Nevada’s Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander
Population: 2010
A Supplement to the 2010 Census Brief:
The Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Population: 2010
C2010BR-12
http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-12.pdf
By the Nevada State Demographer’s Office
Rachel Flanigan
Jeff Hardcastle, AICP
Issued: December 1, 2014
About this report
The Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander population is a
racial group with origins in the indigenous peoples of Oceania.
This island region is bounded by Papua New Guinea in the West,
Hawaii in the North, Easter Island in the East, and Fiji and Tonga
in the South. Native Pacific Islanders were classified as separate
racial group from Asians beginning with U.S. Census 2000
(Hixson, 2012).
After the 2010 Census, the
Census Bureau issued a number
of reports, 2010 Census Briefs,
that discuss in detail national
findings about various topics,
how the data on the topics was
gathered, and the use of the data
at the national level. This report
In the 2010 Census, there were 1.2 million people who
serves as a Nevada supplement
self-identified as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander in the U.S.,
to the Census Brief on this topic.
either exclusively or in combination with another race (Hixson,
It presents information specific
2012). In Nevada, there were 32,848 members of the Native
to Nevada’s counties and comHawaiian and Pacific Islander population alone or in combination munities where appropriate. The
with another race, comprising 1.22% of the total population of the reader is encouraged to look at
state. Nevada had the eighth largest Native Hawaiian and Pacific
the Census Brief on this topic,
Islander alone or in combination with another race population in for the methodology used to
the U.S. (Hixson, 2012).
gather this data, and detailed
definitions of key concepts.
This report presents counts of the Native Hawaiian and
Pacific Islander population in each Nevada county, the population
as a percentage of the total population of the county, and the growth rate of the population from the
2000 to 2010 Census. Then the racial, ethnic, and origin details of the population are examined. The
most common racial and ethnic combinations for members of the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander
in combination with another race population are shown.
The population is detailed by Pacific Island region and origin group. The Pacific Islands are
divided into three main regions Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia. The main origin groups from
Polynesia are Native Hawaiians, Samoans, Tongans, and Tahitians. The main origin group from
Micronesia is Guamanian or Chamorro population. The predominant origin group from Melanesia is the
Fijian population. Counts of these populations are reported here for Nevada’s two largest counties.
Sponsored by: The Nevada Department
of Taxation, in Cooperation with the
Nevada Small Business Development Center
Nevada
Department
of Taxation
In the 2010 Census the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander population alone or in combination
with another race was 1.2% of the total population in Nevada. This was higher than the U.S. average of
0.4% of the total population (Hixson, 2012). The group self-identifying as Native Hawaiian or Pacific
Islander alone was 0.6% of the total population in Nevada, and 0.2% of the population in the United
States.
Nationally, 71% the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander alone or in combination population
was concentrated in the West Census region, which includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado,
Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming (Hixson,
2012). Within the West, 40.8% of the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander population was located in
Hawaii and 32.8% was located in California, while 3.8% was located in Nevada.
Clark County had the highest percentage of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders as a
percentage of total county population in Nevada. The alone population was 0.7% of the Clark County
population, while the alone or in combination population was 1.4% of the county population. Clark
County had the sixth largest population of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders in the U.S. by county,
with 13,628 people in the alone population and 27,088 people in the alone or in combination
population (Hixson, 2012).
Chart 1: Nevada’s Native Hawaiian and
Pacific Islanders Alone as a Percentage
of Total County Population, 2010
Chart 2: Nevada’s Native Hawaiian and
Pacific Islanders Alone or in Combination
with Other Races as a Percentage of Total
County Population: 2010
Percent of
Population
Percent of
Population
1.12% - 1.40%
1.12% - 1.40%
0.84% - 1.11%
0.84% - 1.11%
0.56% - 0.83%
NV Avg. .6%
0 - 0.27%
0.56% - 0.83%
0.28% - 0.55%
0.28% - 0.55%
U.S. Avg. .2%
NV Avg. 1.2%
U.S. Avg. .4
0 - 0.27%
Chart 1 and 2 sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census, summary file 1, tables PCT8, PCT9, and PCT10.
Washoe County had the next highest percentage of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders as
percentage of total county population with 1% of the population identifying as Native Hawaiian or
Pacific Islander alone or in combination, and .39% as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone. Nye
County had the third highest share of the Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander population at 0.8% for the
alone or in combination population, and 0.5% for the alone population.
The Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander alone population was less than the U.S. average of
0.2% of the county population in Carson City, Douglas, Elko, Esmeralda, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander,
Mineral, Pershing, and White Pine Counties (Hixson, 2012). The Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander
alone or in combination population was below the national average of 0.4% of the county population in
Elko, Esmeralda, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Mineral, and Pershing Counties.
Table 1 shows the population count and percentage of total county population for the Native
Hawaiian and Pacific Islander alone, in combination, and alone or in combination populations in the
2010 Census. Table 2 shows the same information in the 2000 Census. Table 3 shows the absolute and
percent changes from Census 2000 to Census 2010 for each population in each Nevada county.
Table 1: Nevada’s Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Population by County, 2010
County
Native
Hawaiian or
Pacific
Islander
Alone
Percent of
Total
County
Population
In
Combination
with Other
Races
Percent of
Total
County
Population
Alone or in
Combination
with Other
Races
Percent of
Total
County
Population
Carson
City
Churchill
101
51
0.18%
0.21%
140
94
0.25%
0.38%
241
145
0.44%
0.58%
13628
0.70%
13,460
0.69%
27,088
1.39%
66
69
0.14%
0.14%
146
73
0.31%
0.15%
212
142
0.45%
0.29%
Esmeralda
0
0.00%
2
0.26%
2
0.26%
Eureka
Humboldt
0
19
0.00%
0.11%
6
21
0.30%
0.13%
6
40
0.30%
0.24%
Lander
1
0.02%
6
0.10%
7
0.12%
Lincoln
15
0.28%
20
0.37%
35
0.65%
130
0.25%
171
0.33%
301
0.58%
6
0.13%
4
0.08%
10
0.21%
211
0.48%
146
0.33%
357
0.81%
Pershing
Storey
7
15
0.10%
0.37%
18
7
0.27%
0.17%
25
22
0.37%
0.55%
Washoe
2542
0.60%
1,632
0.39%
4,174
0.99%
10
16,871
0.10%
0.62%
31
15,977
0.31%
0.59%
41
32,848
0.41%
1.22%
Clark
Douglas
Elko
Lyon
Mineral
Nye
White Pine
Nevada
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census. Summary File 1, Tables PCT8, PCT9, and PCT10.
The counties that had the highest shares of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders as a
percentage of the population in 2010, Clark and Washoe, also had the highest shares in 2000. From the
2000 to 2010 Census, the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander alone population increased by 112.5% in
Clark County, and 63.7% in Washoe County. The in combination population increased by 110.8% in
Clark County, and 63.7% in Washoe County. The alone or in combination with another race population
increased by 111.7% in Clark County, and 65.3% in Washoe County. Nationally, the alone population
increased by 35.4% over this period, the in combination population increased by 44.1%, and the alone or
in combination population increased by 40.1% (Hixson, 2012).
In many cases, a clearer picture of population change can be seen from counts of people than
from growth rates. After Clark and Washoe Counties, Nye and Lyon Counties showed the greatest
absolute growth in both the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander alone, and the alone or in
combination populations over the decade. The alone population increased by 106 people in Nye County
and 83 people in Lyon County. The alone or in combination population increased by 197 people in Nye
County, and 192 people in Lyon County.
Table 2: Nevada’s Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Population by County, 2000
County
Native
Percent of
In
Percent of Alone or in Percent of
Hawaiian or
Total
Combination
Total
Combination
Total
Pacific
County
with Other
County
with Other
County
Islander
Population
Races
Population
Races
Population
Alone
Carson City
76
0.14%
63
0.12%
139
0.26%
Churchill
54
0.23%
74
0.31%
128
0.53%
6,412
0.47%
6,384
0.46%
12,796
0.93%
Douglas
63
0.15%
83
0.20%
146
0.35%
Elko
52
0.11%
48
0.11%
100
0.22%
Esmeralda
2
0.21%
0
0.00%
2
0.21%
Eureka
1
0.06%
0
0.00%
1
0.06%
11
0.07%
12
0.07%
23
0.14%
Lander
2
0.03%
5
0.09%
7
0.12%
Lincoln
1
0.02%
8
0.19%
9
0.22%
47
0.14%
62
0.18%
109
0.32%
5
0.10%
1
0.02%
6
0.12%
105
0.32%
55
0.17%
160
0.49%
15
0.22%
18
0.27%
33
0.49%
5
0.15%
7
0.21%
12
0.35%
1,553
0.46%
972
0.29%
2,525
0.74%
22
0.24%
16
0.17%
38
0.41%
8,426
0.42%
7,808
0.39%
16,234
0.81%
Clark
Humboldt
Lyon
Mineral
Nye
Pershing
Storey
Washoe
White Pine
Nevada
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data, & SF 2.
