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-26

Issued August 2005

By 

Philip M. Harris

and

Nicholas A. Jones

Helping You Make Informed Decisions

We the People:

Pacific Islanders in the United States
This report was prepared by Philip M. Harris and Nicholas A.

Jones, 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. Steve Smith, Population Division, provided

computer programming support.

James Dinwiddie and Paulette Lichtman-Panzer of the

Decennial Management Division provided decennial policy review of

this report. Teresa Schellhamer and Debbie Fenstermaker,

under the guidance of Philip M. Gbur and Dawn E. Haines of

Decennial Statistical Studies Division conducted sampling review. 

Jan Sweeney, Theodora Forgione, and Jamie Peters 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: Pacific Islanders in the United States 1

This report provides a portrait of

the Native Hawaiian and Other

Pacific Islander population in the

United States and discusses the

largest detailed Pacific Islander

groups at the national level:

Native Hawaiian, Samoan,

Guamanian or Chamorro, Fijian,

Tongan, and Marshallese.1 It is

part of the Census 2000 Special

Reports series that presents several demographic, social, and economic characteristics collected

from Census 2000. The terms

“Pacific Islander” and “Guamanian,”

when used in the text, graphics,

and tables of this report, refer to

the Native Hawaiian and Other

Pacific Islander population and the

Guamanian or Chamorro category,

respectively. 

In Census 2000, a total of 861,000

people, or 0.3 percent of the total

population, reported they belonged

to the Native Hawaiian and Other

Pacific Islander population. Of this

number, 378,800 people, or 

44 percent, reported only Native

Hawaiian and Other Pacific

Islander; and 482,200 people, or

56 percent, reported Native

We the People: 

Pacific Islanders in the United States

Table 1.

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Population by Detailed Group: 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)

Detailed group

Detailed Native Hawaiian and

Other Pacific Islander group alone

Detailed Native Hawaiian and

Other Pacific Islander group alone or in combination

Number

Percent of U.S.

population

90-percent

confidence interval Number

Percent of U.S.

population

90-percent

confidence interval

Total. . . ............ 1378,782 0.13 0.13–0.14 2860,965 0.31 0.30–0.31

Native Hawaiian. . . . . . . . . 139,495 0.05 * 400,435 0.14 *

Samoan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85,243 0.03 * 128,183 0.05 0.04–0.05

Guamanian . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55,130 0.02 * 91,380 0.03 *

Tongan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27,686 0.01 * 36,982 0.01 *

Fijian . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,265 - * 14,159 0.01 0.00–0.01

Marshallese . ........... 5,843 - * 6,899 - *

Other Pacific Islander .... 3

55,120 0.02 * 4208,991 0.07 0.07–0.08

- Rounds to zero.

* Confidence interval rounds to percentage shown.

1 Includes people who reported Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander only, regardless of whether they reported one or more

detailed Pacific Islander groups. 2 Includes people who reported one detailed Pacific Islander group, people who reported two or more detailed Pacific Islander groups,

and people who reported one or more Pacific Islander groups and one or more races other than Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander.

The total is less than the sum of the rows because most people who reported two or more detailed Pacific Islander groups, such as

Samoan and Tongan, are tabulated once in each category, but only once in the total. People who reported two or more detailed Pacific

Islander groups not listed above (e.g., Carolinean and Ni-Vanuatu) are tabulated once in the Other Pacific Islander category. 3 Includes people who reported one Pacific Islander group not listed above and people who reported two or more Pacific Islander groups

(and no other race), as well as people who checked only the Other Pacific Islander response category on the census questionnaire or wrote

in the generic term ‘‘Pacific Islander.’’ 4 Represents the number of people who reported one or more Pacific Islander groups excluding the groups listed above. The total of

208,991 includes 46,628 people who reported a Pacific Islander group not listed above (e.g., Tokelauan), 3,027 people who reported two or

more Pacific Islander groups not listed above (e.g., Carolinean and Ni-Vanuatu), 144,773 people who reported a Pacific Islander group not

listed above and one or more races other than Pacific Islander (e.g., Chuukese and White), and 14,563 people who reported two or more

Pacific Islander groups not listed above and one or more races other than Pacific Islander (e.g., Chuukese and Tokelauan and Black).

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

1 The text of this report discusses data

for the United States, including the 50 states

and the District of Columbia. Data for Pacific

Islanders residing in the U.S. Island Areas of

Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth

of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the 

U.S. Virgin Islands or in Puerto Rico are 

not included.
Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander

along with one or more other

races.2 The text and figures in this

report focus on Pacific Islanders

who reported only a Pacific

Islander group, while the tables

provide data for this population

and those who reported both a

Pacific Islander group and another

race group. Table 1 shows the

number of people reporting a

detailed Pacific Islander race. 

