The Institute (協会)

Hispanics: The Fastest Growing Minority Group

The Hispanic growth rate for the 12 months starting July 2003 was 3.6 percent compared with the overall population growth of 1 percent, accounting for half the 2.9 million U.S. population growth from 2003 to 2004. The growth rate was 3.4 percent for Asians, 1.3 percent for blacks, and 0.8 percent for whites. The census bureau estimates that there are 41.3 million Hispanics in the U.S. The increase is largely due to higher birth rates and immigration. Without these elements "we would be moving into a situation like Japan and Europe ... where the populations are graying in a way that is very alarming and endangering their productivity and endangering even their social security systems," remarked Lewis W. Goodman, of American University.

At least Hispanics are open to having children (for now at least). One hopes that the American dream does not take over their community's view of children: 2.5.