By Joy Hampton
May 19, 2009 — Rogers County is estimated to have the largest percentage of Hispanic growth of any Oklahoma county since the 2000 census according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Breakdowns by county are available on the Oklahoma Department of Commerce Web site.
“These would be anyone who claimed to be of Hispanic origin on their Census 2000 forms,” said Steve Barker, Senior Research Analyst with the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. “Oklahoma ranks 22nd in the nation for numeric increases in Hispanic population between the 2000 census and the 2008 population estimates. The state is 23rd in the nation for percentage increase.”
“Since 2000 we’ve seen a sizeable increase in our Hispanic population,” said Claremore Public Schools Superintendent Michael McClaren. “When we identify students needing additional services, we use a Home Language Survey. In 2000, we identified probably less than 20 students that would qualify for services. Now we have well over 100 students that qualify for services using the same instrument.”
McClaren said the trend is for Hispanic increases to follow construction and service industries.
“We’ll probably identify more (Hispanic population) than the census count will identify,” said McClaren.
Rural communities may not be experiencing the same level of growth.
“We really have not seen a big growth at all in our Hispanic population,” said Inola Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Kent Holbrook. “We’ve seen zero growth since 2006.”
Inola Schools have stayed stable at three percent school population as Hispanic, said Holbrook.
U.S. Census Bureau statistics released last week show an increasing trend in minority populations. Overall, these national population estimates show the U.S. has become “older and more racially and ethnically diverse than in previous decades.”
The largest and fastest-growing minority group was Hispanics, according to census data. The Hispanic population reached 46.9 million in 2008, an increase of 3.2 percent from 2007. In 2008, Census estimates indicate one in six U.S. residents was Hispanic. Asians were next in line for minority groups on the increase between 2007 and 2008. The Census Bureau estimates Asian populations in the U.S. at 15.5 million in 2008, an increase of 2.7 percent.
“California had the largest Hispanic population of any state in July 2008 (13.5 million), as well as the largest numeric increase within the Hispanic population since July 2007 (313,000). New Mexico had the highest percentage of Hispanics at 45 percent,” according to the Census Bureau release. “There were 48 counties nationally.”
Nearly 10 percent of counties in the U.S. have become majority-minority populations since April 1, 2000, according to state and county population estimates by age, sex, race and Hispanic origin according to Census Bureau information.
Majority-minority is defined as more than half the population being of a group other than single-race, non-Hispanic white.
Out of 48 majority-minority counties in the nation, the top ten were in Texas. Starr County led the Lone Star state’s minority numbers. Starr lies along the Mexican border. With a 98 percent minority population, Starr County had the highest percentage of minorities in the nation. Starr is followed by two other Texas counties – Maverick at 97 percent and Webb with 95 percent. The vast majority of these in each of the three counties are Hispanic.
