If you want to see where America is heading just look to Texas. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Texas has more counties than any state--43 total--where the majority of residents are some ethnicity other than Caucasian.
According to the data from the Census Bureau, nearly one in every 10 counties nationwide has a population where more than 50 percent come from some combination of African-American, Latino or Asian ethnicities.
Eight counties where Caucasians are the minority were added to the list for the first time last year. Of those, three were in Texas (Winkler, Waller and Wharton). The two largest counties where the minority population became the majority were Denver County, Colo., and East Baton Rouge Parish, La.
A number of major urban areas in the U.S. saw the minority population continue to grow.
Harris County in Texas has Houston as its largest city. It also gained more than 121,000 new ethnic minority residents between 2005 and 2006. Of those, 52,000 were Black. Based on the Census Bureau figures, 63 percent of Harris County's population now belongs to an ethnic minority.
Texas also boasts the county with the largest percentage of Hispanic residents. A full 98 percent of the population in Starr County is Hispanic. The border state has the top 11 states with Hispanics as a percentage of the population, based on Census figures.
Discussion Questions: What impact is the changing face of America having on retail operations? Today, ethnic minority populations are still often separated from Caucasian communities. Will we begin to see that change and what will it mean for retailers trying to serve a more diverse customer base in the future?