Harvard forecasts minorities’ gains

The share of minority households in the United States is expected to increase to nearly one-third within 20 years, according to a report by Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies.

Minorities are expected to add 7.5 million households from 2000 to 2010 and 7.8 million more from 2010 to 2020. Making up nearly half the 25.3 million immigrants arriving in the United States since 1980, Latinos, particularly Mexicans, will lead the growth in minority households. Even if immigration drops to half its projected pace, increases in the number of minority households would still top 7.2 million this decade and 6.8 million the next, the report concluded.

Among minorities, the number of black households is expected to total about 15.1 million by 2010 and 17.4 million by 2020; Latinos, about 13 million households by 2010 and 16.8 million 10 years later; and Asians, who in this study included Pacific Islanders, Aleuts and Native Americans, 5.5 million households by 2010 and 7.1 million a decade later.