The 2020 census results described a rapidly growing multiracial population in the United States, but two sociologists from Princeton University argue that the public was misled.
They say the dramatic jump, with a significant increase in multiracial individuals reported since 2010, was an illusion rather than a genuine demographic shift.
Census Bureau officials told Newsweek the updated federal standards are designed to treat all groups "co-equally."
Why It Matters
The official count of multiracial individuals holds significant weight, influencing decisions on redrawing political districts, enforcing civil rights, compiling labor and health statistics, and distributing federal funding. This issue gained further prominence while Vice President Kamala Harris, the daughter of a Jamaican father and an Indian mother, launched her campaign as the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee, placing multiracial identity squarely in the national spotlight.
What to Know
The reported 276 percent surge in the multiracial population between 2010 and 2020 was driven primarily by changes in how the U.S. Census Bureau classified individuals, according to a paper published last month by Princeton sociologists Paul Starr and Christina Pao.
For the first time, the Census Bureau allowed respondents to write in their families' origins on the census form, a shift that directly influenced how the agency categorized racial and ethnic identities. "The procedure was misleading, and the public was misled about the extent of racial change," said Starr in an email to The Associated Press.
The percentage of Americans classified as two or more races rose dramatically from 2.9 percent in 2010 to 10.2 percent in 2020, with the increase being especially pronounced among Hispanic individuals.
Meanwhile, the share of the white alone population declined significantly, dropping from 72.4 percent to 61.6 percent. This shift has sparked debate, including criticism from conservative commentators, who have framed the decline as a perceived erosion of white power.
Algorithm Change a Major Factor In Apparent Multiracial Boom
Starr and Pao found a computerized algorithm used in the 2020 census was a major factor in the apparent multiracial population boom. According to their analysis, individuals who marked themselves as Black or white but also indicated Latin American origins were automatically reclassified as multiracial, even if they identified with only one race. Similarly, those who identified as white but noted African origins were also reclassified, contributing to the inflated multiracial figures.
Why Was Racial Classification Changed in the 2020 Census?
When the 2020 census data was unveiled in mid-2021, Census Bureau officials described the updated classification method as a significant improvement, better reflecting the complexities of racial and ethnic identity in the modern era. However, they also admitted that some of the dramatic growth in the multiracial population was likely a direct result of these methodological changes.
What People Are Saying
Princeton sociologists Paul Starr said in an email "The 2020 census produced a sudden jump in the multiracial count and a precipitous decline in the count of the white population, contributing to an unwarranted panic among white conservatives about demographic change."
Advocate for multiracial representation in official statistics Susan Graham, said "Was the 2020 Census subjected to a fictitious multiracial boom? Possibly," She added "As always, answers only get more confusing when the federal government goes back and tries, one more time, to get it right."
Census Bureau officials said in response to Newsweek's request for comment "Updated federal standards now require that race and ethnicity are asked in a combined question. The updated federal standards are designed to treat all groups co-equally, to encourage respondents to identify their races and/or ethnicities, and to ensure that the resulting data fully represent what respondents report."
What Happens Next
The Princeton researchers argue that the Census Bureau conflated ancestry with identity and national origin with race in its 2020 methodology. They recommend the agency reconsider its approach, suggesting it abandon the use of "origins" as a factor in categorizing individuals to avoid further confusion and misrepresentation.
The federal government is revising its race and ethnicity categories, merging the questions into a single query rather than addressing them separately. Additionally, a new Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) category is being introduced, a shift expected to decrease the number of respondents identifying as white.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press
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