Native Americans By the Numbers

Updated October 7, 2021 | Infoplease Staff

Find out how many Native Americans live in the United States, where they live, the languages they speak, and more. These informative statistics come from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Population

6.6 million

The nation's population of Native American and Alaska Natives, including those of more than one race. They made up about 2.0 percent of the total population in 2015.

10.2 million

The projected American Indian and Alaska Native population, alone or in combination, on July 1, 2060. They would constitute 2.4 percent of the total population.

559,796

The Native American and Alaska Native population, alone or in combination, age 65 and over, on July 1, 2015.

21

The number of states with 100,000 or more Native American and Alaska Native residents, alone or in combination, in 2015. These states were California, Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona, New York, New Mexico, Washington, North Carolina, Florida, Michigan, Colorado, Alaska, Illinois, Oregon, Minnesota, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio, Wisconsin and New Jersey.

19.5%

The percentage of Alaska's population identified as Native American and Alaska Native, alone or in combination, in 2015, the highest share for this race group of any state. Alaska was followed by Oklahoma (13.6 percent), New Mexico (11.8 percent), South Dakota (10.3 percent) and Montana (8.3 percent).

30.2

The median age for those who were Native American and Alaska Native, alone or in combination, in 2015. This compares with a median age of 37.8 for the U.S. population as a whole.

Reservations

326

The number of federally recognized Native American reservations in 2016, including federal reservations and off-reservation trust land. Excluding Hawaiian Home Lands, the Census Bureau provides statistics for 631 Native American and Alaska Native legal and statistical areas.

Tribes

567

The number of federally recognized Indian tribes in 2016.

Families

1,792,840

The number of Native American and Alaska Native households in 2015 (households with a householder who was Native American and Alaska Native alone or in combination with another race). Of these, 38.1 percent were married-couple families, including those with children.

5.7%

The percentage of Native Americans and Alaska Natives, alone or in combination with other races, age 30 and over, who were grandparents living with at least one of their grandchildren in 2015.

Housing

53.1%

The percentage of single-race Native Americans and Alaska Native householders who owned their own home in 2015. This is compared with 63.0 percent of the overall population.

Languages

27.1%

The percentage of single-race Native Americans and Alaska Natives age 5 and older who spoke a language other than English at home in 2015, compared with 21.5 percent for the nation as a whole.

Education

82.7%

The percentage of the Native American and Alaska Native population, alone or in combination, age 25 and older that had at least a high school diploma, GED certificate or alternative credential in 2014. In addition, 19.1 percent obtained a bachelor's degree or higher. In comparison, 87.1 percent of the overall population age 25 and older had a high school diploma or higher, and 30.6 percent had a bachelor's degree or higher.

41.3%

The percentage of single-race and Alaska Natives age 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher whose degree was in science and engineering, or science and engineering-related fields in 2015. This compares with 44.1 percent for all people age 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher in science and engineering, or science and engineering-related fields in 2015.

14.1%

The percentage of single-race Native American and Alaska Natives age 25 and older who had a bachelor's, graduate or professional degree in 2015.

Businesses

26,757

The estimated number of Native American and Alaska Native-owned employer firms in 2014.

Jobs

26.4%

The percentage of civilian-employed, single-race Native American and Alaska Native people, age 16 and older who worked in management, business, science and arts occupations in 2015. In addition, 23.9 percent worked in service occupations and 23.4 percent in sales and office occupations. There is no statistically significant difference between the percentage who worked in service occupations and the percentage who worked in office occupations.

Veterans

130,802

The number of single-race Native American and Alaska Native veterans of the U.S. armed forces in 2015.

Income and Poverty

$38,530

The median household income of single-race Native American and Alaska Native households in 2015. This compares with $55,775 for the nation as a whole.

26.6%

The percentage of single-race Native American and Alaska Natives who were in poverty in 2015, the highest rate of any race group. For the nation as a whole, the poverty rate was 14.7 percent.

Health Insurance

20.7%

The percentage of single-race Native American and Alaska Natives who lacked health insurance coverage in 2015. For the nation as a whole, the corresponding percentage was 9.4 percent.