Current Size and Share of the White Population
The white alone non-Hispanic population in the United States was approximately 191.6 million in 2020, representing about 57.8% of the total U.S. population, according to the latest decennial census from the U.S. Census Bureau Census Bureau 2020 Census Results. This makes non-Hispanic whites the largest single racial or ethnic group, though the share has declined from about 63.7% in 2010 and from over 80% in 1980.
The 2020 census also showed that the white alone population including Hispanic whites was roughly 204.3 million, or about 61.6% of the total U.S. population Census Bureau Race and Ethnicity Interactive Data. The non-Hispanic white share has been falling steadily due to lower fertility rates, an aging population, and continued immigration from Asia and Latin America.
Historical Growth and Peak Trends
From Early Census Data to the 20th Century
In 1790, the first U.S. census recorded about 3.2 million people who were classified as white, representing roughly 80% of the total population at that time U.S. Census Historical Race Data. By 1950, the white alone population had grown to about 134.9 million, or 89.5% of the total, reflecting both natural increase and earlier immigration waves from Europe.
Mid-20th Century to 2000
The white alone population peaked in absolute terms around 2000, reaching roughly 194.6 million, while the share dropped below 75% for the first time 2020 Census Results. From 2000 to 2010, the white alone population grew by about 1.2%, a much slower rate than the overall U.S. population growth of 9.7% during the same period.
Recent Trends and Projections
Post-2020 Projections and Subgroup Shifts
The U.S. Census Bureau projects that the non-Hispanic white population will begin to decline in absolute terms by the mid-2020s and could fall to about 179 million by 2060, with the share dropping to roughly 44% of the total population Census Bureau 2017 National Population Projections. The decline is driven by more deaths than births among non-Hispanic whites and slower immigration compared with other groups.
Key Drivers of Change
Lower total fertility rates among non-Hispanic white women, median age above 44, and net international migration patterns continue to reshape the racial and ethnic composition of the United States