Census 2020: Portuguese population grew 3.5% since 2010. Where are they?
The number of people of Portuguese origin living in the United States increased by 3.5 percent between 2010 and 2020 - from 1,405,909 in 2010 estimates to 1,454,262 – according to newly released detailed 2020 Census data.
The U.S. Census Bureau recently released 2020 Census population counts and sex-by-age statistics for 300 detailed race and ethnic groups, as well as 1,187 detailed American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) tribes and villages.
The 2020 Census was the first time that Portuguese was assigned an identification code, along with two sub-identification codes for Azorean and Madeiran.
“During the 2020 Census, there was a unique opportunity for our community to finally prove that there is strength in numbers,” said Portuguese American Leadership Council of the United States (PALCUS) Chair Katherine Soares. “We are thrilled that not only do these numbers show that our community is growing, but also that the Portuguese population in the United States is no longer just an estimate or approximation. We now have official numbers that tell us how many we are and where we are.”
PALCUS officials stress the fact that an accurate Census count helps the Portuguese community get its fair.
“[When we] can show educators, legislators, and the business community the strength of Portuguese-Americans in their areas, a stronger case can be made to ensure that the Portuguese-American voice is heard and their concerns and interests are addressed,” said Soares.
PALCUS officials noted they have been working with the Census Bureau for about 15 years “to ensure that the 2020 Census would be the first time the Portuguese community experienced a true count.”
In 2018, PALCUS launched the national campaign “Make Portuguese Count,” led by former PALCUS Director Marie Fraley, to encourage participation in the 2020 Census and raise awareness among the Portuguese-American community about the importance of self-identifying as Portuguese.
Soares said the increase in the Portuguese population revealed in the 2020 Census Data demonstrates that "Make Portuguese Count" (MPC) was effective
“We thank Marie, and the dozens of MPC captains who worked across the country for over two years to really get the word out that we are Portuguese and we count,” Soares said.
What are the 10 U.S. states with the largest Portuguese population?
According to the 2020 Census, Portuguese is the 13th largest ethnic group in the country.
California continues to be the state with the largest Portuguese population, with 350,011 Portuguese.
Massachusetts has the second largest Portuguese population, with 265,455. Hawaii comes in third, with 91,300.
The Top 10 rounds up with: Florida 84,486; Rhode Island 83,414; New Jersey 82,964; New York 58,093; Connecticut 50, 077; Texas 40,688; and Washington 28,048.
It is also worth noting that Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Alaska, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi and Missouri all saw a decline in the number of Portuguese, when you compare the 2020 Census data to the American Community Survey (ACS) 2012-2016 five-year estimate data.
Hawaii went from being the 8th state with the most Portuguese to the 3rd. North Dakota is the state with the fewest number of Portuguese, with 703.
Exploring the Census data
All previous Portuguese population data, including data from the American Community Survey, were estimates based on algorithms designed to project the population counts based on sampling and likely resulted in undercounts.
“The number of Portuguese Americans who indicated that they had Portuguese origins far exceeds the number provided by data collected by the Census Bureau using probability sampling techniques,” said PALCUS Research Fellow Dr. Dulce Maria Soares Scott, a professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice at Anderson University and a leading research expert on Portuguese-American data.
Dr. Scott said the plan now is to analyze the data at smaller geographical levels, including county, congressional district, school district, and census tract levels.
“A more granular analysis of the data within these smaller geographies will provide our community with a much more concrete picture of exactly where Portuguese Americans reside as well as a better understanding of our socioeconomic and political power in different areas of the United States,” she said.
This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Census: Portuguese population grew 3.5% since 2010. Where are they?
