New census data released by the U.S. CensusBureau shows that the U.S. population is recovering across races and ethnic groups after a slump during the pandemic. According to analysis by senior demographer William Frey, the white population declined, however,  at a slower pace than the previous year, while the Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander and black populations increased.

A major factor in the population increase is the growth in net immigration, which has nearly tripled compared to the previous year. Latinos and Asians account for the bulk of arrivals, helping to combat the ongoing, if more modest, decline of the country's oldest white native population.

The Washington, D.C. metropolitan area has seen an increase in population driven by the growth of Latino and Asian populations. The population gain was especially significant for the Latino population, which nearly doubled from the previous year, as well as for the Asian and Pacific Islander populations.

According to a Washington Post article, however, mostly suburban counties continued to see declines in the white population, many at higher levels than during the previous year, which was the height of the pandemic. Some counties, such as Alexandria and Arlington, showed considerably smaller white declines compared to the previous year, contributing, along with gains from other racial groups to a small population increase compared to the drop recorded previously.

Fairfax and Montgomery counties saw big gains in Asian and Latino populations. In addition, the United States as a whole is gradually aging, mainly due to the aging of the baby boomer generation and their children, known as eco boomers. The country’s average age rose slightly, reflecting this trend.

While some states have an average age above 40, such as Maine and New Hampshire, others, such as Utah and Texas, have lower average ages. The average age in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia is around 40, according to The Post.

Census data shows that no state has seen a decrease in average age, although some states and counties have experienced more significant increases. For example, Hawaii saw the largest increase in average age among states, reflecting the aging of the local population, rising 0.4 years to 40.7. “Median age was 34.8 in Washington, D.C., 40.1 in Maryland, and 39.0 in Virginia”.

“Median age is the age at which half of the population is older and half of the population is younger. The data released Thursday reflects the period from July 2021 to July 2022”, according to The Post.

In addition, several counties with populations over 100,000 had older average ages, many of them located in Florida, which is known for its sizable retirement community. On the other hand, some of the younger counties are home to large universities, which contributes to a lower average age.

These census data offer a comprehensive view of demographic changes in the United States, highlighting the impact of increased migration flows, the growth of certain ethnic groups, and aging.