The Native Hawaiian and “other Pacific Islander” population in the U.S. rose to nearly 1.76 million in 2022, an increase of 1.8%, or almost 32,000 people, over the previous year, according to population estimates released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Hawaii had the largest Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander population (393,837), followed by California (373,173) and Washington (109,115), the estimates show. The numbers include people who identified as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander alone or in combination with one or more other races.
The latest population estimates show declines across all five census race groups in Hawaii, confirming the previously reported downward trend in the state’s total population, which has been attributed to the high cost of living and fewer births.
ASIANS MADE up the largest segment of Hawaii’s population in 2022 at 825,617, down 0.5% from the previous year, according to the Census Bureau. Whites numbered 631,539, down 0.3%, while the Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander population, estimated at 393,837, experienced a decline of 0.6%.
The state’s Black or African American population in 2022 was set at 52,914, dipping 0.2% from the previous year, while the number of American Indians and Alaska Natives was 37,733, down 1.3%.
The sum of the five race groups exceeds Hawaii’s total estimated population of 1.44 million because people may report more than one race.
National estimates show South Dakota had the fastest-growing Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander population, which increased 11.4% from 2021 to 2022, while Texas had the largest gain, up by 3,871.
Honolulu and Hawaii counties had the two largest concentrations of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, at 254,769 and 72,467, respectively, followed by Los Angeles County at 67,010, according to the Census Bureau estimates.
Clark County, Nev., which includes Las Vegas, had the largest numeric population growth (1,499) among that population group between 2021 and 2022.
Among counties with Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander populations above 10,000, Utah County, Utah, with an increase of 5.6% or 723 people, grew the fastest in 2022.
Correction: The headline on a previous version of this story incorrectly said an increase in Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander residents was seen in the state’s population.