U S C E N S U S B U R E A U

Census 2000 Special Reports

U.S. Department of Commerce

Economics and Statistics Administration 

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU 

CENSR-28

Issued February 2006

By 

Stella U. Ogunwole

Helping You Make Informed Decisions

We the People: 

American Indians and Alaska Natives 

in the United States
This report was prepared by Stella U. Ogunwole, under the

supervision of Claudette E. Bennett, Chief, Racial Statistics Branch,

and Jorge del Pinal, Assistant Division Chief, Special Population

Statistics, Population Division. John F. Long, then 

Chief, Population Division, provided overall direction. 

General direction was provided by Judy G. Belton, Chief, Race and

Hispanic Origin Review Branch, Population Division. Within the Race

and Hispanic Origin Review Branch, Linda M. Chase provided principal statistical assistance, and additional assistance was provided

by Yvonne J. Gist, Debra A. Niner, and Paula L. Vines. The contents of the report were reviewed by Marjorie F. Hanson,

Population Division. E. Marie Pees and Steve Smith, Population

Division, provided computer programming support.

Burton Reist and Jeanne Waples of the Decennial Management

Division provided decennial policy review of this report. Andrew D.

Keller, under the guidance of Philip M. Gbur of the Decennial

Statistical Studies Division, conducted sampling review. 

Jan Sweeney, Theodora Forgione, Jamie Peters, and Mary

Stinson of the Administrative and Customer Services Division,

Walter C. Odom, Chief, provided publications and printing management, graphics design and composition, and editorial review for

print and electronic media. General direction and production management were provided by Susan L. Rappa, Chief, Publications

Services Branch. 

Acknowledgments
U.S. Census Bureau We the People: American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States 1

This report provides a portrait of

the American Indian and Alaska

Native population in the United

States and discusses the largest

specified tribal groupings, reservations, Alaska Native village statistical areas (ANVSAs), and areas outside reservations and ANVSAs

(outside tribal areas) at the

national level.1 It is part of the

Census 2000 Special Reports series

that presents demographic, social,

and economic characteristics collected from Census 2000. 

In Census 2000, 4.3 million people,

or 1.5 percent of the total U.S. population, reported that they were

American Indian and Alaska Native.

This number included 2.4 million

people, or 1 percent, who reported

only American Indian and Alaska

Native as their race. Table 1 shows

the number of people reporting a

single detailed tribal grouping and a

tally of the number of times the

grouping was reported.2

Census 2000 reported on six major

race categories: White, Black or

African American, American Indian

or Alaska Native, Asian, Native

Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander,

and Some Other Race.3 The term

“American Indian or Alaska Native”

refers to people having origins in

any of the original peoples of

North and South America (including Central America) who maintain

tribal affiliation or community

attachment. It includes people

who reported American Indian and

Alaska Native or wrote in their

principal or enrolled tribe. When

the terms “American Indian” and

“Alaska Native” are used separately

in this report, they refer to two distinct populations.

This report presents data for the

following American Indian tribal

groupings:

Apache Iroquois

Cherokee Lumbee

Chippewa Navaho

Choctaw Pueblo

Creek Sioux

This report presents data for the

following Alaska Native tribal

groupings:

Alaskan Athabascan

Aleut

Eskimo

Tlingit-Haida

This report also presents Census

2000 data for the single-race

American Indian and Alaska Native

population for those who lived

inside and those who lived outside

tribal areas. 

The data collected by Census 2000

on race can be divided into two

broad categories: people who

reported only one race and people

who reported more than 1 of the 6

major race categories. People who

responded to the question on race

by indicating only one race are

referred to as the single-race population. For example, respondents

who reported their race as only

American Indian or Alaska Native

and/or wrote in one or more tribes,

would be included in the single-race

American Indian population, which

is identified as American Indian and

Alaska Native alone in tables in this

report.4 Individuals who reported a

specific race and one or more other

major races are referred to as the

race-in-combination population. For

example, respondents who reported

they were American Indian and

Alaska Native and White, or

American Indian and Alaska Native

and Black or African American and

Asian, would be included in the

We the People: 

American Indians and Alaska Natives 

in the United States

1 Tribal grouping refers to the combining

of individual American Indian tribes into their

general tribal grouping, such as Fort Sill

Apache, Jicarilla Apache, and Mescalero

Apache into the general Apache tribe, or combining individual Alaska Native tribes, such as

American Eskimo, Eskimo, and Greenland

Eskimo, into the general Eskimo tribe. 2 The data contained in this report are

based on the sample of households that

responded to the Census 2000 long form. As

with all surveys, estimates may vary from

the actual values because of sampling variation or other factors. All comparisons made

in this report have undergone statistical testing and are significant at the 90-percent confidence level unless otherwise noted.

3 The Census 2000 question on race

included 15 separate response categories and

three areas where respondents could write in

a more specific race group. The response categories and write-in answers can be combined to create the five race categories specified by the Office of Management and Budget

(OMB) plus Some Other Race. In addition to

White, Black or African American, American

Indian or Alaska Native, and Some Other

Race, 7 of the 15 response categories are

Asian and 4 are Native Hawaiian or Other

Pacific Islander.

4 Respondents reporting a single

American Indian or Alaska Native tribal

grouping, such as “Apache” or “Alaskan

Athabascan,” would be included in the

American Indian and Alaska Native singlerace population. Respondents reporting

more than one tribal grouping, such as

“Apache and Cherokee” or “Alaskan

Athabascan and Eskimo and Aleut,” would

also be included in the American Indian and

Alaska Native alone population. 
American Indian and Alaska Native

in-combination population.5

In addition to reporting one or

more races, American Indians and

Alaska Natives could report one or

more tribes.6 People who checked

the American Indian or Alaska

Native response category on the

census questionnaire and wrote in

their tribe as Red Lake Band of

Chippewa Indians or Minnesota

Chippewa, for example, would be

included in the Chippewa tribal

grouping, or the single-race and

single-tribal-grouping population.

Respondents who reported their

race only as American Indian and

Alaska Native and wrote in more

than one of the American Indian

2 We the People: American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

Table 1.