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

“Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific

Islander” refers to anyone having

origins in any of the original peoples of the Pacific Islands (for

example, Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, or

Tonga). It includes people who

indicated their race or races as

Native Hawaiian, Guamanian or

Chamorro, Samoan, or Other

Pacific Islander, or who wrote in

entries such as Tahitian, Mariana

Islander, or Chuukese. Pacific

Islanders encompass diverse languages and cultures and are of

Polynesian, Micronesian, and

Melanesian backgrounds. 

The analysis in this report focuses

on the six detailed Pacific Islander

groups shown below, as well as

the residual category Other Pacific

Islander.4 These groups each

2 We the People: Pacific Islanders in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

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 upon

self-identification.

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

decennial census in 1790. The question on race for

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, the 1990

Asian or Pacific Islander category was separated

into two categories: Asian and Native Hawaiian or

Other Pacific Islander.* 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 Pacific Islanders overlap with data

for Hispanics. Among Pacific Islanders who reported

only one race, approximately 9.5 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.

UNDERSTANDING DATA ON RACE AND HISPANIC ORIGIN FROM CENSUS 2000

* 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>.

2 The data contained in this report are

based on the people for whom data were

collected using 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 and Alaska Native, and Some Other

Race, 7 of the 15 response categories are

Asian and 4 are Native Hawaiian or Other

Pacific Islander. 

4 The Other Pacific Islander group analyzed in this report includes respondents

who provided a specific entry that was not 1

of the 6 detailed groups, such as Carolinean,

Ni-Vanuatu, or Tokelauan, as well as respondents who checked the Other Pacific Islander

response category on the census questionnaire or wrote in a generic term such as

“Pacific Islander.” This group includes multiple responses involving two or more detailed

Pacific Islander groups and no other races.
compose at least 1 percent of the

total Pacific Islander population: 

Fijian

Guamanian or Chamorro

Marshallese 

Native Hawaiian

Samoan

Tongan

Other Pacific Islander

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 one or

more detailed Pacific Islander

groups, but no non-Pacific Islander

race, would be included in the

single-race Pacific Islander

population.5 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 Pacific

Islander and Black, or Pacific

Islander and White and American

Indian and Alaska Native would be

included in the Pacific Islander incombination population.6

In the text and figures of this

report, population characteristics

are shown for Pacific Islanders who

reported only that group. This

presentation does not imply that it

is the preferred method of presenting or analyzing data. The Census

Bureau uses a variety of approaches. Table 2 summarizes characteristics for single-race Pacific

Islanders, for Pacific Islanders who

reported two or more races, and

for the sum of these two groups,

that is, people who reported they

were Pacific Islander regardless of

whether they also reported another

race. Data for the Pacific Islander

single-race population, the Pacific

Islander population regardless of

whether they reported any other

races, and the detailed Pacific

Islander groups are shown in

Summary File 4, available at

<www.census.gov/prod/cen2000

/doc/sf4.pdf>.

Two companion reports provide

more information on these concepts and populations. The

Census 2000 Brief The Native

Hawaiian and Other Pacific

Islander Population: 2000 analyzes

population data collected from the

short-form questions in Census

2000. It shows the distribution of

the Pacific Islander population at

both the national and subnational

levels and detailed Pacific Islander

groups at the national level.7 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.

U.S. Census Bureau We the People: Pacific Islanders in the United States 3

5 Respondents reporting a single detailed

Pacific Islander group would be included in

the single-race Native Hawaiian and Other

Pacific Islander population. Respondents

reporting more than one detailed Pacific

Islander group would also be included in the

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander

only population and tabulated here as Other

Pacific Islander. This is because all of the

detailed groups in these example combinations are part of the larger Native Hawaiian

and Other Pacific Islander race category. 

6 The race in-combination categories use

the conjunction and in bold and italicized

print to link the race groups that compose

the combination.

7 Elizabeth M. Grieco, 2001, The Native

Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander

Population: 2000, U.S. Census Bureau,

Census 2000 Brief, C2KBR/01-14. This

report is available on the U.S. Census

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

/prod/2001pubs/c2kbr01-14.pdf>.
4 We the People: Pacific Islanders in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

The three largest Pacific

Islander groups composed

about three-fourths of the

total Pacific Islander

population.

• Three groups—Native Hawaiians

(with over 100,000 people),

Samoans, and Guamanians—

together accounted for 74 percent of the Pacific Islander population. The category Other

Pacific Islander totaled 15 percent of the Pacific Islander population. None of the three

remaining groups numbered

more than 30,000 or exceeded

8 percent of the total Pacific

Islander population. 

