Population by Race/Ethnicity

Race

The projected 9.4% decline in Pinellas County’s youth population between 2009 and 2030 is concentrated in both white and black youth. 

White youth are projected to decline 11% compared to an 8% decrease in black youth. The relatively small other race group is projected to increase 3%.

Based on 2009 estimates, 77% of Pinellas County youth are white and 18% are black compared to 80% and 13%, respectively, for the entire U.S.

Ethnicity

The United States has undergone dramatic shifts in racial and ethnic diversity over the years, with the Hispanic population increasing at a faster rate than other racial or ethnic groups. Between 1980 and 2000, the total U.S. Hispanic population more than doubled in size from 14.6 million to 35.3 million. As of July 1, 2009, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates the total U.S. Hispanic population at 48.4 million, more than triple the 1980 total.

• Between 1980 and 2009, the U.S. Hispanic population is estimated to have increased from 6.4% of the total population to 15.8%.

Pinellas County’s Hispanic population is also projected to grow at a relatively strong rate. According to the 2000 census, there were 42,760 Hispanics representing 4.6% of total county population. BEBR’s estimate for 2009 is approximately 72,000 and by 2030, it is expected that the Hispanic population will exceed 87,000 (0.9% average annual growth) and account for 9.3% of total county population.

• Pinellas County’s Hispanic youth under the age of 18 are projected to grow 8% between 2009 and 2030, an average annual increase of 0.4 %. Although this is substantially above the projected growth of total county youth population, it is below the 22% projected growth in total Hispanic population. 
  • Hispanic youths accounted for 6.9% of total Pinellas County youths in 2000 and are expected to grow to 14.1% by 2030. 

Pinellas County’s Hispanic youth population is projected to grow more slowly than other Florida counties of comparable size.

Minority Population

Between 2009 and 2030, Florida’s minority youth population (defined here as non-white + white Hispanic youth under 18) is projected to rise by an estimated 30%, with Pinellas County’s minority youth population projected to decline 1% over that same period. 

• The growth in the minority youth population of Florida over the next two decades will have a significant impact on the composition of the total youth population of the state. In 2010, slightly more than 51% of the state’s youth population is projected to be minority. The minority youth population of all counties of comparable size to Pinellas is also expected to exceed 50% of the total youth population by 2010. In contrast, Pinellas County’s minority youth population, estimated at 54,000 in 2009, is expected to account for only 35% of the total youth population in 2010 and 37% in 2030.

Based on 2000 Census data, Pinellas County’s minority youth were heavily concentrated in the St. Petersburg area in South Pinellas County. Three ZIP codes alone, 33712, 33705 and 33711 accounted for one-third of Pinellas’ total minority population in year 2000. Over 80% of the total population in these three ZIP codes is classified as minority: Pinellas County Youth (0-17) Population by Zip Code.

Read More About It:

Country of Origin Profiles: http://pewhispanic.org/data/origins/

Nearly Half of Children Under Age 5 are Minorities: http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/013733.html