UNO Students of Tomorrow:Changing DemographicsJerry DeichertUNO Center for Public Affairs Research

Fall Strategic Planning AdvanceNovember 15, 2004

Overall population Nebraska’s population grew 8.4 percent

Fastest growth rate since 1910-1920 Much higher than the 0.5 percent growth during

the 1980s Between 2000 and 2003, Nebraska grew by

1.6 percent (a decade rate of 5.5 percent)

County population Nebraska’s population is becoming concentrated in

its most populous counties Between 1990 and 2000, 40 counties added population Since 2000, 27 counties have added population During the1980s, only 10 counties added population

Counties that do not have a town of at least 10,000 persons have been losing population

In 2003, Douglas, Sarpy, and lancaster Counties accounted for 50.03 percent of the state’s population

Net migration The 1990s was the first decade in more than 6

decades to experience net inmigration (3.1 percent 48,000 persons) International greater than domestic

Compares to an outmigration of more than 100,000 persons during the 1980s

Since 2000, the state has experienced a slight outmigration

Births Births in the 1980s were higher than the

1970s and peaked in 1980 Births in the 1990s were lower than the 1980s

but picked up during the latter part of the decade Fewer children under 10 in 2000 than in 1990

Births continue to increase in the 2000s Births in 2003 highest since 1985

Race and Hispanic/Latino Change 1990-2000

Total (8.4 percent) White, non-Hispanic/Latino (2.4 percent) Non-White and Hispanic/Latino (83.3 percent)

In 2000, non-White or Hispanic/Latino population was 12.7 percent of total 7.4 percent in 1990 13.6 percent in 2002

Latinos became largest minority group in 2000 Non-White and Hispanic/Latino population is much younger

Relatively more under 35 Relatively fewer 35+

Projections of the population aged 18 to 24 years Using the trend series, this population will

peak in 2004 at about 188,000 Decrease until 2018 at 171,000 It will not surpass the 2004 level until 2027