Updated U.S. Census data indicates Iowa’s population remains among the whitest and oldest of any state in the country. However, Beth Henning — the coordinator of the State of Iowa’s data center — says the number of minorities in Iowa is growing.
"All of the race groups are showing growth. Iowa’s total population is showing growth," Henning says. "The Hispanic, Latino population is growing the fastest of all of the race groups." The latest U.S. Census Data indicates the number of Hispanics living in Iowa has jumped 39 percent since the year 2000. Ninety-one percent of Iowans are white.
"There are only four other states who have a larger proportion of their population that is white/non-Hispanic," Henning says. Only the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and West Virginia have higher percentages of white residents. Iowa continues to rank among the nation’s oldest states as well.
"You can see that the median age of Iowa — and the U.S. — is increasing and that is primarily an effect of the ‘Baby Boomers’ getting older," Henning says. "Looking at the population age 65 and over, we see that Iowa ranks third in the country in terms of percentage of that population after Florida and Pennsylvania." About 14-and-a-half percent of Iowans are 65 or older.