The U.S. Virgin Islands’ population is older, slightly better educated, and a little more Hispanic and white than a decade ago, according to recently released data from the U.S. Census.
The Census Bureau released total population figures in 2011, but released more raw demographic data in late December.
In 2010 the territory as a whole had a total population of 106,405, of whom 14,388, or 13.5 percent, were age 65 or over, according to the Census data. That’s a sharp increase from the 2000 census, which showed only 8.4 percent of residents to be age 65 or older.
Of those ages 25 or older, 68.9 percent had at least a high school diploma in 2010 – a dramatic jump from 60.6 percent in the 2000 census. And 19.2 percent of those age 25 or older had at least a bachelor’s degree – a sharp increase from the 2000 census, which showed 16.8 percent with at least a bachelor’s degree.
In 2010, 70,379 residents – 66.1 percent – identified as black, non-Hispanic.
Another 18,504 or 17.4 percent identified as Hispanic of any race. Of those, 10,981 were Puerto Rican and 5,827 were Dominican.
The bulk of the territory’s Hispanic population resides on St. Croix, where 12,218, or 24.3 percent of the island’s population of 50,601 identified as Hispanic. Another 6,648 identified as other races and 2,203 said they were multiracial.
Whites totaled 14,352 or 13.5 percent of the total territorial population in 2010.
In 2000, 76,696 of the territory’s 108,692 residents – 70.6 percent — identified as black, non-Hispanic. Another 15,196, or 14 percent, identified as Hispanic of any race. And 12,275 or 11.3 percent identified as white, not Hispanic. Some 6,289 listed "other," Another 3,792 said they were multiracial and 1,215 said they were Asian.
A decade before that, the 1990 census found 72,955 or 71.7 percent of the territory’s 101,809 residents were black, non-Hispanic, while 14.4 percent were Hispanic and 12.4 percent white.
The white population has fluctuated up and down slightly since 1990, but the overall proportion is nearly identical to the 13 percent found in the 1940 census.
So during the last three decades, the territory’s population has grown steadily more Hispanic, but remains about two-thirds black, non-Hispanic. Of course, many Hispanic individuals from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and elsewhere also identify as black. And 82,426 Virgin Islanders or 77.4 percent of the population identified as black or a mix of black and a second race in 2010.
So the territory’s status as the sole black majority state or territory in the U.S. remains in place.
