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Population shifts to have long-term impact on furniture industry

By Kay Anderson -- Furniture Today, February 17, 2002

HIGH POINT — Between 1990 and 2000, America saw some of the biggest population changes since the early 1900s. The impact of these changes will be seen on the furniture landscape for many years into the new millennium.

In her 1999 book, The Color of our Future, Farai Chideya describes America as a chameleon. It is an apt description for a country where nearly one person in three is a member of a minority group. (Minority is defined as anyone other than a non-Hispanic white.)

Census figures show that California became the first state where minorities are in the majority — that is, non-Hispanic whites make up less than half of the state's total population.

The racial and ethnic shift is seen clearly in the nation's largest cities. According to an analysis by the Brookings Institution, 18 of the nation's largest cities went from majority white in 1990 to majority minority population in 2000. In 1990, 70 of the 100 largest cities were majority white. In 2000, whites were the majority in only 52 of these same cities. The 18 cities that went from having whites as a majority of residents to having minorities in the majority include such far-flung places as Milwaukee, Wis.; Sacramento, Calif.; Montgomery, Ala.; and St. Louis, Mo.

The minority population is bound to grow. Even if immigration slows, data on birth rates would indicate that the trend toward an America that is more racially and ethnically diverse will continue.

Fertility rates for minorities are significantly higher than that for whites. In 2000, Hispanics had fertility rates 1.8 times as high as whites. The fertility rate for blacks and Asians was 1.2 times that of whites. Population projections, which are scheduled to be updated later this year, predict another 36% increase in our Asian-Pacific Islander population and a 35% increase in our Hispanic population by 2010. Both figures are likely to be revised upward based on the new census and birth rate figures.

In addition, the number of people who consider themselves multiracial is likely to grow. In 2000, for the first time since the census was begun, people were allowed to say that they belonged to more than one racial group.

Nearly 7 million said they were multiracial. Significantly, the percentages that are multiracial breaks down into 2% of adults and 4% of children. As percentages of the total population, it's a small number, but it speaks volumes about our increasingly diverse country.

Majority shift in 18 of 100 largest U.S. cities, 1990-2000
City	Minority share 1990	2000	Percentage point increase in minority share
Anaheim, Calif.	43.4%	64.1	20.7
Riverside, Calif.	38.7	54.4	15.7
Milwaukee, Wis.	39.2	54.6	15.4
Rochester, N.Y.	41.7	55.7	14.0
Sacramento, Calif.	46.6	59.5	12.9
Fort Worth, Texas	43.5	54.2	10.7
Augusta-Richmond, Ga.	46.0	56.3	10.3
Philadelphia	47.9	57.5	9.6
Boston	41.0	50.5	9.5
San Diego	41.3	50.6	9.3
Mobile, Ala.	41.1	50.2	9.1
Montgomery, Ala.	43.9	52.9	9.0
Columbus, Ga.	42.7	51.4	8.7
Norfolk, Va.	44.4	53.0	8.6
Albuquerque, N.M.	41.7	50.1	8.4
Baton Rouge, La.	47.1	55.3	8.2
Shreveport, La.	46.4	54.1	7.7
St. Louis, Mo.	49.8	57.1	7.3
Source: Brookings Institution, Racial and Ethnic Change in the Nation's Largest Cities, 2001

Majority shift in 18 of 100 largest U.S. cities, 1990-2000
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Hispanics have slipped past blacks as the nation's largest minority group, page 9.

The new immigrant population comes largely from Mexico and Latin America, page 10.

The Asian American population, including those that are multi-racial, is growing even faster than the Hispanic, page 12.

Income levels are rising among minority groups that have historically had low incomes as they gain education and improved employment opportunities, page 9.

Buying power of minority groups is already substantial, topping $1.3 billion in 2001, page 9.

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