American Indian and Alaska Native Population by Selected Tribal Grouping: 2000

(Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see

www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Tribal grouping

American Indian and

Alaska Native alone

American Indian and

Alaska Native alone

or in combination

Number

Percent of U.S.

population Number

Percent of U.S.

population

Total. . . .......................................... 2,447,989 0.87 4,315,865 1.53

American Indian, one tribal grouping1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,770,046 0.63 2,883,803 1.02

Apache . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57,199 0.02 104,556 0.04

Cherokee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 302,569 0.11 875,276 0.31

Chippewa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110,857 0.04 159,744 0.06

Choctaw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88,692 0.03 173,314 0.06

Creek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40,487 0.01 76,159 0.03

Iroquois . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47,746 0.02 89,371 0.03

Lumbee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52,614 0.02 59,488 0.02

Navajo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276,775 0.10 309,575 0.11

Pueblo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59,621 0.02 73,687 0.03

Sioux . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113,713 0.04 167,869 0.06

Alaska Native, one tribal grouping2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96,998 0.03 120,766 0.04

Alaska Athabascan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14,700 0.01 18,874 0.01

Aleut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,069 - 17,551 0.01

Eskimo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47,239 0.02 56,824 0.02

Tlingit-Haida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,212 0.01 22,786 0.01

One or more other specified tribal groupings3 . . . . . . . . . 755,799 0.27 1,279,089 0.45

Tribal grouping not specified4

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 452,697 0.16 1,017,222 0.36

- Rounds to zero.

1 The alone population includes people who reported only one American Indian tribal grouping. The corresponding alone-or-incombination population includes people who reported one American Indian tribal grouping and one or more races. 2 The alone population includes people who reported only one Alaska Native tribal grouping. The corresponding alone-or-in-combination

population includes people who reported one Alaska Native tribal grouping and one or more races. 3 The alone population includes people who reported one or more American Indian or Alaska Native tribal groupings not listed above or

elsewhere classified and no other race, and people who reported 2 or more of the 14 specific tribal groupings listed above (Apache through

Sioux and Alaska Athabascan through Tlingit-Haida) and no other race. The corresponding alone-or-in-combination population includes

people who reported one or more other specified tribal groupings regardless of whether they also reported another race. 4 The alone population includes people who checked the box ‘‘American Indian or Alaska Native’’ only. The corresponding alone-or-incombination population includes people who checked the box ‘‘American Indian or Alaska Native’’ regardless of whether they also reported

another race.

Note: For the 14 specific tribal groupings listed (Apache through Sioux and Alaska Athabascan through Tlingit-Haida), the alone

population includes people who reported that one tribal grouping only. The corresponding alone-or-in-combination population also includes

people who reported one or more tribal groupings and one or more races.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 special tabulation.

5 The race-in-combination categories use

the conjunction and in bold and italicized

print to link the race groups that compose

the combination.

6 Like race, the information on tribe is

based on self-identification. Tribes include

federally or state-recognized tribes, as well

as bands and clans. Some of the entries,

such as Iroquois, Sioux, Colorado River, and

Flathead, represent nations or reservations.
and Alaska Native tribes would still

be included in the single-race population. For example, a respondent who reported his or her race

as only American Indian and

Alaska Native, and wrote in White

Mountain Apache and Minnesota

Chippewa, would be included both

in Apache and Chippewa tribal

groupings. Because no other race

was reported, this respondent

would also be included in the

single-race American Indian and

Alaska Native population.

Respondents who reported more

than 1 of the 6 major race categories and wrote in their tribe as

Red Lake Band of Chippewa

Indians or Minnesota Chippewa,

for example, would be included in

the race in-combination and 

single-tribal-grouping (Chippewa)

population. 

People who indicated more than 

1 of the 6 races and wrote in more

than one of the American Indian

and Alaska Native tribes would be

included in the race in-combination

and in-combination tribalgroupings population.7

In the text and figures of this

report, population characteristics

are shown for American Indians

and Alaska Natives who reported

only one race and one tribe. This

presentation does not imply that it

is the preferred method of presenting or analyzing data. The U.S.

Census Bureau uses a variety of

approaches. Table 2 summarizes

characteristics for the single-race

American Indian and Alaska Native

population, American Indians and

Alaska Natives who reported two

or more races, and people who

reported they were American

Indian or Alaska Native regardless

of whether they also reported

another race. Data for the

American Indian and Alaska Native

single-race population, the

American Indian and Alaska Native

population regardless of whether

they reported any other race, and

the detailed tribal groupings are in

Summary File 4, shown at

<www.census.gov/prod/cen2000

/doc/sf4.pdf>.

U.S. Census Bureau We the People: American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States 3

Census 2000 incorporated the federal standards for

collecting and presenting data on race and Hispanic

origin issued by the Office of Management and

Budget (OMB) in October 1997, considering race

and Hispanic origin to be two separate and distinct

concepts. For Census 2000, the questions on race

and Hispanic origin were asked of every individual

living in the United States, and answers were based

on self-identification. 

Data on race have been collected since the first U.S.

decennial census in 1790. The question on race on

Census 2000 was different from the one on the

1990 census in several ways. In 2000, respondents

were asked to select one or more race categories to

indicate their racial identities. Additionally, three

separate categories Indian (Amer.), Eskimo, and

Aleut were combined into one category and

renamed American Indian or Alaska Native.*

Because of the changes, the Census 2000 data on

race are not directly comparable with data from the

1990 census or earlier censuses. Caution must be

used when interpreting changes in the racial composition of the U.S. population over time.

Because Hispanics or Latinos may be any race, data

in this report for American Indians and Alaska

Natives overlap with data for Hispanics. Among

American Indians and Alaska Natives who reported

only one race, approximately 15.0 percent were

Hispanic. The question on Hispanic origin in Census

2000 was similar to the 1990 question, except for

its placement on the questionnaire and a few wording changes. For Census 2000, the question on

Hispanic origin was asked directly before the question on race, while in 1990, the question on race preceded questions on age and marital status, which

were followed by the question on Hispanic origin.

Additionally, in Census 2000, a note was included on

the questionnaire asking respondents to complete

both the question on Hispanic origin and the question on race.

* A more detailed discussion of these changes is provided in

Elizabeth M. Grieco and Rachel C. Cassidy, 2001, Overview of Race

and Hispanic Origin: 2000, U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Brief,

C2KBR/01-1. This report is available on the U.S. Census Bureau’s

Internet site at <www.census.gov/prod/2001pubs/c2kbr01-1.pdf>.

