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Texas experiences population surge in '90s Growth fueled primarily by Hispanic population 03/12/2001 By Michelle Mittelstadt / The Dallas Morning News
WASHINGTON – Texas' population surged during the 1990s, increasing by 23 percent, fueled in large measure by Hispanic growth, the Census Bureau reported today.
Texas, which during the 1990s eclipsed New York to become the nation's second most populous state, saw its population increase to 20.8 million – up from 16.9 million a decade earlier. That sizzling rate of growth outpaced the nation, which experienced a 13 percent hike during the 1990s.
Geographically, most of the Texas growth occurred in the major metropolitan areas and along the Southwest border.
When examined along racial and ethnic lines, Hispanic growth accounted for much of the boom. Hispanics, who were 25.5 percent of the Texas population in 1990, now represent 32 percent of the state total. Non-Hispanic whites saw their population share decline from 61 percent in 1990 to 52 percent now. And the black population remained relatively stable, going from 11.6 percent in 1990 to 11.3 percent now. The Asian population has risen to 2.7 percent of the Texas total, up from 1.8 percent.
About 60 percent of the state's net population growth came from increases in the Hispanic population, said Dr. Steve Murdock, the state's demographer, and 20 percent from growth in the non-Hispanic white category. Growth in the African-American population accounted for 11.5 percent of the state increase, and growth in the Asian, Pacific Islander and other category accounted for nearly 8 percent, he said.
"What to me is among the more startling things we've looked at is we expected rapid diversification in our population, but it has been very extensive indeed," Dr. Murdock said.
Comparisons between the 1990 and 2000 headcounts is complicated by the fact that for the first time ever, Census 2000 respondents were given the opportunity to choose from 63 racial categories – up from the traditional five. For the first time, people were able to check off more than one race, something 2.5 percent of all Texas respondents did.
The Texas State Data Center, which Dr. Murdock heads, has examined the Census Bureau figures and concluded that Hispanics represent the single largest ethnic group in both Dallas and Houston.
In Dallas, he said, the non-Hispanic white share of the population has declined from 48 percent a decade ago to 35 percent now; while at the same time the Hispanic proportion has risen from 21 percent to 36 percent.
In Houston, the non-Hispanic white share declined from 42 percent to 31 percent; while the Hispanic presence rose from 27 percent to 37 percent.
The fastest growing metropolitan statistical area was McAllen-Harlingen-Mission, growing 48.5 percent; Austin-San Marcos was next, with 47.7 percent; followed by Laredo, with 44.9 percent. The Dallas MSA was next, with 31.5 percent growth; followed by the Brownsville-Harlingen-San Benito area.
In terms of growth by counties, Collin County led the state, with an explosive 86 percent population surge that propelled it to the state's eighth largest county, up from its 10th place ranking a decade ago.
Harris County remains the state's largest county, with a nearly 21 percent increase, to 3.4 million; followed by Dallas County, with a nearly 20 percent increase, to 2.2 million. Tarrant County surged past Bexar County during the '90s to become the state's third most populous county, with a nearly 24 percent growth rate propelling it to 1.4 million people.
Bexar reported 1.39 million residents, with a 17.5 percent growth. Travis County outpaced El Paso County for fifth-largest county, with 812,000 inhabitants, to El Paso's nearly 680,000. Rounding out the Top 10 in county size were Hidalgo, Collin, Denton and Fort Bend.
While nearly three-quarters of Texas' 254 counties saw population increases during the 1990s, the trend wasn't universal. Some rural counties in the Panhandle and West Texas experienced either slow growth or population decreases.
The Census Bureau figures, which will be used by the state to redraw congressional and legislative district boundaries, result from the huge, once-a-decade effort undertaken by the federal government last year to count every resident of the United States.
Between now and April 1, the Census Bureau is rolling out state-by-state figures on population, race and ethnicity for use by state officials for redistricting, the process of drawing new district lines.
While the figures may appear dry on the surface, they contain a wealth of information – and are of huge significance to a public that may pay little attention to them.
Retailers pore over the figures as they decide where to open new stores; government officials examine them for clues in allocating services such as bus routes or building new schools, for example; and political strategists dissect them as they plot electoral gains for their respective parties.
It's the story of Texas, writ large.
And that story speaks of major population surges, particularly in metropolitan areas.
Texas was one of the nation's fastest growing states during the 1990s. Only seven states outpaced Texas, led by Nevada's explosive 66 percent hike. The nation's population, as a whole, rose 13 percent during the 1990s.
Texas' population, nearing 21 million, stands in stark contrast to the number of people calling the Lone Star State home in its infancy. Five years after Texas joined the United States, the state's population stood at 212,592. |
