2010 Census: The "Average" American No Longer Exists

Trends/Issues

October 2009 -- The 2010 Census is expected to find that nearly 310 million people live in the US, but, according to demographics expert Peter Francese one person will be missing:  the average American.
 

The concept of an ‘average American’ is gone, probably forever,” Francese writes in 2010 America, a new Ad Age white paper.  “The average American has been replaced by a complex, multidimensional society that defies simplistic labeling.” 

Selected findings of 2010 America:
 

• "This census will show that no household type neatly describes even one-third of households," Mr. Francese writes. "The iconic American family -- married couple with children -- will account for a mere 22% of households."

• The most common type of U.S. household is predicted to be a married couple with no children, followed closely by single-person households.

• Minorities are the new majority. In the nation's 10 largest cities, no racial or ethnic category describes a majority of the population.  In addition, 80% of people age 65-plus will be white non-Hispanics. But just 54% of children under age 18 will be white non-Hispanics.

• In 2010, Hispanics will be both the nation's fastest-growing and largest minority (50 million people).

• The nation is on the move. Over the past decade 85% of the nation's population growth occurred in the South and West. According to the white paper, a total of about 3 million people have left Northeast, and another 2 million have left the Midwest for the South and West.
  
   

Source:  Advertising Age, New U.S. Census to Reveal Major Shift: No More Joe Consumer, October 12, 2009.