• Native Hawaiians were the

largest Pacific Islander group,

representing 37 percent of the

population. They were followed

by Samoans at 23 percent. 

Figure 1.

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 

Population by Detailed Group: 2000

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)

Other Pacific Islander

Marshallese

Fijian

Tongan

Guamanian

Samoan

Native Hawaiian

14.6 

36.8

22.5 

14.6 

7.3 

2.7 

1.5 
U.S. Census Bureau We the People: Pacific Islanders in the United States 5

• Compared with the U.S. population, the Pacific Islander population had larger proportions of

males and females in each of

the 5-year age intervals through

age 34.

• Among Pacific Islanders, women

outnumbered men above age

64, while males outnumbered

females under 35.

7 6 5 4 3 2 10

0 to 4 

5 to 9 

10 to 14 

15 to 19 

20 to 24 

25 to 29 

30 to 34 

35 to 39 

40 to 44 

45 to 49 

50 to 54 

55 to 59 

60 to 64 

65 to 69 

70 to 74 

75 to 79 

80 to 84 

85 + 

Figure 2.

Age and Sex: 2000

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

Percent

Male Female Age

(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)

Total population

Pacific Islander

01234567

Among Pacific Islanders, males outnumbered females at younger ages, while women

outnumbered men at older ages.
6 We the People: Pacific Islanders in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

• In 2000, Pacific Islanders had a

median age of 28 years, compared with 35 years for the total

U.S. population. 

• Five percent of the Pacific

Islander population was 65 and

older. Native Hawaiians had the

highest percentage 65 and over

among the detailed Pacific

Islander groups (7 percent). 

In contrast, 1 percent of

Marshallese were in that age

group in 2000. 

• Native Hawaiians, Guamanians,

and Fijians had median ages of

28 or above. Samoans, Tongans,

Marshallese, and Other Pacific

Islanders were younger than the

total Pacific Islander population.

• Among Pacific Islander groups,

Samoans, Tongans, and

Marshallese had high proportions

of people under 18, with 31 percent of Marshallese under 10. 

Other Pacific Islander

Marshallese

Fijian

Tongan

Guamanian

Samoan

Native Hawaiian

Pacific Islander

Total population

Median age

(years)

35.4

27.6

31.8

24.4

29.3

23.2

29.3

19.1

24.9

14.1 

17.4 

14.0 

20.2 

14.5 

24.6 

15.1 

31.2 

19.9

11.5 

14.4 

13.5 

16.8 

12.3 

17.2 

14.1 

15.8 

13.7

23.7 

30.6 

27.4 

31.2 

33.8 

25.6 

29.9 

38.3 

36.0

38.3 

32.7 

38.0 

27.9 

35.0 

29.1 

37.2 

13.9 

27.4

12.4 

4.9 

7.1 

3.9 

4.4 

3.4 

3.6 

0.9 

3.1

Figure 3.

Selected Age Groups and Median Age: 2000

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 10 10 to 17 18 to 34 35 to 64 65 and older

The Pacific Islander population was relatively young.
U.S. Census Bureau We the People: Pacific Islanders in the United States 7

• Fifty-one percent of the Pacific

Islander population 15 and older

was married in 2000, compared

with 54 percent of the U.S.

population.8

• Marshallese and Other Pacific

Islanders were more likely never

to have been married at the

time of Census 2000 than all

Pacific Islanders.9

• The proportions of Tongans and

Fijians who were married were

higher than that of all Pacific

Islanders.10

• Roughly 10 percent of Native

Hawaiians were divorced, compared with less than 8 percent

of all Pacific Islanders. 

About one-half of the Pacific Islander population 15 and older was married.

Other Pacific Islander

Marshallese

Fijian

Tongan

Guamanian

Samoan

Native Hawaiian

Pacific Islander

Total population 27.1 

34.9 

34.0 

36.8 

33.2 

28.9 

29.3 

46.2 

39.0

54.4 

51.2 

48.8 

51.4 

53.7 

62.2 

58.3 

48.7 

48.4

2.2 

2.5 

2.4 

2.8 

2.5 

1.7 

1.8 

1.9 

2.9

6.6 

3.9 

4.6 

4.1 

2.9 

3.4 

5.7 

1.1 

2.6

9.7 

7.6 

10.3 

4.8 

7.7 

3.8 

5.0 

2.0 

7.1

Figure 4.

Marital Status: 2000

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

(Percent distribution of population 15 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)

Never married Married Separated Widowed Divorced

15 and older

10 There was no statistical difference

between the percentages of Guamanians and

all Pacific Islanders who were married.

