Demographics

The United States Census Bureau estimates that the population of Washington was 7,170,351 on July 1, 2015, a 6.63% increase since the 2010 United States Census.^[52] The state ranks 13th overall in population, and the third most populous (after California and Texas) west of the Mississippi River.^[57]
According to the United States Census, in 2010, Washington had an estimated population of 6,724,540, which was an increase of 445,811 or 6.63 percent from the year 2010.^[53] This includes a natural increase of 380,400 people, and an increase from net migration of 450,019 people into the state. Washington ranks first in the Pacific Northwest region in terms of population, followed by Oregon, and Idaho. In 1980, the Census Bureau reported Washington's population as 90% non-Hispanic white.^[58]
In 2011, 44.3% of Washington's population younger than age 1 were minorities.^[59]
The center of population of Washington in 2000 was located in an unpopulated part of the Cascade Mountains in rural eastern King County, southeast of North Bend, northeast of Enumclaw and west of Snoqualmie Pass.^[60]
At the 2010 U.S. census, the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue Metropolitan Area's population was 3,439,809, approximately half the state's total population.^[61]
6.7 percent of Washington's population was reported as under five years of age, 25.7 percent under 18 years of age, and 11.2 percent were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 50.2 percent of the population.
The largest European ancestry groups (which the Census defines as not including racial terms) in the state are:^[62]

• 20.7% German
• 12.6% Irish
• 12.3% English
• 8.2% Hispanic
• 6.2% Norwegian
• 3.9% French
• 3.9% American
• 3.8% Italian
• 3.6% Swedish
• 3.3% Scottish
• 2.5% Scotch Irish
• 2.5% Dutch
• 1.9% Polish
• 1.8% Russian

In addition, 3.6% are African American.

Race and ethnicity

According to the 2010 United States census, the racial and ethnic composition of Washington was the following:^[53][63]

• White: 77.3% (Non-Hispanic Whites 71%, White Hispanics 6.3%)
• Black or African American: 3.6%
• Native Americans: 1.5%
• Asian: 7.2%
• Pacific Islander: 0.4% (0.2% Samoan, 0.1% Guamanian, 0.1% Hawaiian)
• Two or more races: 4.7%
• Other races 5.1%

Hispanic or Latino (any race): 11.2%.

Washington Racial Breakdown of Population

[hide]Racial composition	1990[58]	2000[64]	2010[65]
White	88.5%	81.8%	77.3%
Asian	4.3%	5.5%	7.2%
Black	3.1%	3.2%	3.6%
Native	1.7%	1.6%	1.5%
Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander	–	0.4%	0.6%
Other race	2.4%	3.9%	5.2%
Two or more races	–	3.6%	4.7%

The Hispanic/Latino population can belong to any of the racial groups. In Washington state it consists of people of mainly Mexican (8.9%), Spanish (0.4%), Cuban (0.4%), Salvadoran (0.2%), Guatemalan (0.1%), and Colombian (0.1%) heritage.
According to 2010 United States Census estimates, 77% of Washingtonians identified as white or European American. This includes people born in Western Europe, Canada, Australasia, and the former USSR, and also people from countries in the Middle East and North Africa. (The number of Arab Americans of various national origins rose dramatically in the 1990s and 2000s).^[66]