UNDERSTANDING DATA ON RACE AND HISPANIC ORIGIN FROM CENSUS 2000

7 A more detailed description and presentation of the race and tribal grouping combinations for the American Indian and Alaska

Native population is provided in American

Indian and Alaska Native Tribes for the

United States, Regions, Divisions, and States:

2000, U.S. Census Bureau, PHC-T-18. This

product is available on the U.S. Census

Bureau’s Internet site at <www.census.gov

/population/www/cen2000/phc-t18.html>.
Two companion reports provide

more information on these concepts and populations. The Census

2000 Brief The American Indian

and Alaska Native Population:

2000 analyzes population data collected from the short-form questions in Census 2000. It shows

the American Indian and Alaska

Native population distribution at

both the national and subnational

levels, as well as tribal groupings

at the national level.8 In addition,

the Census 2000 Brief Overview of

Race and Hispanic Origin: 2000

provides a complete explanation of

the race categories used in Census

2000 and information on each of

the six major race groups and the

Hispanic-origin population at the

national level.

4 We the People: American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

8 Stella U. Ogunwole, 2002, The

American Indian and Alaska Native

Population: 2000, U.S. Census Bureau,

Census 2000 Brief, C2KBR/01-15. This report

is available on the U.S. Census Bureau’s

Internet site at <www.census.gov/prod

/2002pubs/c2kbr01-15.pdf>.
• About 33 percent of the

American Indian and Alaska

Native population was under age

18, compared with 26 percent of

the total population. In the older

age group, 5.6 percent of the

American Indian and Alaska

Native population, compared

with 12.4 percent of the total

population, was 65 and older.

• The percentage under age 18 of

American Indian tribal groupings

ranged from 26 percent to 

39 percent. The corresponding

percentage among the Alaska

Native tribal groupings ranged

from 32 percent to 40 percent.

• Less than 10 percent of all

American Indian tribal groupings

were 65 and older.

• The median age of 29 years for

American Indians and Alaska

Natives was about 6 years

younger than the national

median of 35 years. 

U.S. Census Bureau We the People: American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States 5

The American Indian and Alaska Native population was younger than the total

population.

Figure 1.

Selected Age Groups and Median Age: 2000

Note: Some percentages do not sum to 100.0 due to rounding.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 special tabulation.

(Percent distribution. Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, 

nonsampling error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Under 18 6 18 to 64 5 and older

Tlingit-Haida

Eskimo

Aleut

Alaskan Athabascan

Alaska Native

Sioux

Pueblo

Navajo

Lumbee

Iroquois

Creek

Choctaw

Chippewa

Cherokee

Apache

American Indian

American Indian and

Alaska Native

Total population

Median age

(years)

35.4

28.5

28.8

29.0

34.1

29.2

33.5

29.9

30.3

30.7

24.4

28.4

28.7

24.5

26.9

30.3

29.2

24.4

6.0

25.6 

33.3 

32.9

33.5

26.5

33.0 

32.1 

31.3 

27.6 

29.3 

38.6 

32.6 

38.9 

36.6 

35.1 

31.8 

39.9 

33.8

61.9 

61.1 

61.5

62.1 

66.8 

61.9 

61.0 

62.1 

65.5

64.7 

55.9 

61.1 

57.1 

57.8 

58.7 

62.9 

54.7 

60.2

12.4 

5.6 

5.6 

4.4 

6.7 

5.0 

6.9 

6.5

6.9 

6.1 

5.4 

6.3 

3.9 

5.6 

6.1 

5.3 

5.4 
• American Indians and Alaska

Natives had a higher percentage

of family households maintained

by a woman with no husband

present and a higher percentage

of family households maintained

by a man with no wife present

than the total population. 

• Household type varied among

the American Indian tribal

groupings. The percentage of

family households ranged from

68 percent to 80 percent. 

• Twenty-five percent or more of

Sioux, Pueblo, and Navajo

households were family households maintained by women

with no husband present. 

• Among the Alaska Native tribal

groupings, the percentage of

family households ranged from

about 65 percent to 76 percent.

Forty-two percent of Eskimo

households were married-couple

families, which exceeded the 

31 percent of Alaskan

Athabascan households. 

6 We the People: American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

Seventy-three percent of American Indian and Alaska Native households were family

households, compared with 68 percent of all households.

Figure 2.

Household Type and Average Household Size: 2000

Note: Some percentages do not sum to 100.0 due to rounding.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 special tabulation.

Tlingit-Haida

Eskimo

Aleut

Alaskan Athabascan

Alaska Native

Sioux

Pueblo

Navajo

Lumbee

Iroquois

Creek

Choctaw

Chippewa

Cherokee

Apache

American Indian

American Indian and

Alaska Native

Total households

(Percent distribution of households. Households are classified by the race and tribal grouping of the householder. 

Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, 

see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Married couple Female householder, 

no spouse present

Male householder, 

no spouse present

Nonfamily 

households

31.9

52.5

45.0 

46.1 

44.1 

50.6 

40.8 

51.8 

53.7 

43.4 

50.4 

45.4 

42.4 

35.7 

39.1 

30.9 

40.7 

42.4 

39.1

11.8 

20.7 

20.8 

21.3 

14.7 

23.9 

14.8 

15.6 

18.7 

19.2 

25.8 

26.8 

30.7 

21.8 

24.0 

18.4 

22.5

20.1

4.1 

7.5

7.3 

7.6 

5.4 

8.1 

5.1 

4.5

5.9 

6.8 

8.4 

9.3 

9.6 

9.8 

9.7 

7.4 

11.1 

8.9

31.5

26.8 

25.7 

27.0 

29.3 

27.2 

28.3 

26.2 

32.0 

23.7 

20.4 

21.5

24.0 

29.3 

35.4 

33.5

24.0

Family households

Average 

household 

size

2.59

3.06

3.09

3.25

2.68

2.93

2.79

2.74

2.75

2.86

3.66

3.45

2.82

3.40

3.16

2.86

2.77

3.65
• Seventy-two percent of individuals 5 years and older who

reported their race as American

Indian and Alaska Native spoke

only English at home; 18 percent spoke a language other

than English at home, yet spoke

English “very well”; 10 percent

spoke a language other than

English at home and spoke

English less than “very well.”

• Ninety percent or more of

Cherokee, Chippewa, Creek,

Iroquois, Lumbee, and TlingitHaida spoke only English at

home.

• Navajo had the highest percentage who spoke a language other

than English at home and

reported they spoke English less

than “very well” (25 percent).

