[kabar]

The biggest factor in this trend is out-migration of working-age adults to other states with stronger employment prospects.

No, it is demographics. Non-Hispanic whites will decrease in population over the next 40 years. In addition, we bring in 1.1 million legal permanent immigrants annually, 87% of whom are minorities as defined by the USG. Since 1990 35 million legal permanent immigrants have entered this country. Immigrants and their children drive 80% of the population growth.

The non-Hispanic white population is projected to peak in 2024, at 199.6 million, up from 197.8 million in 2012. Unlike other race or ethnic groups, however, its population is projected to slowly decrease, falling by nearly 20.6 million from 2024 to 2060.

[Mechanicos]

Uh, did you factor in the fact the group most likely to not comply with or lie to the Census is white people?

[Alberta's Child]

Your assessment is flat-out wrong.

The information you've presented demonstrates why minority populations are growing, both in real numbers as well as in terms of their percentage of the overall population. But that has nothing to do with the point this article is making. The change in the population of white people -- just in actual numbers -- has absolutely nothing to do with growing minority populations. This trend would be occurring regardless of whether this country had 35 million immigrants since 1990 or 0 immigrants in the same period.

The evidence here is that the 17 states where the white population is declining includes some -- like California and New Mexico -- that are rapidly becoming Northern Mexico, and others -- like West Virginia and Pennsylvania -- that have some of the smallest immigrant populations in the country.