Mapping the 2000 US Census

With the 2010 US Census taking place this year, it will be interesting to reflect on the nationwide census that took place a decade ago. Here, I focus on the population percentage of Black, Asian and people of some other race alone in the United States. Using ESRI's ArcGIS program in my Geography 167 - Cartography class, I have mapped out the locations of the above mentioned as calculated from the 2000 Census.

The following series of maps details the 2000 US Census of the population percentage of Black, Asian and people of some other race alone. The 2000 Census showed that the population of the United States was 281.4 million. These facts and figures are from the US Census website. Of the total, 36.4 million, or 12.9 percent, was Black. Of the 12.9 percent, 12.3 percent reported as Black only. The geographic distribution of the Black only population in 2000 was concentrated mostly in the South, with 54.8 percent residing in the South. 18.8 percent resided in the Midwest, 17.6 resided in the Northeast, and 8.9 percent resided in the Western portion of the United States.

The ten states with the largest Black populations were New York, California, Texas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, Maryland, Michigan, and Louisiana. However, the places with the largest Black populations were New York and Chicago. The US Census bureau collected information on race for legislative purposes. It is needed for evaluating and assessing employment programs and for enforcing and implementing programs such as the Equal Opportunity program.

The 2000 Census showed that the population of Asians in the United States was 11.9 million, or 4.2 percent. Of the 11.9 million, 10.2 million reported as Asian only, or 3.6 percent. Between 1990 and 2000, the Asian population increased faster than the total population. The Asian alone population increased by 3.3 million between 1990 and 2000. The geographic distribution of the Asian only population in 2000 was concentrated mostly in the West, with 48.8 percent. 20.7 percent of the Asian only population resided in the Northeast, 18.8 percent reported from the South, and 11.7 percent reported from the Midwest. Over half of all people who reported Asian lived in California, New York and Hawaii. The Asian population was concentrated in counties in the West, especially in California and Hawaii.

The population of some other race along reporting in the 2000 Census reported mostly from the West and in the Midwest. 5.5 percent reported as some other race alone, or 15.3 million people. The geographic distribution for some other race alone accounted for 18 percent or more of the total population in counties in Texas, California, and Washington.