But the majority of residents still live closer in, where the bulk of growth is due to blacks, Asians and Hispanics. Although the area's growth depends on immigrants, the region occupies an unusual niche by continuing to draw native-born Americans with its powerful economy, Frey said. At the same time, the District continues to shrink. The region gained more than 209,000 blacks in the 1990s, a larger increase than for any other minority group. Among the top 10 metro areas nationally, only Atlanta and Dallas had faster growth in black population than Washington, where it was at least 21 percent.
People are able to come in and find good jobs.
Porter belongs to the local chapter of Phi Beta Sigma, a predominantly black fraternity. When the chapter was chartered 20 years ago, its initial members had all attended Virginia State University together. Now, many of its 40 members come from out of state. Immigrants make up a growing share of the region's black population, arriving from Africa and the Caribbean, among other places. Unlike some urban areas, most foreign arrivals in the Washington region settle first in the suburbs, not the city.