• Ninety-one percent of TlingitHaida spoke only English at

home, compared with 53 percent of Eskimo.

U.S. Census Bureau We the People: American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States 7

Figure 3.

Language Spoken at Home and English-Speaking Ability: 2000

Note: Some percentages do not sum to 100.0 due to rounding.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 special tabulation.

Tlingit-Haida

Eskimo

Aleut

Alaskan Athabascan

Alaska Native

Sioux

Pueblo

Navajo

Lumbee

Iroquois

Creek

Choctaw

Chippewa

Cherokee

Apache

American Indian

American Indian and

Alaska Native

Total population

(Percent distribution of population 5 and older. Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality protection, 

sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Only English 

at home

Non-English at home, 

English spoken “very well”

Non-English at home, 

English spoken less than “very well”

1.7

82.1 9.8 8.1 

71.8 17.8 10.3 

72.1 18.0 9.9 

60.3 27.3 12.4 

91.3 6.7 2.0 

91.3 7.1 1.6 

87.6 8.1 4.3 

90.0 7.5 2.4 

90.3 7.7 2.0 

97.0 2.1 0.8 

31.9 43.6 24.5

39.7 42.9 17.5

82.5 14.1 3.4 

70.6 20.1 9.3 

85.6 10.7 3.8 

88.7 8.3 3.0 

52.9 31.5 15.7 

90.8 7.4

5 and older

Most American Indians and Alaska Natives spoke only English at home.
• The educational levels of

American Indians and Alaska

Natives were below those of the

total population in 2000.

Seventy-one percent of

American Indians and Alaska

Natives 25 and older had at

least a high school education,

compared with 80 percent of

the total population. Eleven

percent of the American Indian

and Alaska Native population

had at least a bachelor’s degree,

compared with 24 percent of 

all people. 

• Educational attainment varied

among the American Indian

tribal groupings. About 80 percent of Creek, Choctaw, and

Iroquois had at least a high

school education. The percentages of the tribal groupings

with at least a bachelor’s degree

ranged from 7 percent to 

17 percent. 

• Seventy-five percent of Alaska

Natives had at least a high

school education. Among Alaska

Native tribal groupings, 82 percent of Tlingit-Haida had at least

a high school education and 

11 percent had at least a bachelor’s degree, in contrast with 

70 percent and 6 percent,

respectively, of Eskimos.

8 We the People: American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

Figure 4.

Educational Attainment: 2000

Note: Some percentages do not sum to 100.0 due to rounding.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 special tabulation.

Tlingit-Haida

Eskimo

Aleut

Alaskan Athabascan

Alaska Native

Sioux

Pueblo

Navajo

Lumbee

Iroquois

Creek

Choctaw

Chippewa

Cherokee

Apache

American Indian

American Indian and

Alaska Native

Total population

(Percent distribution of population 25 and older. Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality protection, 

sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Less than 

high school graduate

Some college or 

associate’s degree

Bachelor's degree 

or more

High school 

graduate

10.6

19.6 28.6 27.4 24.4 

29.1 29.2 30.2 11.5

27.4 29.0 31.5 12.1 

31.0 29.0 31.5 8.5

23.4 28.3 32.6 15.7 

22.1 31.7 35.9 10.3 

20.4 30.6 32.6 16.4 

18.1 30.1 34.6 17.1 

20.4 30.3 33.0 16.3 

35.3 29.0 23.2 12.5

37.3 27.7 28.1 6.9 

23.7 33.4 33.3 9.6 

23.8 30.5 34.9 10.8 

25.4 39.3 27.9 7.4 

24.6 39.6 28.6 7.2 

22.5 39.6 29.9 7.9 

29.7 40.9 23.4 6.0 

17.6 34.6 37.3

25 and older

Seventy-one percent of American Indians and Alaska Natives were at least high school

graduates.
• The labor force participation

rate for American Indian and

Alaska Native men (66 percent)

was lower than that of all men

(71 percent), while the rate for

American Indian and Alaska

Native women (57 percent) was

slightly lower than for all

women (58 percent). 

• Among the American Indian

tribal groupings, Cherokee,

Chippewa, Choctaw, Creek,

Iroquois, and Lumbee men had

labor force rates higher than

those of American Indian and

Alaska Native men. Navajo had

the lowest labor force participation rate for men (57 percent)

and women (50 percent).

U.S. Census Bureau We the People: American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States 9

American Indians and Alaska Natives participated in the labor force at a lower rate than

the total population, and labor force participation varied by tribal groupings.

Figure 5.

Labor Force Participation Rate by Sex: 2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 special tabulation.

Tlingit-Haida

Eskimo

Aleut

Alaskan Athabascan

Alaska Native

Sioux

Pueblo

Navajo

Lumbee

Iroquois

Creek

Choctaw

Chippewa

Cherokee

Apache

American Indian

American Indian and

Alaska Native

Total population

(Percent of specified population 16 and older that is in the labor force. Data based on sample. For information on 

confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see 

www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf) Men

Women

62.0

70.7 

57.5

65.6 

56.8 

66.7 

57.6 

64.0 

54.6 

70.6 

59.2 

69.1 

64.0 

70.9 

60.5

70.8 

61.6 

72.3 

61.4 

71.0 

59.0 

56.7 

49.8 

61.5

56.3 

63.4 

58.1 

62.2

58.4

64.2 

57.5

62.9 

60.8 

59.4 

56.9 

67.5

16 and older
• The distribution of employed

American Indians and Alaska

Natives among the six major

occupation groups differed from

that of the total population.

Higher proportions of American

Indians and Alaska Natives were

employed in service; construction, extraction, and maintenance; production, transportation, and material moving; and

in farming, fishing, and forestry

jobs. Lower proportions were

employed in management,

professional, and related jobs;

and sales and office jobs.

• Among the American Indian

tribal groupings, between 

22 percent and 29 percent of all

groups were employed in management, professional, and

related jobs. Similarly, between

15 percent and 25 percent were

employed in service jobs. 

• Lower proportions of Alaska

Natives than American Indians

were employed in production,

transportation, and material

moving jobs and construction,

extraction, and maintenance

jobs. Higher proportions of

Alaska Natives than American

Indians were employed in sales

and office jobs and farming,

fishing, and forestry jobs.

• Among Alaska Native tribal

groupings, between 22 percent

and 27 percent were employed

in management, professional,

and related jobs. 

