And more whites than blacks or Hispanics raise concerns about the changing demographic composition of the country. The Pew Research Center's latest survey shows that, to perhaps a surprising degree, news about the census has penetrated the public's consciousness. Race and ethnicity are important factors in the public's attitudes toward the census. The census has shown that, despite the nation's increasing diversity, segregation remains a fact of life in the United States. More blacks and Hispanics than whites express concern about racial segregation.
Racial differences are also evident on California's minority-majority status.
While whites appear somewhat conflicted over many of the census findings, so too are older people. Americans age 50 and over are split over whether it is good that Hispanics are now as populous as blacks. Women age 50 and over, in particular, have reservations about this demographic shift. This mixed view of the changing composition of the population may be more reflective of ethnic and racial strains than economic concerns. Democrats and independents are more likely than Republicans to say that today's immigrants fit in better than their predecessors.