8 This percentage includes only people

who were married (excluding separated) at

the time of Census 2000.

9 There was no statistical difference

between the percentages of Samoans and all

Pacific Islanders who were never married.
8 We the People: Pacific Islanders in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

• Families accounted for the

majority of both Pacific Islander

households (79 percent) and

U.S. households (68 percent).

Married couples accounted for

56 percent of Pacific Islander

households and 53 percent of

U.S. households.

• Eighty percent of Tongan households were married-couple

households. Married couples

represented about 51 percent of

both Other Pacific Islander

households and Native Hawaiian

households.11

• Less than 20 percent of Samoan,

Tongan, Fijian, and Marshallese

households were nonfamily

households.

• The average number of people

in a Pacific Islander household

was 3.6. 

Figure 5.

Household Type and Average Household Size: 2000

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

Other Pacific Islander

Marshallese

Fijian

Tongan

Guamanian

Samoan

Native Hawaiian

Pacific Islander

Total households

(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)

Average

household

size

2.59

3.60

3.21

4.43

3.31

5.31

3.72

5.38

3.31

Married couple Female householder, 

no spouse present

Male householder, 

no spouse present

Nonfamily 

households

Family households

26.9

52.5 

56.4 

51.1 

63.4 

56.1 

79.7 

66.9 

70.2 

50.7

11.8 

15.4 

16.5 

17.2 

13.7 

8.8 

13.4 

13.0 

14.7

4.1 

7.4 

7.3 

7.7 

7.0 

5.8 

7.2 

13.8 

7.7

31.5 

20.9 

25.0 

11.7 

23.2 

5.7 

12.5 

3.0 

The majority of Pacific Islander households were composed of married couples.

11 There was no statistical difference

between the percentages of married-couple

households for Other Pacific Islanders and

Guamanians.
U.S. Census Bureau We the People: Pacific Islanders in the United States 9

• People born in the 50 states, the

District of Columbia, certain U.S.

Island Areas (Guam, the

Commonwealth of Northern

Mariana Islands, or the U.S.

Virgin Islands), and Puerto Rico

are automatically U.S. citizens.

While people born in American

Samoa, Guam, or Hawaii are

native by definition, most people born in other Pacific

Islands—Fiji, the Marshall

Islands, Western Samoa, or

Tonga—are not natives by birth.

In 2000, about 89 percent of the

total population and 80 percent

of Pacific Islanders were natives.

Native Hawaiians had the highest percent native (98 percent).

Eighty-eight percent of

Guamanians and 79 percent of

Samoans were also native. 

• Fijians and Marshallese had the

highest percentages of foreign

born among the detailed Pacific

Islander groups. 

• A lower percentage of Pacific

Islanders were naturalized citizens (8 percent) than noncitizens (12 percent). The Samoan

population had a higher proportion of naturalized citizens than

noncitizens. 

Figure 6.

Nativity and Citizenship Status: 2000

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

Other Pacific Islander

Marshallese

Fijian

Tongan

Guamanian

Samoan

Native Hawaiian

Pacific Islander

Total population

(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)

Native Foreign born, naturalized citizen Foreign born, not a citizen

25.7

88.9 

80.1 

97.8 

79.1 

87.6 

48.6 

22.4 

23.9 

61.7

4.5 

8.0 

1.0 

12.1 

4.2 

19.6 

28.3 

16.3 

12.6

6.6 

11.9 

1.1 

8.9 

8.2 

31.7 

49.4 

59.8 

Eight of ten Pacific Islanders were native to the United States. 
10 We the People: Pacific Islanders in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

• Forty-four percent of the Pacific

Islander foreign born arrived in

the United States between 1990

and 2000, compared with 42 percent of the U.S. foreign-born population. Thirty percent of Pacific

Islanders arrived between 1980

and 1989 and 18 percent

between 1970 and 1979. 

• Less than 10 percent of the

Pacific Islander foreign born

arrived in the United States

before 1970. 

• Migration patterns varied across

groups. Eighty-seven percent of

Marshallese entered the United

States between 1990 and 2000,

as did roughly 50 percent of

Guamanians, Other Pacific

Islanders, and Fijians. Fewer

than 35 percent of Samoans and

Tongans entered the United

States during this time period. 

Forty-four percent of the foreign-born Pacific Islander population arrived in the 

United States during the 1990s.