10 We the People: American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

American Indians and Alaska Natives were less likely than the total population to be

employed in management, professional, and related occupations.

Tlingit-Haida

Eskimo

Aleut

Alaskan Athabascan

Alaska Native

Sioux

Pueblo

Navajo

Lumbee

Iroquois

Creek

Choctaw

Chippewa

Cherokee

Apache

American Indian

American Indian and

Alaska Native

All workers

14.2

33.6 14.9 26.7 0.7 9.4 14.6 

24.3 

25.2 

23.7 

26.9 

24.9 

28.6 

28.3 

26.8 

21.5

22.2 

26.9 

26.0 

26.0 

26.4 

22.2 

27.3 

25.6

20.6 

20.4 

21.4 

18.0 

24.5

17.6 

16.6 

19.1 

15.2 

20.1 

21.8 

23.8 

21.4 

22.1 

20.7 

22.3 

20.0

24.0 

23.9 

24.6 

24.3 

23.1 

24.4 

26.6 

22.8 

16.6 

24.4 

27.3 

24.5

26.9 

27.4 

26.7 

26.7 

27.2

1.3 

1.3 

1.8 

0.9 

0.8 

1.4 

1.1 

0.7 

1.0 

0.6 

0.6 

1.0 

2.0 

0.5

5.4 

1.0 

3.0

12.9 

12.8 

13.0 

12.8 

12.0 

12.1 

12.0 

11.7 

20.0 

16.9 

11.0 

10.5

10.6 

11.7 

10.5

10.6 

10.1

16.8 

16.4 

15.5

17.2 

14.5

15.9 

15.4 

18.9 

25.6 

15.8 

12.4 

14.2 

12.9 

11.9 

14.4 

12.2 

Figure 6.

Occupation: 2000

Note: Some percentages do not sum to 100.0 due to rounding.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 special tabulation.

(Percent distribution of employed civilian population 16 and older. Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality 

protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Management, 

professional, 

and related Service

Farming, 

fishing, 

and

forestry 

Sales and

office

Construction, 

extraction, and

maintenance

Production, 

transportation, 

and material 

moving
• The median earnings of

American Indian and Alaska

Native men ($28,900) and

women ($22,800) who worked

full-time, year-round were substantially below those of all men

($37,100) and women

($27,200).

• Among the tribal groupings for

men, Iroquois, Cherokee,

Chippewa, Choctaw, and Creek

had median earnings of about

$30,000. 

• The median earnings of Alaska

Native men and women were

higher than those of American

Indians. The median earnings

for men for each of the Alaska

Native tribal groupings were

comparable. The median earnings for women also were comparable across Alaska Native

tribal groupings.

U.S. Census Bureau We the People: American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States 11

Overall, American Indians and Alaska Natives who worked full-time, year-round earned

less than the total population.

Figure 7.

Median Earnings by Sex: 1999 

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 special tabulation.

Tlingit-Haida

Eskimo

Aleut

Alaskan Athabascan

Alaska Native

Sioux

Pueblo

Navajo

Lumbee

Iroquois

Creek

Choctaw

Chippewa

Cherokee

Apache

American Indian

American Indian and

Alaska Native

All workers

(For employed, full-time, year-round workers 16 and older. Data based on sample. For information on 

confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see 

www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Men

Women

$27,578

$37,057 

$28,919 

$28,890

$27,780 

$30,533 

$30,350 

$30,008 

$29,953 

$31,933 

$28,221 

$25,992 

$24,688 

$26,542 

$33,259

$33,787 

$33,850 

$33,627 

$34,726

$27,194 

$22,834 

$22,762

$22,033 

$23,802 

$22,993 

$23,519 

$22,066 

$25,546 

$22,073 

$21,077 

$21,128 

$22,239 

$27,924

$28,871 

$27,354 

$28,705
• The ratio of American Indians

and Alaska Natives living below

the official poverty level in 1999

to that of all people was more

than 2.

• Among the American Indian

tribal groupings, roughly 18 percent of Creek, Cherokee, and

Lumbee were in poverty (about

8 percentage points lower than

the percentage for all American

Indians). Over 32 percent of

Sioux, Navajo, and Apache were

in poverty in 1999.

• Alaska Natives, with 20 percent,

had a lower percentage in

poverty than the 26 percent of

American Indians.

• More than one-fifth of Alaskan

Athabascans and Eskimos lived

in poverty in 1999. 

12 We the People: American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

A higher ratio of American Indians and Alaska Natives than the total U.S. population

lived in poverty.

Figure 8.

Poverty Rate: 1999

Note: Poverty status was determined for everyone except those in institutions, military group quarters, or college dormitories, and unrelated 

individuals under 15 years.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 special tabulation.

Tlingit-Haida

Eskimo

Aleut

Alaskan Athabascan

Alaska Native

Sioux

Pueblo

Navajo

Lumbee

Iroquois

Creek

Choctaw

Chippewa

Cherokee

Apache

American Indian

American Indian and Alaska Native

Total population

(Percent of specified group in poverty. Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, 

nonsampling error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

15.2

12.4

25.7

25.8

33.9

18.1

23.7

18.5

18.0

19.0

18.2

37.0

29.1

38.9

19.5

22.9

15.0

21.3
• Fifty-six percent of American

Indian and Alaska Native householders were homeowners,

compared with 66 percent of

total householders.

• Homeownership rates varied

among the American Indian

tribal groupings and ranged

from 42 percent for Sioux to 

74 percent for Lumbee.

Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek,

Lumbee, Navajo, and Pueblo all

had homeownership rates of 

60 percent or higher.

• Among the Alaska Native tribal

groupings, homeownership

rates were 50 percent or more

for Alaskan Athabascan, Aleut,

and Eskimo householders. 

U.S. Census Bureau We the People: American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States 13

More than one-half of American Indian and Alaska Native-occupied housing units were

owner-occupied.

Figure 9.

Homeownership Rate: 2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 special tabulation.

Tlingit-Haida

Eskimo

Aleut

Alaskan Athabascan

Alaska Native

Sioux

Pueblo

Navajo

Lumbee

Iroquois

Creek

Choctaw

Chippewa

Cherokee

Apache

American Indian

American Indian and Alaska Native

All occupied units

(Percentage of occupied housing units. Housing tenure is shown by the race and tribal grouping of the householder. 

Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, 

see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

51.3

66.2 

55.7 

57.9 

52.8 

61.1 

54.2 

64.7 

64.1 

56.3 

74.3 

64.4 

67.8 

41.7 

57.1

55.4 

60.6 

60.7 
• In 2000, about 34 percent of the

American Indian and Alaska

Native population lived in

American Indian areas (AIAs).9

• Two percent of the American

Indian and Alaska Native population lived in ANVSAs, while 

64 percent lived outside these

tribal areas.10

9 American Indian areas include American

Indian reservations and/or off-reservation

trust lands (federal), Oklahoma tribal statistical areas (OTSAs), tribal designated statistical

areas (TDSAs), American Indian reservations

(state), and state designated American Indian

statistical areas (SDAISAs). Selected characteristics for the single-race American Indian

and Alaska Native population living in large

specific American Indian reservations are

provided in Table 3. 10 Selected characteristics for the singlerace American Indian and Alaska Native population living in large specific ANVSAs are

provided in Table 3. 

14 We the People: American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

One-third of American Indians and Alaska Natives lived on reservations and designated

statistical areas.

Figure 10.

American Indian and Alaska Native Population 

by Place of Residence: 2000 

* Includes federal reservations and/or off-reservation trust lands (20.9 percent), 

Oklahoma tribal statistical areas (9.3 percent), tribal designated statistical areas 

(0.1 percent), state reservations (0.04 percent), and state designated American Indian 

statistical areas (3.2 percent).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 4.

(Percent distribution. Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality 

protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see 

www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

American Indian areas*

33.5

Outside tribal areas 

64.1

Alaska Native 

village statistical areas 

2.4
• The median age of American

Indians and Alaska Natives living in AIAs (25 years) was

younger than that of the total

population (35 years), of all

American Indians and Alaska

Natives (29 years), and of those

living outside tribal areas 

(30 years). 

• The median age of American

Indians and Alaska Natives living in ANVSAs was younger 

(24 years) than those living outside tribal areas (30 years). 

U.S. Census Bureau We the People: American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States 15

The American Indian and Alaska Native population living on tribal lands was

relatively young.

Figure 11.

Median Age by Place of Residence: 2000

* Includes federal reservations and/or off-reservation trust lands, Oklahoma tribal 

statistical areas, tribal designated statistical areas, state reservations, and state designated 

American Indian statistical areas.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 4.

(Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality protection, 

sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see 

www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Outside tribal areas

In Alaska Native village

statistical areas

In American Indian areas*

American Indian and

Alaska Native

Total population

30.0

35.4

28.5

25.2

23.8
• Overall, 73 percent of all

American Indian and Alaska

Native households were family

households, compared with 

68 percent of all U.S. households. By place of residence,

the percentages of American

Indian and Alaska Native

households in AIAs and those in

ANVSAs that were family households were greater than the percentage of family households

outside tribal areas (71 percent).

• The proportion of family households maintained by women

with no husband present in AIAs

was more than twice that of all

households. Married-couple

family households represented a

lower proportion of households

outside tribal areas than in AIAs

and all U.S. households.

16 We the People: American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

The largest proportion of family households was found in tribal areas.

Figure 12.

Household Type and Average Household Size by Place of Residence: 2000

* Includes federal reservations and/or off-reservation trust lands, Oklahoma tribal statistical areas, tribal designated statistical areas, 

state reservations, and state designated American Indian statistical areas.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 4.

(Percent distribution of households. Households are classified by the race of the householder. Data based on sample. 

For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see 

www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Married couple Female householder, 

no spouse present

Male householder, 

no spouse present

Nonfamily 

households

Family households

Outside tribal areas

In Alaska Native village

statistical areas

In American Indian areas*

American Indian and

Alaska Native

Total households

29.4

52.5 11.8 4.1 31.5

45.0 20.7 7.5 26.8 

45.9 24.8 7.8 21.5

43.1 22.0 12.0 22.9

44.6 18.8 7.2

2.59

3.06

3.35

3.68

2.91

Average

household 

size
• Seventy-one percent of the

American Indian and Alaska

Native population, 73 percent of

their counterparts living outside

tribal areas, and 80 percent of

the total population had at least

a high school education. The

percentage for American Indians

and Alaska Natives in AIAs was

somewhat lower, 67 percent. 

• A lower percentage of American

Indians and Alaska Natives

residing in ANVSAs had at least

a high school education, compared with those living outside

tribal areas (68 percent and 

73 percent, respectively).

• The percentages of adults with

at least a bachelor’s degree

among American Indians and

Alaska Natives living outside

tribal areas (13 percent), the

American Indian and Alaska

Native population (12 percent),

and the total population (24 percent) were higher than those of

adults living in AIAs (8 percent)

and ANVSAs (4 percent).

U.S. Census Bureau We the People: American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States 17

Educational attainment of American Indians and Alaska Natives varied by place 

of residence.

Figure 13.

Educational Attainment by Place of Residence: 2000

* Includes federal reservations and/or off-reservation trust lands, Oklahoma tribal statistical areas, tribal designated statistical areas, state 

reservations, and state designated American Indian statistical areas.

Note: Some percentages do not sum to 100.0 due to rounding.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 4.

(Percent distribution of population 25 and older. Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality protection, 

sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Outside tribal areas

In Alaska Native village

statistical areas

In American Indian areas*

American Indian and

Alaska Native

Total population

Less than 

high school graduate

Some college or 

associate’s degree

Bachelor's degree 

or more

High school 

graduate

13.2

19.6 28.6 27.4 24.4 

29.1 29.2 30.2 11.5

33.1 32.2 26.5 8.1 

31.8 44.3 19.8 4.0 

27.2 27.4 32.2

25 and older
• More than half (56 percent) of

occupied housing units with an

American Indian and Alaska

Native householder were

owned, compared with about

two-thirds (66 percent) of all

occupied housing units in the

United States.

• The homeownership rates of the

American Indian and Alaska

Native population residing in

AIAs and of those residing in

ANVSAs were roughly 20 percentage points higher than that

of their counterparts living outside tribal areas.

18 We the People: American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

American Indians and Alaska Natives living on tribal lands were more likely to live in

owner-occupied housing than those living outside tribal areas.

Figure 14.

Homeownership Rate by Place of Residence: 2000 

* Includes federal reservations and/or off-reservation trust lands, Oklahoma tribal 

statistical areas, tribal designated statistical areas, state reservations, and state designated 

American Indian statistical areas.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 4.

