Pennsylvania's Native American Population on the Increase

                         October 5, 1995


Pennsylvania's Native American Population on the Increase

Middletown, Pa. -- Pennsylvania's Native American population showed
a 32 percent increase between 1980 and 1990, according to figures
compiled by the Pennsylvania State Data Center at Penn State
Harrisburg.

     Utilizing information from the 1990 Census, the Data Center found
the number of Native Americans residing in the Commonwealth grew
from 11,132 at the beginning of the decade to 14,733 in 1990.

     Of the 1990 Native American population, 14,210, or 96.4 percent,
were American Indians, while there were also 264 Eskimos and 259
Aleuts.

     Compared to other demographic groups, the growth rate of Native
Americans was exceeded only by Asians (113.5 percent) and Hispanics
(50.9 percent).  The high growth rate is reflected by the lower median
age, 31.4 years, among Native Americans compared to that of the
general population (35.1).

     In addition to a lower median age, Native Americans in
Pennsylvania had a larger percentage of single parent families with
children, and lower educational attainment rates than the general
population.  Of the 6,214 Native American households in Pennsylvania,
32.6 percent were nonfamily in 1990 compared to 29.3 percent for all
Commonwealth households.  In Native American family households, 18.3
were single parent with children compared to 9.1 percent for the general
population.

     In addition, the Native American population had a lower
percentage rate of high school graduates, 67.8, than the 74.7 percent
for all Pennsylvanians, and 12 percent held college degrees compared to
17.9 percent overall.

     The Data Center also found Native Americans lagging behind other
Pennsylvanians economically.  The average income for all households in
1989 was$36,684 while the average for Native American households
was $28,059.  Pennsylvania's average per capita income in 1989 was
$14,068, but it was $10,546 for Native Americans.

     The state unemployment rate in 1990 was 6 percent, but for
Native Americans, it was 12.2 percent.


     The largest concentration of Native Americans in Pennsylvania
was in Philadelphia County (23.4 percent), followed by Allegheny County
(9.9 percent), and Montgomery County (5.1 percent).  The smallest
percentage was found in Cameron (0.1 percent), followed by Montour
County (0.5), and Forest (0.8).

     Tribes most represented in Pennsylvania included Cherokee,
Iroquios, Blackfoot and Sioux.  The Cherokee population rose 20.6
percent from 2,808 in 1980 to 3,387 in 1990.

The state-sponsored Pennsylvania State Data Center is the
commonwealth's official source of population and economic statistics
and services.  It is based at Penn State Harrisburg's Institute of State and
Regional Affairs, School of Public Affairs.

                      
EDITORS:  For additional or more detailed information contact Jennifer
Shultz at The Pennsylvania State Data Center at (717) 772-2710 or the
Penn State Harrisburg Public Information Office at (717) 948-6029. 

Source of Information:	1990 Census of Population and
			Housing STF1 and STF3, U.S. Census
			Bureau
			
Accompany Table:        PA Native American Population, 1990

Accompany Map:          PA Native American Population, 1990