The Ethnic Composition of the Population of Alabama

The US state of Alabama is the 30th largest by size. It also holds the 24th largest population in the US with a total of about 4,802,740 people according to the 2010 census. There was a 7.5% increase in population size from the previous census conducted in 2000. The ethnic composition of Alabama is hugely varied, particularly in the urban areas. People identifying as hispanic and non-Hispanic white make up 68.5% of the total population while African Americans account for roughly 26.2%. There is also a representation of Asian, Alaska natives, native Hawaiians, American Indians, and other Pacific Islanders.

White - 68.5%

In 2010, the population of the white community in Alabama was 68.5% of all the population in the state. The population is mainly of Scotch-Irish and English descent. The number of white people of European descent is estimated to be higher than reported. The reason for this situation has been explained by the fact that many white people in Alabama identify as American owing to their roots that are predominantly in North America running as far back as the 1600s. The 2010 census counted about 1.605 million white males and 1.669 million white females totaling to roughly 3.275 million.

Black - 26.2%

In 2010, black Americans made up 26.2% of the population in Alabama. There are about 1,251,311 black people in Alabama. The black population is not evenly distributed across the state; there are ten counties where black Americans are the majority demographic. Macon County and Greene County rank highest with the population of African-Americans accounting for more than 80% of their respective populations. The black population in Alabama has been growing faster than the white population; a trend that resonates with the majority of states in the country.

Asian - <1%

The 2000 census showed that the Asian population in Alabama was less than 1% of the total population of the state, totaling to about 31,346 individuals. However, there was a steady increase over the decade bringing the total to 53,595. The largest population of Asians in Alabama are individuals of Indian origin accounting for about 7,000 people followed by the Chinese population accounting for about 6,900 people. There is a sizeable population of Koreans in the region as well. Asians are the fourth-largest population in Alabama after Hispanics of Latino descent who number around 186,000 individuals representing 3% of the total population in the state.

Other Races - <1%

Native Americans make up around 0.5% of the total population of Alabama. These individuals are mostly of Cherokee or Creek origin. The Creek people in Alabama are predominantly found in a small community in southern Alabama known as Poarch. The Cherokee, on the other hand, are largely in the north and northeastern parts of the state. The populations of native Hawaiians and other Pacific islanders accounts for less than 0.7% of the total population in Alabama.