(Percentage of occupied housing units. Data based on sample. For information on 

confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, 

see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Outside tribal areas

In Alaska Native village

statistical areas

In American Indian areas*

American Indian and

Alaska Native

All occupied units 66.2 

49.3

55.7 

68.4 

69.9 
ACCURACY OF THE

ESTIMATES

The data contained in this report

are based on people in the sample

of households that responded to

the Census 2000 long form.

Nationally, approximately 1 out of

every 6 housing units was included

in this sample. As a result, the

sample estimates may differ somewhat from the 100-percent figures

that would have been obtained if

all housing units, people within

those housing units, and people

living in group quarters had been

enumerated using the same questionnaires, instructions, enumerators, and so forth. The sample

estimates also differ from the values that would have been obtained

from different samples of housing

units, and hence of people living in

those housing units, and people

living in group quarters. The deviation of a sample estimate from

the average of all possible samples

is called the sampling error.

In addition to the variability that

arises from sampling, both sample

data and 100-percent data are subject to nonsampling error.

Nonsampling error may be introduced during any of the various

complex operations used to collect

and process data. Such errors may

include not enumerating every

household or every person in the

population universe, failing to

obtain all required information

from the respondents, obtaining

incorrect or inconsistent information, and recording information

incorrectly. In addition, errors can

occur during the field review of the

enumerators’ work, during clerical

handling of the census questionnaires, or during the electronic

processing of the questionnaires.

While it is impossible to completely

eliminate error from an operation

as large and complex as the decennial census, the Census Bureau

attempts to control the sources of

such error during the data collection and processing operations.

The primary sources of error and

the programs instituted to control

error in Census 2000 are described

in detail in Summary File 4

Technical Documentation under

Chapter 8, “Accuracy of the Data,”

located at <www.census.gov

/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf>.

Nonsampling error may affect the

data in two ways: first, errors that

are introduced randomly will

increase the variability of the data

and, therefore, should be reflected

in the standard errors; and second,

errors that tend to be consistent in

one direction will bias both sample

and 100-percent data in that direction. For example, if respondents

consistently tend to underreport

their incomes, then the resulting

estimates of households or families by income category will tend

to be understated for the higherincome categories and overstated

for the lower-income categories.

Such biases are not reflected in the

standard errors.

All statements in this Census 2000

Special Report have undergone statistical testing and all comparisons

are significant at the 90-percent

confidence level unless otherwise

noted. The estimates in the tables

and figures may vary from actual

values due to sampling and nonsampling errors. As a result, the

estimates used to summarize statistics for one population group may

not be statistically different from

estimates for another population

group. Further information on the

accuracy of the data is located at

<www.census.gov/prod/cen2000

/doc/sf4.pdf>. For further

information on the computation and

use of standard errors, contact the

Decennial Statistical Studies

Division at 301-763-4242.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

The Census 2000 Summary File 3

and Summary File 4 data are available from American FactFinder on

the U.S. Census Bureau’s Web site

<factfinder.census.gov>. For information on confidentiality protection, nonsampling error, sampling

error, and definitions, also see

<www.census.gov/prod/cen2000

/doc/sf4.pdf> or contact the

Customer Services Center at 

301-763-INFO (4636).

Information on population and

housing topics is presented in the

Census 2000 Briefs and Census

2000 Special Reports series,

located on the U.S. Census Bureau’s

Web site at <www.census.gov

/population/www/cen2000

/briefs.html>. These series present

information on race, Hispanic origin, age, sex, household type,

housing tenure, and social, economic, and housing characteristics,

such as ancestry, income, and

housing costs.

For more information on race in

the United States, visit the U.S.

Census Bureau’s Internet site at 

<www.census.gov/population

/www/socdemo/race.html>.

To find information about the availability of data products, including

reports, CD-ROMs, and DVDs, call

the Customer Services Center at

301-763-INFO (4636).

U.S. Census Bureau We the People: American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States 19
20 We the People: American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

Table 2.

Selected Characteristics of the American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) Population—

Alone, In Combination With Non-AIAN Races, and Total: 2000

(Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see

www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Characteristic

Number Percent

Alone

In

combination Total Alone

In

combination Total

Total American Indian and Alaska Native . . . . . . . 2,447,989 1,867,876 4,315,865 100.0 100.0 100.0

AGE

Under 18 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 814,290 588,994 1,403,284 33.3 31.5 32.5

18 to 64 years ..................................... 1,496,113 1,151,802 2,647,915 61.1 61.7 61.4

65 years and over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137,586 127,080 264,666 5.6 6.8 6.1

Median age (years) ................................ 28.5 30.7 29.4 (X) (X) (X)

HOUSEHOLD TYPE

Households with an American Indian and

Alaska Native householder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770,334 649,870 1,420,204 100.0 100.0 100.0

Family households . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 563,651 433,997 997,648 73.2 66.8 70.2

Married couple .................................. 346,536 286,224 632,760 45.0 44.0 44.6

Female householder, no spouse present ............ 159,486 110,811 270,297 20.7 17.1 19.0

Male householder, no spouse present .............. 57,629 36,962 94,591 7.5 5.7 6.7

Nonfamily households .............................. 206,683 215,873 422,556 26.8 33.2 29.8

LANGUAGE SPOKEN AT HOME AND ENGLISHSPEAKING ABILITY

Population 5 years and over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,243,344 1,712,591 3,955,935 100.0 100.0 100.0

Only English at home .............................. 1,611,831 1,461,452 3,073,283 71.8 85.3 77.7

Non-English at home, English spoken ‘‘very well’’ . . . . . . 399,731 156,402 556,133 17.8 9.1 14.1

Non-English at home, English spoken less than

‘‘very well’’ ....................................... 231,782 94,737 326,519 10.3 5.5 8.3

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

Population 25 years and over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,350,998 1,077,581 2,428,579 100.0 100.0 100.0

Less than high school graduate . ..................... 392,920 222,203 615,123 29.1 20.6 25.3

High school graduate ............................... 395,041 283,901 678,942 29.2 26.3 28.0

Some college or associate’s degree . . . ............... 407,968 379,365 787,333 30.2 35.2 32.4

Bachelor’s degree or more .......................... 155,069 192,112 347,181 11.5 17.8 14.3

LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION

Men 16 years and over ........................ 846,909 644,242 1,491,151 100.0 100.0 100.0

