In the 250 years since the nation’s founding, America has become dramatically more racially and ethnically diverse. Demographers estimate that by the year 2045, Latino, Black, Asian, Native, and multiracial people will collectively represent a majority of the country’s population.
Here are five key numbers to know about America’s demographic future.
Significance: Starting in 1790, the United States started to survey census data to measure constitutional representation. The methods used enabled a racist system that, for the next 200 years, often resulted in undercounting and misrepresentation that left people of color at the bottom of political and social hierarchies.
Overlooked angle: Since then, antiracist movements have fought forced laws to change and helped politically empower Black, Latino, and other historically disadvantaged groups.
However, recent legislative and legal blows to the Voting Rights Act, including a U.S. Supreme Court decision in April 2026, threaten to dilute congressional representation and political power of Black and Latino groups. With people of color on the rise, power dynamics and representation in politics may shift from the historical White dominance that has been normalized in the U.S.
Who this impacts
1. Between the 2010 and most recent census in 2020, the Latino population grew 23%. Many experts say their vote is going to be the most impactful coalition in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections, particularly for key House races in Texas, California, and Georgia.
2. Black Americans are the third largest racial group in the U.S., according to the 2020 census. That year’s census was also the first to allow respondents to designate “Black” or “African American” in their response. More than half of those identified as Black (53.7%).
3. The number of Asian Americans has significantly grown 109% since 2000. They now make up 7% of the national population and mostly reside in California, New York, and Texas. Hawaii is the only state to have a majority Asian population.
4. The biggest demographic to grow in the United States was the “Two or More Races” category. This group grew by 276% since the 2010 census.
5. According to the most recent census, Native Americans count for 1.1% of the U.S. population. Before the formation of the United States, millions of Native people lived, raised families, and governed communities on what would become U.S. soil. Due to colonization, the introduction of foreign diseases, murder, and other means of erasure, the population fell to approximately 750,000 people by 1700.
The power structure: The predominantly White Republican Party controls both chambers of Congress. President Donald Trump, a Republican, has appointed three U.S. Supreme Court justices, all of them White. He has one of the highest rates of such judicial appointments in the past 30 years. His party has benefited from redrawn district lines and mounted challenges to Democratic candidates — a number of whom are people of color.
Control of the House hangs in the balance in this midterm election year.
Lived experience: Social justice and community advocates say such moves weaken the voting power of historically marginalized communities by making it tougher to elect candidates who represent their interests and needs.
What experts say: The 119th Congress is considered the most racially and ethnically diverse in history. Data from the Pew Research Center show 139 of the 535 members of Congress identify as Black, Hispanic, Asian American, or Indigenous.
What can you do?: Help support voter registration and equitable representation in your local, state, and federal elections. Vote in these elections since the decisions have far-reaching consequences.
Deeper dive: For more information on the state of the U.S., check out The Emancipator’s coverage of America’s 250th birthday.
