Tarrant County makes big gains in Black, Hispanic, Asian residents, Census data shows
Tarrant County is a far more diverse area than it was 20 years ago after making extraordinary gains in the number of Black, Hispanic and Asian residents, Census data shows.
The county, which includes Fort Worth, Arlington and more than three dozen surrounding cities, now has a population of 2.1 million, up from 1.8 million in 2010 and 1.4 million in 2000.
The 2020 figures were released Thursday, as part of the Census Bureau’s effort to provide up-to-date population data so that states can begin work redistricting their congressional boundaries. Greater Fort Worth could be among the areas to gain a congressional seat because of its fast-growing population.
The latest figures show that 1.04 million Tarrant County residents — slightly less than half the population — describe themselves only as white, a 13% drop from 1.2 million in 2010.
The population changes in Tarrant County mirror what’s happening at the state and national level, said Kyle Walker, associate geography professor at TCU.
The nation as a whole is becoming more diverse, Census officials said during a news conference. Officials also said that Census participants have new ways of reporting their backgrounds, including new ways of counting people who claim more than one race and ethnicity, which may contribute to the increasing diversity shown in their data.
“The U.S. population is much more multiracial and ethnically diverse than we have measured in the past,” said Nicholas Jones, Census Bureau director of race and ethnic research.
The Black population in Tarrant County has nearly doubled during the past two decades to 366,727 residents in 2020. That’s compared to 268,983 Black residents in 2010 and 185,143 in 2000.
Hispanics now make up 29% of the county population, with 620,907 residents in 2020. That’s up from 482,977 Hispanic residents in 2010 and 285,290 in 2000.
Tarrant County’s Asian population has grown to 129,437 residents, up from 84,561 residents in 2010 and 52,594 in 2000.
Overall, the Texas population is now 29.1 million, up from 25.1 million a decade ago, a 15.9% increase. Texas is among a handful of states that experienced a population gain of 10% or more during that period, according to the Census Bureau.