Other Pacific Islander

Marshallese

Fijian

Tongan

Guamanian

Samoan

Native Hawaiian

Pacific Islander

Total foreign born

51.3

15.4 

7.7 

13.7 

13.7 

7.1 

4.5 

3.2 

0.4 

7.2

15.1 

18.3 

16.1 

25.9 

11.7 

26.3 

13.3 

3.5 

13.8

27.2 

30.0 

32.3 

27.9 

28.8 

40.5 

33.8 

9.3 

27.7

42.4 

44.1 

37.9 

32.4 

52.4 

28.7 

49.6 

86.9 

Figure 7.

Foreign Born by Year of Entry: 2000

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)

Before 1970 1970 to 1979 1980 to 1989 1990 to 2000
U.S. Census Bureau We the People: Pacific Islanders in the United States 11

• Eighteen percent of the U.S.

population 5 and older spoke a

language other than English at

home, compared with 44 percent of the Pacific Islander population. Of Pacific Islanders

who spoke a non-English language at home, 67 percent 

(29 percent of the total Pacific

Islander population) reported

that they spoke English “very

well,” compared with 55 percent

of their counterparts in the U.S.

population (representing 10 percent of all people 5 and older).

• The likelihood of speaking

English at home varied among

Pacific Islanders. Tongans,

Fijians, and Marshallese had

among the highest proportions

of people 5 and older who

spoke a language other than

English at home, while Native

Hawaiians had the lowest.

• Among Pacific Islanders, Fijians

had the highest percentage who

spoke a language other than

English at home and spoke

English “very well” (59 percent).

Figure 8.

Language Spoken at Home and English-Speaking Ability: 2000

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

Other Pacific Islander

Marshallese

Fijian

Tongan

Guamanian

Samoan

Native Hawaiian

Pacific Islander

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”

47.7 19.4 

41.4 

25.2 

32.7 

15.4 

19.5 

4.3 

14.5 

8.1

32.9 

39.9 

58.5 

50.3 

28.2 

44.6 

12.7 

29.2 

82.1 9.8

56.2 

83.0 

35.9 

56.4 

17.0 

16.3 

18.7 

5 and older

Compared with the total population, a higher proportion of Pacific Islanders spoke a

language other than English at home. The majority of those Pacific Islanders spoke

English very well.
12 We the People: Pacific Islanders in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

• In 2000, 78 percent of all Pacific

Islanders 25 and older had completed high school or beyond,

and 14 percent had a bachelor’s

degree or more education. The

corresponding rates for the U.S.

population were 80 percent and

24 percent, respectively. 

• Among the detailed Pacific

Islander groups, Other Pacific

Islanders had the highest percentage who had obtained a

bachelor’s degree or more 

(18 percent).

• About four-fifths of Native

Hawaiians and three-fifths or

more of all other detailed Pacific

Islander groups had obtained at

least a high school diploma.

Figure 9.

Educational Attainment: 2000 

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

Other Pacific Islander

Marshallese

Fijian

Tongan

Guamanian

Samoan

Native Hawaiian

Pacific Islander

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)

17.9

19.6 

21.7 

16.8 

24.2 

22.2 

34.7 

33.2 

32.3 

23.3

28.6 

33.7 

36.5 

36.2 

29.9 

32.8 

29.5 

38.5 

26.3

27.4 

30.8 

31.4 

29.1 

33.7 

23.9 

28.6 

24.0 

32.5

24.4 

13.8 

15.2 

10.5 

14.3 

8.6 

8.8 

5.1 

Less than 

high school graduate

High school graduate Some college or 

associate’s degree

Bachelor's degree

or more

25 and older

While similar proportions of Pacific Islanders and the total population had at least a

high school diploma, a smaller percentage of all Pacific Islanders than the total

population had a bachelor’s degree or more education.
U.S. Census Bureau We the People: Pacific Islanders in the United States 13

About three-fifths of

Pacific Islander women

were in the labor force.

• Seventy-one percent of both

Pacific Islander men and all men

were in the labor force. A higher percentage (61 percent) of

Pacific Islander women than all

women (58 percent) were in the

labor force. 

• Less than one-half of

Marshallese women participated

in the labor force.

• In each of the Pacific Islander

groups, about two-thirds or

more of men participated in the

labor force.

Figure 10.

Labor Force Participation Rate by Sex: 2000

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

(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)

Other Pacific Islander

Marshallese

Fijian

Tongan

Guamanian

Samoan

Native Hawaiian

Pacific Islander

Total population

Men

Women

59.7

70.7 

71.5 

70.5 

67.8 

76.9 

68.5 

78.5 

74.7 

73.8

57.5 

60.9 

63.4 

57.1 

63.2 

55.8 

66.8 

41.6 

16 and older
14 We the People: Pacific Islanders in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

• Of the six major occupation

groups, Pacific Islanders were

most likely to hold sales and

office jobs (29 percent), while

management, professional, or

related occupations were most

common (34 percent) for the

total population.