From Census 2000 to Census 2010 the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander alone population
decreased in Churchill, Esmeralda, Eureka, Lander, Pershing, and White Pine Counties. The largest
absolute decrease was by 12 people in White Pine County. The in combination with another race
population did not decrease in any counties, and did not increase or decrease in Pershing and Storey
Counties.
The Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander alone or in combination population decreased by 8
people in Pershing County. This was the only county with a decrease in the overall alone or in
combination population. This population increased by fewer than 10 people from Census 2000 to
Census 2010 in Esmeralda, Eureka, Lander, Mineral, and White Pine Counties.
Table 3: Nevada’s Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Population Change by County
_______from 2000 to 2010
Native Hawaiian or Pacific
Islander Alone
County
Change in
County
Population
Count
Percent
Change in
County
Population
In Combination with
Other Races
Change in
County
Population
Count
Percent
Change in
County
Population
Alone or in Combination
with Other Races
Change in
County
Population
Count
Percent
Change in
County
Population
Carson City
25
32.89%
77
122.22%
102
73.38%
Churchill
-3
-5.56%
20
27.03%
17
13.28%
7,216
112.54%
7,076
110.84%
14,292
111.69%
3
4.76%
63
75.90%
66
45.21%
Elko
17
32.69%
25
52.08%
42
42.00%
Esmeralda
-2
-100.00%
2
100.00%
0
0.00%
Eureka
-1
-100.00%
6
100.00%
5
500.00%
8
72.73%
9
75.00%
17
73.91%
Lander
-1
-50.00%
1
20.00%
0
0.00%
Lincoln
14
1400.00%
12
150.00%
26
288.89%
Lyon
83
176.60%
109
175.81%
192
176.15%
1
20.00%
3
300.00%
4
66.67%
106
100.95%
91
165.45%
197
123.13%
Pershing
-8
-53.33%
0
0.00%
-8
-24.24%
Storey
10
200.00%
0
0.00%
10
83.33%
Washoe
989
63.68%
660
67.90%
1,649
65.31%
White Pine
-12
-54.55%
15
93.75%
3
7.89%
8,445
100.23%
8,169
104.62%
16,614
102.34%
Clark
Douglas
Humboldt
Mineral
Nye
Nevada
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census. Summary File 1, Tables PCT8, PCT9, and PCT10. Census 2000 Summary File
_1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data, & SF 2 .
Chart 3 and Table 4 detail the most prevalent racial combinations reported by the population
who identified as Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander in combination with another race. Nationally,
this was the racial group that most often identified as multi-racial, at rate of 56% (Hixson, 2012).
In Nevada, 15,977 people identified as Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, and at least one other race,
in the 2010 Census. The in combination population accounted for 46% of Nevada’s Native Hawaiian and
Pacific Islander population.
In Nevada, the most common combination for multi-racial Native Hawaiian and Pacific
Islander’s was Asian (4,694 people), followed by white (3,390 people). The third most common
combination was Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander and Asian and White (3,368 people). Nationally,
these three combinations were both the most common and the groups with the most population
growth from Census 2000 to Census 2010 (Hixson, 2012).
In the 2010 Census, Hispanic or Latino origin is considered as an ethnic classification separate
from race. In 2010, 17% of Nevada’s Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander population also identified as
Hispanic or Latino. This group included 5,732 people.
Tables 4 and 5 report population counts from Census Summary File 2 (SF2). To protect the
privacy of individuals, SF2 does not report counts of populations with less than 100 people in a
geographic area. Areas that do not have reported population counts are left blank here.
Table 5 reports the origin groups identified by Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders in Nevada.
Origin groups are an individual’s self-identified ancestor group. Identification with an origin group
does not imply that an individual was born in the State of Hawaii or on any Pacific Island.
Chart 3:
3: The
The Racial
Racial Composition
Composition of
of Nevada’s
Nevada's Native Hawaiian
Chart
Hawaiian
& Pacific
Islander
Population
&
Other Pacific
Islander
Population
Alone
Alone
3%
3%
Asian
Asian
3%
Asian & White
Asian & White
11%
White
White
11%
54%
Sources: U.S. Census
Bureau, 2010 Census,
Summary File 2, Tables
PCT3, PCT4, PCT7,
PCT9, PCT10, PCT15,
PCT18, PCT22, PCT24,
PCT28, PCT31, PCT32,
PCT36, PCT37, PCT39,
HCT2, HCT4, HCT5,
and HCT7.
