U.S. Census 2000-2010: Asian Population in Los Angeles Grew Faster Than Any Other Group

The percentage of ethnic Asians in Los Angeles increased nearly three times more than that of whites and a little more than six times the county’s total population over the past decade, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures released today.

The population of Asians in Los Angeles county grew from 1.13 million in April 2000 to 1.34 million in April 2010, an 18.4-percent increase. By comparison, the white population grew from 4.6 million to 4.9 million, a 6.4-percent increase over the same period.

Both Asians and whites, however, grew far more rapidly than any other demographic group in Los Angeles—except Latinos and Hispanics, whose overall population swelled 10.5 percent, from 4.2 million in 2000 to 4.6 million in 2010. The population of African Americans over the decennial period of the Census decreased by 7.9 percent; the American Indian/Alaskan native population decreased by 5.4 percent; and Native Hawaiians/Other Pacific Islanders decreased by 3.5 percent. Even the number of so-called “Two or More Races” decreased by as much as 6.6 percent, according to the Census Bureau’s new American FactFinder site.

The overall population of Los Angeles county increased 3.1 percent, from 9.5 million in 2000 to 9.8 million in 2010, roughly paralleling the 3-percent population growth in San Francisco County. San Diego’s population grew 10 percent—exactly in step with the total population growth of California, which also increased 10 percent from 33.8 million in 2000 to 37.2 million in 2010.

In 2000, the 90041 zip code for Eagle Rock had a total population of 27,864. Demographic breakdowns by zip code for the 2010 Census are not yet available.

The Golden State grew from 33.8 million residents to 37.2 million resident during the decade—and most of the growth appears to have come in the counties that span the middle of the state, the Census reported.

Riverside County registered the biggest jump, increasing 41 percent from 2000 to 2010. The city of Beaumont in that county leaped as much as 224 percent from 11,384 to 36,887 people.

Next was Placer County, with a 40 percent jump. The city of Lincoln skyrocketed 282 percent from 11,205 to 42,819 people. Other counties that grew more than 20 percent included Imperial, Kern, Madera, Merced and Tulare.

The only counties whose populations decreased were three small regions in the Sierra Nevada: Alpine County (down 3 percent), Plumas County (down 4 percent) and Sierra County (down 9 percent).