Fun facts: American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month

5.2 million: As of the 2010 Census, the nation’s population of American Indians and Alaska Natives, including those of more than one race. They made up 1.7 percent of the total population. Of this total, 2.9 million were American Indian and Alaska Native only, and 2.3 million were American Indian and Alaska Native in combination with one or more other races.

8.6 million: The projected population of American Indians and Alaska Natives, including those of more than one race, on July 1, 2050. They would comprise 2 percent of the total population.Source: Population projections

1.1 million: Increase in the nation’s American Indian and Alaska Native population between the 2000 Census and 2010 Census. The population of this group increased by 26.7 percent during this period compared with the overall population growth of 9.7 percent.

723,225: The American Indian and Alaska Native population in California as of the 2010 Census. California was followed by Oklahoma (482,760) and Arizona (353,386).

15: Number of states with more than 100,000 American Indian and Alaska Native residents as of the 2010 Census. These states were California, Oklahoma, Arizona, Texas, New York, New Mexico, Washington, North Carolina, Florida, Michigan, Alaska, Oregon, Colorado, Minnesota and Illinois.

19.5% : The proportion of Alaska’s population identified as American Indian and Alaska Native as of the 2010 Census, the highest rate for this race group of any state. Alaska was followed by Oklahoma (12.9 percent), New Mexico (10.7 percent) and South Dakota (10.1 percent).

29.0: Median age as of April 1, 2010, in years, for those who are American Indian and Alaska Native, and no other race. This compares with a median age of 37.2 for the population as a whole.

334: Number of federal and state recognized American Indian reservations in 2010. This total excludes Hawaiian Homelands. All in all, there are 617 American Indian legal and statistical areas for which the Census Bureau provides data.

22%: Percentage of American Indians and Alaska Natives, alone or in combination, who lived in American Indian areas or Alaska Native Village Statistical Areas. These American Indian areas include federal American Indian reservations and/or off-reservation trust lands, Oklahoma tribal statistical areas, tribal designated statistical areas, state American Indian reservations, and state designated American Indian statistical areas.

565: Number of federally-recognized Indian tribes.

100,000+: In the 2010 Census, the tribal groupings with 100,000 or more responses for the American Indian and Alaska Native alone-or-in-any combination population were Cherokee (819,105), Navajo (332,129), Choctaw (195,764), Mexican American Indian (175,494), Chippewa (170,742), Sioux (170,110), Apache (111,810), and Blackfeet (105,304).