In labor force . . . ................................... 555,757 458,834 1,014,591 65.6 71.2 68.0

Women 16 years and over ..................... 878,412 699,980 1,578,392 100.0 100.0 100.0

In labor force . . . ................................... 499,011 420,982 919,993 56.8 60.1 58.3

OCCUPATION

Employed civilian population 16 years and

over......................................... 914,484 795,221 1,709,705 100.0 100.0 100.0

Management, professional, and related occupations . . . . 222,142 221,341 443,483 24.3 27.8 25.9

Service occupations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188,678 148,171 336,849 20.6 18.6 19.7

Sales and office occupations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219,461 206,134 425,595 24.0 25.9 24.9

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations. . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,327 7,090 19,417 1.3 0.9 1.1

Construction, extraction, and maintenance

occupations . . .................................... 118,273 88,981 207,254 12.9 11.2 12.1

Production, transportation, and material moving

occupations ...................................... 153,603 123,504 277,107 16.8 15.5 16.2

EARNINGS AND INCOME (in 1999)

Median earnings (dollars) for males1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28,919 31,611 30,376 (X) (X) (X)

Median earnings (dollars) for females1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22,834 25,153 23,884 (X) (X) (X)

POVERTY (in 1999)

Individuals for whom poverty status was

determined2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,367,505 1,820,250 4,187,755 100.0 100.0 100.0

Individuals below the poverty level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 607,734 312,726 920,460 25.7 17.2 22.0

HOMEOWNERSHIP

Occupied housing units ....................... 765,474 643,276 1,408,750 100.0 100.0 100.0

Owner-occupied.................................... 426,340 348,933 775,273 55.7 54.2 55.0

(X) Not applicable.

1 Based on full-time, year-round workers. 2 Poverty status was determined for everyone except individuals in institutions, military group quarters, college dormitories, and individuals under age 15

unrelated to the householder.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 4.
U.S. Census Bureau We the People: American Indians and Alaska Natives in the United States 21

Table 3.

Selected Characteristics of the American Indian and Alaska Native Alone Population for

the Ten Largest American Indian Reservations and Alaska Native Village Statistical

Areas: 2000

(Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see

www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Characteristic

American Indian Reservations

Blackfeet*,

MT

Fort

Apache,

AZ

Gila

River,

AZ

Navajo*,

AZ-NM-UT

Pine

Ridge*,

SD-NE

Rosebud*,

SD

San

Carlos,

AZ

Tohono

O’odham*,

AZ

Turtle

Mountain*,

MT-ND-SD

Zuni*,

NM-AZ

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,259 11,597 10,317 174,847 14,255 8,687 8,769 9,783 7,675 7,377

AGE

Median age (years) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24.4 20.7 22.1 23.8 19.7 19.4 20.8 25.1 23.1 27.4

HOUSEHOLD TYPE AND SIZE

Households with an American

Indian and Alaska Native

householder ................. 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Family households. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83.6 83.6 85.2 81.2 87.6 80.4 84.0 81.8 79.8 91.4

Married couple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49.9 42.5 27.7 47.8 34.1 27.3 34.6 29.1 40.9 50.9

Female householder, no spouse

present . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24.4 34.7 45.3 26.3 41.0 40.3 38.8 39.0 29.2 34.3

Male householder, no spouse

present . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.3 6.5 12.1 7.0 12.5 12.8 10.6 13.6 9.8 6.3

Nonfamily households. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16.4 16.4 14.8 18.8 12.4 19.6 16.0 18.2 20.2 8.6

Average household size . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.57 4.11 4.17 3.86 4.68 4.01 4.33 3.91 3.36 4.34

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

Population 25 years and

over ........................ 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Less than high school graduate . . . . . . . 25.3 49.0 48.3 45.8 33.7 30.8 43.2 38.1 30.4 37.2

High school graduate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26.0 31.0 34.8 26.9 26.9 32.0 32.6 41.0 24.3 32.0

Some college or associate’s degree . . . 39.9 17.8 15.8 22.5 31.0 29.7 22.5 17.2 35.8 27.4

Bachelor’s degree or more . . . . . . . . . . . 8.8 2.3 1.2 4.8 8.4 7.5 1.7 3.7 9.5 3.3

HOMEOWNERSHIP

Occupied housing units ........ 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Owner-occupied. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55.2 63.3 64.3 74.9 49.9 45.0 63.0 73.1 62.6 76.4

Characteristic

Alaska Native Village Statistical Areas

Barrow Bethel

Chickaloon Dillingham EmmonakHooper

Bay Kenaitze Knik Kotzebue Selawik

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,637 3,284 969 1,256 685 942 1,823 1,521 2,200 726

AGE

Median age (years) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24.2 23.5 25.2 24.0 21.6 18.8 27.7 25.4 22.0 18.4

HOUSEHOLD TYPE AND SIZE

Households with an American

Indian and Alaska Native

householder ................. 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Family households. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77.3 74.8 93.2 74.9 78.5 81.8 75.5 77.1 79.4 91.2

Married couple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38.6 35.1 56.8 42.7 48.7 32.1 40.1 54.2 37.8 37.8

Female householder, no spouse

present . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27.9 28.4 25.6 27.5 13.3 26.8 28.8 17.5 27.9 35.1

Male householder, no spouse

present . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10.8 11.4 10.8 4.8 16.5 23.0 6.5 5.4 13.7 18.2

Nonfamily households. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22.7 25.2 6.8 25.1 21.5 18.2 24.5 22.9 20.6 8.8

Average household size . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.71 3.36 3.28 3.13 4.37 4.53 2.82 3.23 3.78 4.72

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

Population 25 years and

over ........................ 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Less than high school graduate . . . . . . . 18.1 15.8 11.6 16.5 28.7 28.0 11.1 11.7 24.1 42.2

High school graduate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31.1 31.1 29.8 29.7 48.3 50.3 32.1 31.5 32.4 45.8

Some college or associate’s degree . . . 30.5 30.4 39.6 31.9 18.5 13.4 37.8 38.0 25.5 6.3

Bachelor’s degree or more . . . . . . . . . . . 20.4 22.7 19.0 21.9 4.5 8.2 19.1 18.8 17.9 5.6

HOMEOWNERSHIP

Occupied housing units ........ 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Owner-occupied. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40.6 43.2 78.9 49.3 79.8 76.5 74.4 8.4 43.6 59.9

* Includes trust lands.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 4.