Idaho’s Hispanic population increases 3.3 percent from 2015-2016

According to recent data released by the U.S. Census Bureau, Idaho’s Hispanic population grew 3.3 percent between mid-2015 and mid-2016. That is up from a 2.9 percent increase the prior year and brings total Hispanic residents to 297,740.

The Hispanic population has increased 18 percent since the 2010 census which is an additional 31,833 people.

Since 1981, the first year the Census Bureau began tracking Hispanic population, Idaho’s lowest annual growth rate for Hispanics was 2 percent between mid-2011 and mid-2012.

Nationally, the Hispanic population grew by 2 percent to 57.5 million people over the year.

Idaho’s Asian population increased 5.3 percent numerically accounting for 1,121 additional people. Individuals who selected “two or more races” on the Census survey also had an increase of 5.3 percent, an addition of 2,015 people, from mid-2015 to mid-2016.

The state’s Black population increased by 627, up 4.6 percent, to 14,183. American Indian and Alaska Native added 590 people bringing their population to 29,457, a 2 percent increase. The smallest group – the Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander – experienced a 4.8 percent increase – or 161 people – for a total population of 3,514.

While Whites had the largest numeric increase of 25,655 individuals, up 15,736 from one year earlier, the growth rate was 1.7 percent, the lowest of all race categories.

Canyon County has the largest Hispanic population and had the largest numeric increase of Hispanics at 1,675, a 3.3 percent growth rate, to 53,017. Ada County was second with a Hispanic population in mid-2016 of 35,900, an increase of 8.1 percent from mid-2015 or 1,670 people. Twin Falls County had the third largest numeric increase of 632 people or 5 percent, followed by Bonneville County with an increase of 499 people, a 3.6 percent increase.

Six counties had a decrease in the Hispanic population – Bear Lake, Benewah, Butte, Lemhi, Lewis and Lincoln. The decreases ranged from one in Bear Lake, Butte and Lewis counties to a loss of 26 in Lemhi County. Camas and Idaho counties saw no change in Hispanic population.