• Twenty-one percent of Pacific

Islanders were in service occupations, compared with 15 percent of the total population. 

• Marshallese (44 percent) were

more likely than other detailed

groups to be in production,

transportation, and material

moving occupations.

• Tongans (16 percent) were more

likely than other Pacific Islander

groups to be in construction,

extraction, and maintenance

occupations in 2000. 

Other Pacific Islander

Marshallese

Fijian

Tongan

Guamanian

Samoan

Native Hawaiian

Pacific Islander

Total population

16.8

33.6 

23.3 

26.4 

18.6 

26.4 

13.4 

19.0 

9.4 

23.9

14.9 

20.8 

20.9 

18.8 

18.1 

26.1 

28.6 

22.2 

21.9

26.7 

28.8 

28.3 

31.4 

30.2 

23.5 

28.5 

16.6 

28.5

0.7 

0.9 

1.1 

0.6 

0.8 

0.3 

0.3 

1.5 

1.0

9.4 

9.6 

10.1 

9.3 

8.8 

15.6 

7.1 

6.8 

7.9

14.6 

16.5 

13.2 

21.2 

15.7 

21.1 

16.5 

43.5 

Figure 11.

Occupation: 2000

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

Pacific Islanders were represented in all occupations but were more likely to hold sales

and office jobs.
U.S. Census Bureau We the People: Pacific Islanders in the United States 15

Within the Pacific Islander

population, the gap

between the earnings of

male and female yearround, full-time workers

was roughly $5,300.

• The median earnings for Pacific

Islander men and women who

worked year-round, full-time

were about $31,000 and

$25,700, respectively. The median earnings for all male and

female year-round, full-time

workers in the United States

were $37,100 and $27,200,

respectively. 

• Pacific Islander men who worked

year-round, full-time earned on

average about $84 for every

$100 earned by all men. Less

disparity existed among women.

Pacific Islander women earned

about $94 for every $100 earned

by all women. 

• Among the detailed Pacific

Islander groups, the estimates of

the median earnings for women

ranged from $19,000 to

$26,800. However, this does not

imply that each of the median

earnings for these groups would

be in the estimated range since

many of these estimates are subject to large sampling errors. 

• Among the detailed Pacific

Islander groups, the estimates of

the median earnings for men

ranged from $20,200 to

$32,700. However, this does not

imply that each of the median

earnings for these groups would

be in the estimated range since

many of these estimates are subject to large sampling errors.

Figure 12.

Median Earnings by Sex: 1999

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

(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)

Other Pacific Islander

Marshallese

Fijian

Tongan

Guamanian

Samoan

Native Hawaiian

Pacific Islander

All workers

Men

Women

$37,057

$24,094 

$18,992 

$23,314 

$24,194 

$26,354 

$23,884 

$26,793 

$25,694 

$27,194

$30,282 

$20,184 

$30,347 

$30,042 

$31,405 

$29,577 

$32,672 

$31,030 
16 We the People: Pacific Islanders in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

The median income for

Pacific Islander families

was approximately $4,100

less than for all families.

• The median family income in

1999 was $50,000 for the 

U.S. population and $45,900 for

Pacific Islanders.

• Among the detailed Pacific

Islander groups, the estimates

of the median family income

ranged from $27,800 to

$49,700. However, this does

not imply that each of the median family incomes for these

groups would be in the estimated range since many of these

estimates are subject to large

sampling errors.

• Marshallese had the lowest

median family income among

the detailed Pacific Islander

groups.

Figure 13.

Median Family Income: 1999

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

(Families classified by race of 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)

Other Pacific Islander

Marshallese

Fijian

Tongan

Guamanian 

Samoan

Native Hawaiian

Pacific Islander 

All families

$41,165

$50,046 

$45,915 

$49,680 

$41,091 

$49,122 

$46,261 

$46,333 

$27,804 
About 1 out of 6 Pacific

Islanders lived below the

poverty threshold in 1999. 

• Of the Pacific Islander population, 17.7 percent lived below

poverty in 1999. This was higher than the 12.4 percent poverty

rate for the U.S. population.12

• Among the detailed Pacific

Islander groups, Marshallese

had the highest poverty rate,

38.3 percent. 

• Native Hawaiians, Guamanians,

and Fijians had the lowest

poverty rates among the

detailed Pacific Islander groups.

U.S. Census Bureau We the People: Pacific Islanders in the United States 17

Figure 14.

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.

