Indiana is becoming more diverse. Between 2000 and 2010, Indiana's minority population grew 39 percent, with the addition of 336,237 people.¹ Meanwhile, the state's white non-Hispanic population increased by a mere 1.3 percent, or 67,080 people.

Figure 1 shows that Indiana remains a predominately Caucasian state, with the white population comprising 84 percent of the total population. However, this is down from 87 percent in 2000.

Figure 1: Indiana's Population by Race, 2010

Note: There are 389,707 Hispanics in Indiana, which is considered an ethnicity and not a race, so Hispanics can be of any racial group.
Source: IBRC, using U.S. Census Bureau data

In both numeric and percentage terms, the Hispanic population has seen the most growth since 2000—gaining 175,171 individuals for an 82 percent increase (see Figure 2). In fact, the Hispanic population was the only minority group to see growth in all 92 counties during the decade.

Figure 2: Percent Change in Indiana Population by Race/Ethnicity, 2000 to 2010

Source: IBRC, using U.S. Census Bureau data

The minority population remains largely concentrated in Indiana's largest urban areas, with minorities comprising 45 percent of Lake County's population and 40 percent of Marion County's residents (see Table 1).

Table 1: Top 10 Counties with the Largest Minority Share of Total Population, 2010

County	Minorities as a Percent of Total Population	Total Minority Population	White	White, Non-Hispanic	Black	Asian	Other Race	Two or More Races	Hispanic
Lake	45%	221,843	319,412	274,162	128,263	6,142	30,528	11,660	82,663
Marion	40%	365,488	566,853	537,905	240,975	18,314	51,794	25,457	84,466
St. Joseph	24%	65,230	209,972	201,701	33,958	5,036	10,255	7,710	19,395
Allen	24%	83,540	281,653	271,789	41,618	9,721	11,890	10,447	23,093
Elkhart	23%	45,004	163,792	152,555	11,307	1,915	15,620	4,925	27,886
Tippecanoe	20%	33,925	145,190	138,855	6,913	10,730	6,175	3,772	12,947
LaPorte	19%	20,772	93,787	90,695	12,001	583	2,553	2,543	6,093
Cass	16%	6,342	34,385	32,624	578	419	2,974	610	4,897
Clark	15%	16,345	95,961	93,887	7,661	875	3,273	2,462	5,350
Vanderburgh	15%	26,623	154,882	153,080	16,347	2,003	2,370	4,101	3,873

Source: IBRC, using U.S. Census Bureau data

However, growth in the minority population was widespread across the state as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Township Population Change by Race/Ethnicity, 2000 to 2010

Source: IBRC, using U.S. Census Bureau data

More data on Indiana's minority population is available for numerous geographies at www.stats.indiana.edu/topic/census.asp.

Notes

1. For purposes of this article, the minority population is defined as the total population minus the white non-Hispanic population.

Rachel Justis
Geodemographic Analyst, Indiana Business Research Center, Indiana University Kelley School of Business