See population changes in racial and ethnic groups in Idaho using this interactive chart
The Boise area — and Idaho as a whole — became significantly more diverse during the 2010s, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Idaho was the second-fastest-growing state in the nation last decade, seeing a 17.3% surge in population from 2010 to 2020. Utah was the fastest-growing state, with an 18.4% population change over the decade.
Over 270,000 more people called the Gem State home in 2020 than in 2010, with 102,602 of those flocking to Ada County alone. That growth has led to increases in several racial and ethnic minority groups — both in raw numbers and in percentage of the population.
The graphs below show the numerical and percentage change for several racial and ethnic groups in the Boise area.
White
Ada County’s largest numerical change in population comes via white residents. Between 2010 and 2020, the county’s population saw an increase of 55,916 white residents for a 15.8% percentage change.
However, because of an increase in population in several racial and ethnic minority groups across the county, white residents comprised 82.9% of Ada County in 2020 compared to 90.3% in 2010.
Hispanic or Latino
Idaho saw a 36.1% increase in Hispanic and Latino populations between 2010 and 2020, while Ada County almost doubled that percentage with a 62.1% increase. The 2020 census recorded 45,233 Hispanic or Latino residents in Ada County, which is 17,318 more than in the 2010 census. Hispanic and Latino residents now make up 9.1% of Ada County’s population, with that percentage being just 7.1% in 2010.
Black or African-American
Ada County saw a spike of 81.4% in Black or African-American residents over the decade, the fifth-largest increase in the state. As of the 2020 census, there were 8,058 Black or African-American residents in the county, compared to 4,441 in 2010.
Asian
Idaho saw a 40.7% increase in Asian residents from 2010 to 2020, and Ada County increased ahead of that curve, seeing a 48.1% increase, accounting for 4,522 more residents.
Asian residents account for 2.8% (13,929 people) of Ada County in 2020, compared to 2.4% (9,407 people) in 2010.
American Indian and Alaska Native
Not a single county saw a decrease in its American Indian or Alaska Native populations from 2010 to 2020.
As of the 2020 census, 25,621 citizens that identified as American Indian or Alaska Native lived in the state, with 3,274 of those living in Ada County. The county saw a 25.4% increase within these population groups, rising from 2,610 to 3,724.
Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander
Those identifying as Native Hawaiian or from another Pacific Islander background represent the smallest population group in Ada County of just 1,318 people, accounting for 0.3% of the county.
But because Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders represent such a small population group, the population increase of 861 to 1,318 from 2010 to 2020 amounted to a 53.1% population increase over the decade.
The interactive graph below puts all of the above information into one pie chart. There may be some disparities between the Dataherald chart below and the Census Bureau data listed above due to how Dataherald classifies its racial and ethnic groups.
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