(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)

Other Pacific Islander

Marshallese

Fijian

Tongan

Guamanian

Samoan

Native Hawaiian

Pacific Islander

Total population 12.4

21.4

38.3

10.5

19.5

13.7

20.2

15.6

17.7

12 In 1999, the poverty threshold for a

family of four was $17,029. Poverty statistics exclude unrelated individuals under 15.

For more information, see Alemayehu Bishaw

and John Iceland, 2003, Poverty: 1999, U.S.

Census Bureau, Census 2000 Brief, C2KBR19. This report is available on the U.S.

Census Bureau’s Internet site at 

<www.census.gov/prod/2003pubs

/c2kbr-19.pdf>.
18 We the People: Pacific Islanders in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

Less than one-half of the

housing units occupied by

Pacific Islanders were

owner-occupied.

• Forty-six percent of housing

units with a Pacific Islander

householder were owner-occupied, compared with 66 percent

of all occupied housing units. 

• Among Pacific Islander households, about one-half of Native

Hawaiian, Guamanian, Tongan,

and Fijian households lived in

owner-occupied housing units. 

• About two-thirds of Samoan and

four-fifths of Marshallese households lived in rental units.

Figure 15.

Housing Tenure: 2000

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

(Percent distribution of occupied housing units. Housing tenure of the 

detailed group is shown 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)

Other Pacific Islander

Marshallese

Fijian

Tongan

Guamanian

Samoan

Native Hawaiian

Pacific Islander

All occupied units

Owner

Renter

60.7

66.2 

45.5 

52.2 

34.4 

47.6 

48.1 

50.4 

19.3 

39.3

33.8 

54.5 

47.8 

65.6 

52.4 

51.9 

49.6 

80.7 
U.S. Census Bureau We the People: Pacific Islanders in the United States 19

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 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 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).
20 We the People: Pacific Islanders in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

Table 2.

Selected Characteristics of the Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Population—

Alone, In Combination With Non-Pacific Islander 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 Pacific Islander . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378,782 482,183 860,965 100.0 100.0 100.0

AGE

Under 10 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65,976 107,199 173,175 17.4 22.2 20.1

10 to 17 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54,566 78,895 133,461 14.4 16.4 15.5

18 to 34 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115,742 138,595 254,337 30.6 28.7 29.5

35 to 64 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123,846 135,983 259,829 32.7 28.2 30.2

65 years and over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18,652 21,511 40,163 4.9 4.5 4.7

Median age (years) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27.6 23.7 25.5 (X) (X) (X)

MARITAL STATUS

Population 15 years and over. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278,885 323,973 602,858 100.0 100.0 100.0

Never married . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97,204 130,193 227,397 34.9 40.2 37.7

Married . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142,719 146,129 288,848 51.2 45.1 47.9

Separated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,933 8,422 15,355 2.5 2.6 2.5

Widowed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,815 11,734 22,549 3.9 3.6 3.7

Divorced . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21,214 27,495 48,709 7.6 8.5 8.1

HOUSEHOLD TYPE

Households with a Pacific Islander householder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100,151 119,918 220,069 100.0 100.0 100.0

Family households. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79,254 88,072 167,326 79.1 73.4 76.0

Married couple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56,454 58,827 115,281 56.4 49.1 52.4

Female householder, no spouse present . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,432 21,164 36,596 15.4 17.6 16.6

Male householder, no spouse present . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,368 8,081 15,449 7.4 6.7 7.0

Nonfamily households . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20,897 31,846 52,743 20.9 26.6 24.0

NATIVITY AND CITIZENSHIP

Total population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 378,782 482,183 860,965 100.0 100.0 100.0

Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303,305 396,059 699,364 80.1 82.1 81.2

Foreign born . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75,477 86,124 161,601 19.9 17.9 18.8

Naturalized. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30,284 38,672 68,956 8.0 8.0 8.0

Not a citizen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45,193 47,452 92,645 11.9 9.8 10.8

FOREIGN BORN BY YEAR OF ENTRY

Foreign-born population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75,477 86,124 161,601 100.0 100.0 100.0

Before 1970 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,777 8,693 14,470 7.7 10.1 9.0

1970 to 1979 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,775 14,740 28,515 18.3 17.1 17.6

1980 to 1989 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22,665 27,375 50,040 30.0 31.8 31.0

1990 to 2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33,260 35,316 68,576 44.1 41.0 42.4

LANGUAGE SPOKEN AT HOME AND ENGLISH-SPEAKING ABILITY

Population 5 years and over. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347,400 428,034 775,434 100.0 100.0 100.0

Only English at home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195,395 310,739 506,134 56.2 72.6 65.3

Non-English at home, English spoken ‘‘very well’’. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101,494 74,073 175,567 29.2 17.3 22.6