15%
Black or
African American
Black or African
American
Some Other Race
Some Other Race
Other Combinations
Other Combinations
Table 4: Nevada’s Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Population Counts
_______ by Race & Ethnicity 2010
Racial or Ethnic Group
Clark County
Washoe
County
All Other
Counties
State of
Nevada
Native Hawaiian & Pacific
Islander Alone
13,628
2,542
701
16,871
Native Hawaiian & Pacific
Islander in Combination
13,460
1,632
885
15,977
Asian
4,290
404
175
4,869
Asian & White
3,049
319
141
3,509
White
2,898
492
384
3,774
Black or African American
810
Some Other Race
768
Black & White
220
262
Asian & Black
195
226
American Indian, Asian,
_____ & White
172
221
American Indian or
______Alaska Native
154
210
Asian, Black, & White
126
139
Asian & Some Other Race
116
130
White & Some Other Race
116
161
Hispanic or Latino & Native
_Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
878
107
4,843
46
701
188
Chart 4: Nevada's Native Hawaiian & Pacific
Islander Population by Ethnicity
17%
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010
Census, Summary File 2, Tables PCT3,
PCT4, PCT7, PCT9, PCT10, PCT15,
PCT18, PCT22, PCT24, PCT28, PCT31,
PCT32, PCT36, PCT37, PCT39, HCT2,
HCT4, HCT5, and HCT7.
83%
Hispanic or Latino
Not Hispanic or Latino
921
5,732
Chart 5: Origin Regions of Nevada’s
Pacific Islander Population, 2010
Chart 6: Origin Groups of Nevada’s
Pacific Islander Population, 2010
Native Hawaiian
1.14%
Polynesian
10.78%
1.12
4.84
Guamanian or
Chamorro
Samoan
10.36
Micronesian
18.90%
Melanesian
49.74
16
Tongan
Fijian
69.18%
Palauan
Unclassified
16.78
Tahitian
Marshallese
Unclassified
Chart 7: Major Regions of the Pacific Islands in Oceania
Source: History of Oceania. (April 24, 2014). Essential Humanities. Retrieved from
http://www.essential-humanities.net/world-history/oceania/. This work has been released into the public domain
by its author, Kahuroa. This applies worldwide.
Table 5: Detailed Origin Group Counts of Nevada's Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander
________Population, 2010
Origin Group
Polynesian
Clark
County
Washoe
County
All Other
Counties
State of
Nevada
Percent of
Nevada Pacific
Islander
Population
18,903
2,715
1,107
22,725
69.18%
14,071
1,454
814
16,339
49.74%
Samoan
4,554
492
211
5,257
16.00%
Tahitian
111
128
0.39%
Tongan
703
795
92
1,590
4.84%
5,149
801
259
6,209
18.90%
4,849
446
217
5,512
16.78%
Palauan
143
0.44%
Marshallese
108
0.33%
Native Hawaiian
Micronesian
Guamanian or Chamorro
Melanesian
305
374
1.14%
Fijian
301
369
1.12%
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census, Summary File 2, Tables PCT3, PCT4, PCT7, PCT9, PCT10, PCT15, PCT18,
PCT22, PCT24, PCT28, PCT31, PCT32, PCT36, PCT37, PCT39, HCT2, HCT4, HCT5, and HCT7.
Individuals may identify with more than one origin group, so the total sum of origin group
populations will be greater than total Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander population.
Native Hawaiian was the most common origin group for the Native Hawaiian and Pacific
Islander population in Nevada with 16,161 people. The next most common origin groups were
Guamanian (5,295 people), and Samoan (5,046 people). If Hispanic origin were compared with Pacific
Island origin groups, Hispanic Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders would be the second most
common origin group with 5,732 people.
In summary, Nevada, especially Clark County, is home to one of the largest U.S. populations of
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders outside of Hawaii. This is a diverse and highly multi-racial
population. More information about Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander population trends in the U.S.
is available from the U.S. Census Bureau at http://factfinder2.census.gov. The Census reports
information about topics not reported here; such as family size and composition, population age and
sex composition, and employment data through the American Community Survey. For reports on other
segments of Nevada’s population please see our website at http://www.nvdemography.org.
References:
Hixon, L., Hepler, B. B., Kim, M. O. (2012). The Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Population: 2010. 2010
_____Census Briefs, C2010BR-12. http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-12.pdf.