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Census: Hispanic Pop. Up 74 Percent In Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO/AP) -- Minnesota's state demographer says new census figures show the state's Hispanic population jumping 74.5 percent in the past decade, mirroring a national trend.

State Demographer Tom Gillaspy says the 250,258 Hispanics reported in the 2010 Census account for 4.7 percent of state's current population of 5.3 million. That's up from about 3 percent in 2000.

Similar increases have been reported around the Midwest. The Hispanic population jumped 74 percent in Wisconsin, 84 percent in Iowa and 59 percent in Kansas.

Despite the increase, Minnesota's population remains about 83 percent white, down from 88 percent in 2000. Out of the growth in population in Minnesota over the last 10 years, more than 80 percent was minorities.

Demographers say the Hispanic population is growing both because it is younger and has more women of child-bearing age and because Hispanics are immigrating into the state.

WCCO's Adam Carter Interviews Tom Gillaspy

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Continuing a long trend, populations in suburban counties increased over the last year. That will mean changes in Minnesota's Congressional Districts.

Gillaspy says the 6th and 2nd Districts (Bachman's and Kline's respectively) saw big increases in their populations. Conversely, the urban 4th and 5th Districts (McCollum's and Ellison's) saw drops in population.

By law, Congressional Districts need to be about equal in population.

"Congressman Bachman's district is about 96,000 people too large," said Gillaspy. "So it's going to have to get a lot smaller."

Gillaspy says that means when the State Legislature redraws the districts, some will look dramatically different.

(TM and © Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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