New U.S. Census Bureau population estimates released Friday show that the nation’s Native Hawaiian and “other” Pacific Islander population totaled 1.5 million as of July 1, 2015.
That’s up 35,000, or 2.4 percent, since July 1, 2014, growth due “largely to natural increase.”
Hawaii had the largest “numeric population” of Native Hawaiians and “other” Pacific Islanders of any state in 2015 — 373,000 — as well as the highest percentage (26 percent). California had the largest numeric increase since 2014, or 6,300 people.
The City and County of Honolulu had the largest population of Native Hawaiians and “other” Pacific Islanders of any county (240,400) in 2015, while Clark County, Nev., saw the largest numeric increase since 2014 — or 1,300 people. Viva, Las Vegas!

Kalawao County, Hawaii — aka Kalaupapa on Molokai — is the nation’s only county where more than half of the population is from the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander group.
In other Census news, Los Angeles County, Calif., had the largest Asian population of any county — 1.7 million — in 2015 and saw the largest numeric increase — 30,200 — since 2014.
Honolulu and Kauai County were the nation’s only majority Asian counties, while Hawaii was the nation’s only majority Asian state — 56 percent.
The state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism breaks down the data further for the islands.
For example, the state population as of July 1, 2015, was 1,431,603 while Honolulu’s was 998,714. No wonder traffic sucks.
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About the Author
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Chad Blair is the politics editor for Civil Beat. You can reach him by email at cblair@civilbeat.org or follow him on X at @chadblairCB.