Non-English at home, English spoken less than ‘‘very well’’ ............. 50,511 43,222 93,733 14.5 10.1 12.1

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

Population 25 years and over. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206,675 230,613 437,288 100.0 100.0 100.0

Less than high school graduate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44,943 46,102 91,045 21.7 20.0 20.8

High school graduate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69,559 70,554 140,113 33.7 30.6 32.0

Some college or associate’s degree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63,675 70,174 133,849 30.8 30.4 30.6

Bachelor’s degree or more . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28,498 43,783 72,281 13.8 19.0 16.5

LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION

Men 16 years and over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136,941 153,712 290,653 100.0 100.0 100.0

In labor force . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97,907 101,526 199,433 71.5 66.0 68.6

Women 16 years and over. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135,325 161,053 296,378 100.0 100.0 100.0

In labor force . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82,424 100,841 183,265 60.9 62.6 61.8

OCCUPATION

Employed civilian population 16 years and over . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157,119 187,267 344,386 100.0 100.0 100.0

Management, professional, and related occupations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36,653 48,080 84,733 23.3 25.7 24.6

Service occupations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32,657 39,576 72,233 20.8 21.1 21.0

Sales and office occupations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45,310 55,195 100,505 28.8 29.5 29.2

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,375 1,486 2,861 0.9 0.8 0.8

Construction, extraction, and maintenance occupations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,139 17,191 32,330 9.6 9.2 9.4

Production, transportation, and material moving occupations . . . . . . . . . . . . 25,985 25,739 51,724 16.5 13.7 15.0

EARNINGS AND INCOME (in 1999)

Median earnings (dollars) for males1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31,030 31,968 31,508 (X) (X) (X)

Median earnings (dollars) for females1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25,694 26,197 25,964 (X) (X) (X)

Median income (dollars) for families . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45,915 45,406 45,671 (X) (X) (X)

POVERTY (in 1999)

Individuals for whom poverty status was determined2

. . . . . . . . . . . . . 364,909 464,073 828,982 100.0 100.0 100.0

Individuals below the poverty level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64,558 72,975 137,533 17.7 15.7 16.6

HOUSING TENURE

Occupied housing units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98,739 119,294 218,033 100.0 100.0 100.0

Owner-occupied. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44,896 57,048 101,944 45.5 47.8 46.8

Renter-occupied . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53,843 62,246 116,089 54.5 52.2 53.2

(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, or college dormitories, and individuals under age 15

unrelated to the householder.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 special tabulation.
CENSUS 2000 SPECIAL REPORTS

The Census 2000 Special Report series provides analyses of Census 2000 population and housing topics. The

reports utilize discussion text, maps, text tables, and graphics to examine a wide variety of topics. 

Mapping Census 2000: The Geography of U.S. Diversity (CENSR/01-1)

Emergency and Transitional Shelter Population: 2000 (CENSR/01-2) 

Racial and Ethnic Residential Segregation in the United States: 1980-2000 (CENSR-3)

Demographic Trends in the 20th Century (CENSR-4) 

Married-Couple and Unmarried-Partner Households: 2000 (CENSR-5) 

Adopted Children and Stepchildren: 2000 (CENSR-6RV)

Domestic Migration Across Regions, Divisions, and States: 1995 to 2000 (CENSR-7) 

State-to-State Migration Flows: 1995 to 2000 (CENSR-8) 

Migration and Geographic Mobility in Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan America: 1995 to 2000 (CENSR-9) 

Internal Migration of the Older Population: 1995 to 2000 (CENSR-10) 

Migration of Natives and the Foreign Born: 1995 to 2000 (CENSR-11) 

Migration of the Young, Single, and College Educated: 1995 to 2000 (CENSR-12) 

Migration by Race and Hispanic Origin: 1995 to 2000 (CENSR-13)

Children and the Households They Live In: 2000 (CENSR-14)

Evidence From Census 2000 About Earnings by Detailed Occupation for Men and Women (CENSR-15)

Areas With Concentrated Poverty: 1999 (CENSR-16)

We the People: Asians in the United States (CENSR-17) 

We the People: Hispanics in the United States (CENSR-18) 

We the People: Aging in the United States (CENSR-19) 

We the People: Women and Men in the United States (CENSR-20) 

We the People of Arab Ancestry in the United States (CENSR-21)

We the People of More Than One Race in the United States (CENSR-22)

Disability and American Families: 2000 (CENSR-23)

Examining American Household Composition: 1990 and 2000 (CENSR-24)

We the People: Blacks in the United States (CENSR-25)

We the People: Pacific Islanders in the United States (CENSR-26)

Available on the U.S. Census Bureau’s Web site at

<http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs.html#sr>.