people saw the 8.6% drop in the White population and freaked out. But experts like Meagan Cahill from the RAND Corporation point out that some of this is just better data collection. The 2020 Census changed how the questions were asked. They gave people more space to write in their specific origins.
Suddenly, someone who used to just check "White" might now write "White and Cherokee" or "White and Mexican."
They didn't disappear. They just changed how they described themselves.
The Black or African American population stayed relatively stable as a percentage, hovering around 12.1% to 12.4% (for those identifying as one race). However, if you include multiracial Black Americans, that number jumps to about 14.1%. The Asian American population grew by over 35%, driven largely by immigration and natural increase. They now make up about 6% of the country.
Economic and Business Impacts
Businesses are obsessed with these numbers. If the majority race in US markets is shifting, the products on the shelves have to shift too.
Take the "multicultural economy."
Research from Selig Center for Economic Growth suggests that the buying power of Hispanic, Black, and Asian Americans is growing way faster than that of the White majority. We’re talking trillions of dollars. If you’re a brand like Nike or Coca-Cola, you aren't just marketing to a "White majority" anymore. You’re marketing to a fragmented, diverse, and young audience.
- Buying Power: Hispanic buying power hit $1.9 trillion recently.
- Asian American Growth: This group has the fastest-growing buying power of any ethnic group in the country.
- Home Ownership: While the White majority still has the highest homeownership rates, the gap is slowly—very slowly—closing in certain urban markets.
It’s basically impossible to run a successful national business today without looking at these spreadsheets. You have to know who is moving where. For instance, the "Great Migration" has reversed. Black families are moving back to the South in huge numbers, headed for cities like Atlanta, Charlotte, and Houston. This changes the "majority" feel of those cities even if the state-level data stays fairly consistent.
The Role of Immigration
We can't talk about the majority race in US history without talking about the border and the airports.
Since the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act, the "source" countries for new Americans flipped from Europe to Latin America and Asia. That’s the engine behind the change. But here’s a twist: immigration has actually slowed down in the last few years. The demographic shifts we’re seeing now are being driven more by births and deaths within the country than by people crossing the border.
The White population has a lower birth rate and a higher median age. It's basic biology.
Putting it all together: Actionable Insights
So, what do you actually do with this information? Whether you’re a business owner, a student, or just someone trying to understand the news, these are the takeaways.
Don't rely on 2010 data. If you're using demographic info for a business plan or a school project that's more than five years old, it's trash. The 2020 Census changed the game. Use the Census Bureau’s QuickFacts tool to get the most recent estimates for 2023 and 2024.
Look at the "Combination" numbers. If you only look at "White alone" or "Black alone," you're missing the fastest-growing segment of the country: Multiracial Americans. This is the "new majority" in many social circles.
Geography is everything. The "majority" in South Dakota is not the "majority" in New Mexico. Tailor your understanding to your specific location. If you’re in real estate or local politics, the county-level data is way more important than the national average.
Acknowledge the nuances of identity. Race is increasingly a choice of identity rather than just a box you’re born into. As more people feel comfortable identifying as multiracial, the concept of a "majority race" will continue to lose its sharpness.
The United States is becoming a "plurality" nation. That means there won't be one group that makes up more than 50% of the population. It’s a transition that’s already happened in our biggest states and our youngest generations. Embracing that complexity is basically the only way to understand where the country is headed next.