{"title":"Native American Population by State","shortName":"Native American Population by State","slug":"native-american-population","status":"Active","lastUpdated":"2025-10-21","type":"States","regionCount":null,"mapMinHeight":250,"mapImageUrl":null,"fancyMapUrl":null,"imageExtension":null,"mapSource":"custom","excerpt":"Find out where pet capybaras are legal in the U.S. Plus legality data for foxes, raccoons, and otters by state. By DataPandas.","indexable":false,"category":{"name":"Demographics","slug":"demographics"},"regions":[{"name":"California","identifier":"california-us-state"},{"name":"Texas","identifier":"texas-us-state"},{"name":"Oklahoma","identifier":"oklahoma-us-state"},{"name":"Arizona","identifier":"arizona-us-state"},{"name":"New York","identifier":"new-york-us-state"},{"name":"Florida","identifier":"florida-us-state"},{"name":"Washington","identifier":"washington-us-state"},{"name":"New Mexico","identifier":"new-mexico-us-state"},{"name":"North Carolina","identifier":"north-carolina-us-state"},{"name":"Illinois","identifier":"illinois-us-state"},{"name":"Colorado","identifier":"colorado-us-state"},{"name":"Michigan","identifier":"michigan-us-state"},{"name":"Georgia","identifier":"georgia-us-state"},{"name":"Oregon","identifier":"oregon-us-state"},{"name":"Alaska","identifier":"alaska-us-state"},{"name":"Ohio","identifier":"ohio-us-state"},{"name":"Minnesota","identifier":"minnesota-us-state"},{"name":"Pennsylvania","identifier":"pennsylvania-us-state"},{"name":"Virginia","identifier":"virginia-us-state"},{"name":"New Jersey","identifier":"new-jersey-us-state"},{"name":"Wisconsin","identifier":"wisconsin-us-state"},{"name":"Missouri","identifier":"missouri-us-state"},{"name":"Nevada","identifier":"nevada-us-state"},{"name":"Maryland","identifier":"maryland-us-state"},{"name":"South Dakota","identifier":"south-dakota-us-state"},{"name":"Montana","identifier":"montana-us-state"},{"name":"Tennessee","identifier":"tennessee-us-state"},{"name":"Indiana","identifier":"indiana-us-state"},{"name":"Louisiana","identifier":"louisiana-us-state"},{"name":"Alabama","identifier":"alabama-us-state"},{"name":"Kansas","identifier":"kansas-us-state"},{"name":"Utah","identifier":"utah-us-state"},{"name":"Arkansas","identifier":"arkansas-us-state"},{"name":"Massachusetts","identifier":"massachusetts-us-state"},{"name":"South Carolina","identifier":"south-carolina-us-state"},{"name":"Idaho","identifier":"idaho-us-state"},{"name":"Kentucky","identifier":"kentucky-us-state"},{"name":"North Dakota","identifier":"north-dakota-us-state"},{"name":"Connecticut","identifier":"connecticut-us-state"},{"name":"Nebraska","identifier":"nebraska-us-state"},{"name":"Iowa","identifier":"iowa-us-state"},{"name":"Hawaii","identifier":"hawaii-us-state"},{"name":"Mississippi","identifier":"mississippi-us-state"},{"name":"Wyoming","identifier":"wyoming-us-state"},{"name":"Maine","identifier":"maine-us-state"},{"name":"West Virginia","identifier":"west-virginia-us-state"},{"name":"Rhode Island","identifier":"rhode-island-us-state"},{"name":"New Hampshire","identifier":"new-hampshire-us-state"},{"name":"Delaware","identifier":"delaware-us-state"},{"name":"District of Columbia","identifier":"district-of-columbia-"},{"name":"Vermont","identifier":"vermont-us-state"}],"content":[{"tocTitle":"Native American population","contentTitle":"Native American population in the United States","content":"```\nThe Native American population in the United States reflects both the country’s demographic scale and its deep Indigenous roots. Based on 2023 Census estimates, **over 6.8 million people identify as American Indian or Alaska Native**, either alone or in combination — an 11 % increase from the previous decade. While Native Americans represent a small share of the U.S. population, they form the majority in specific regions and remain culturally and politically significant across the country.\n\nThe data reveal clear regional patterns. **Large states lead by total count**, such as California and Texas, while others — particularly Oklahoma, Alaska, and New Mexico — show **high concentrations relative to population size**. These patterns trace back to the presence of major tribal lands and historical relocations under U.S. policy.\n```","order":1,"faqs":[]},{"tocTitle":"Key Findings","contentTitle":"Key Findings","content":"```\n* **California has the largest Native American population**, exceeding **1.1 million**, with major communities in Los Angeles, San Diego, and the Central Valley.\n* **Texas ranks second**, with about **586 000 Native Americans**, mostly in urban areas rather than reservations.\n* **Oklahoma and New Mexico** combine both **large numbers and high shares** — 13.5 % and 11.8 %, respectively — among the strongest Indigenous presences in the nation.\n* **Alaska stands out** with only 148 000 Native Americans but nearly **20 % of the state’s total population**, the highest concentration nationally.\n* **Eastern states** such as Vermont and Delaware record the smallest counts, though they maintain recognized tribes and Indigenous communities despite limited numbers.\n```","order":2,"faqs":[]},{"tocTitle":"Largest Native Populations","contentTitle":"States with the Largest Native American Populations","content":"```\n1. **California** — Home to over 100 federally recognized tribes, it has the largest Native American population in the U.S. Despite its size, Native Americans account for less than 3 % of residents, concentrated in both tribal lands and major cities.  \n2. **Texas** — Ranking second, Texas’s Native population is largely urban and multi-tribal, reflecting migration rather than historical tribal concentration.  \n3. **Oklahoma** — With 39 federally recognized tribes, Oklahoma combines a large absolute number and one of the country’s highest Indigenous shares (13.5 %), reflecting its role as a center of Native sovereignty.  \n4. **Arizona** — The Navajo, Hopi, and Apache nations make Arizona one of the most visibly Indigenous states, where reservations cover significant portions of land.  \n5. **New York** — About 279 000 residents identify as Native American, primarily from the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy and growing urban communities in New York City.  \n6. **Florida** — Home to the Seminole and Miccosukee tribes, Florida’s Indigenous population is mostly urban and diverse, with concentrations in South Florida.  \n7. **Washington** — With 29 federally recognized tribes, including the Puyallup, Yakama, and Lummi, Washington maintains a strong Indigenous presence along the coast and Puget Sound.  \n8. **New Mexico** — Native Americans make up about 12 % of the population, primarily Pueblo, Navajo, and Apache peoples — one of the highest shares in the continental U.S.  \n9. **North Carolina** — The Lumbee Tribe anchors the state’s Indigenous population, the largest east of the Mississippi, mainly in Robeson County.  \n10. **Georgia** — Georgia’s Native American population reflects Cherokee descendants and growing multi-tribal communities around Atlanta.\n\n| State | Native American Population (2023) | Share of Population |\n| ----- | ----- | ----- |\n| California | 1,110,000 | 2.8 % |\n| Texas | 586,000 | 1.8 % |\n| Oklahoma | 556,000 | 13.5 % |\n| Arizona | 434,000 | 5.7 % |\n| New York | 279,000 | 1.4 % |\n| Florida | 264,000 | 1.1 % |\n| Washington | 255,000 | 3.2 % |\n| New Mexico | 253,000 | 11.8 % |\n| North Carolina | 242,000 | 2.2 % |\n| Georgia | 162,000 | 1.4 % |\n```","order":3,"faqs":[]},{"tocTitle":"Smallest Native Populations","contentTitle":"States with the Smallest Native American Populations","content":"```\n1. **Vermont** — The smallest Native American population nationally (\\~9 000\\) but home to state-recognized Abenaki tribes.\n\n2. **District of Columbia** — A small, urban-based Indigenous population from diverse tribal origins.  \n3. **Delaware** — Despite its modest count, about 1.3 % of residents identify as Native American, primarily from the Nanticoke and Lenape tribes.  \n4. **New Hampshire** — Minimal tribal representation, with small Native communities integrated into broader regional populations.  \n5. **Maine** — The Penobscot and Passamaquoddy nations maintain active cultural and territorial presence despite small numbers.  \n6. **Wyoming** — Though total count is low, nearly 4 % of residents identify as Native American, mainly from the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes.  \n7. **Rhode Island** — The Narragansett Tribe represents the core of the state’s Native population.  \n8. **West Virginia** — Indigenous residents are dispersed and largely urban, with few organized tribal structures.  \n9. **Nebraska** — Several reservations exist despite moderate totals, including the Omaha and Winnebago tribes.  \n10. **Connecticut** — Home to the federally recognized Mohegan and Mashantucket Pequot tribes, known for their economic and cultural contributions.\n\n| State | Native American Population  | Share of Population |\n| ----- | ----- | ----- |\n| Vermont | 9,300 | 1.4 % |\n| District of Columbia | 10,700 | 1.5 % |\n| Delaware | 13,600 | 1.3 % |\n| New Hampshire | 13,800 | 1.0 % |\n| Maine | 22,200 | 1.6 % |\n| Wyoming | 22,500 | 3.8 % |\n| Rhode Island | 18,500 | 1.6 % |\n| West Virginia | 19,000 | 1.1 % |\n| Nebraska | 43,400 | 2.1 % |\n| Connecticut | 44,200 | 1.2 % |\n```","order":4,"faqs":[]}],"metrics":[{"name":"Native American Population","shortName":"Native American Population","context":"Total number of Native American residents in the state","type":"Choropleth","inverted":false,"mapColorScheme":"pink","mapInterpolation":"logarithmic","colorOverwrite":"","summary":"total","measurement":null,"dataset":[{"id":"recrxweSaWxE0FCUX","year":2023,"sources":[{"name":"2024 American Community Survey","link":"https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/news/data-releases.html","lastUpdated":"2024","organization":{"name":"U.S. Census 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Carolina"},{"data":186996,"viewData":"187.00K","regionIndex":9,"regionName":"Illinois"},{"data":168286,"viewData":"168.29K","regionIndex":10,"regionName":"Colorado"},{"data":166967,"viewData":"166.97K","regionIndex":11,"regionName":"Michigan"},{"data":161956,"viewData":"161.96K","regionIndex":12,"regionName":"Georgia"},{"data":152808,"viewData":"152.81K","regionIndex":13,"regionName":"Oregon"},{"data":148323,"viewData":"148.32K","regionIndex":14,"regionName":"Alaska"},{"data":127558,"viewData":"127.56K","regionIndex":15,"regionName":"Ohio"},{"data":124696,"viewData":"124.70K","regionIndex":16,"regionName":"Minnesota"},{"data":120862,"viewData":"120.86K","regionIndex":17,"regionName":"Pennsylvania"},{"data":119071,"viewData":"119.07K","regionIndex":18,"regionName":"Virginia"},{"data":111544,"viewData":"111.54K","regionIndex":19,"regionName":"New Jersey"},{"data":106776,"viewData":"106.78K","regionIndex":20,"regionName":"Wisconsin"},{"data":101092,"viewData":"101.09K","regionIndex":21,"regionName":"Missouri"},{"data":92052,"viewData":"92.05K","regionIndex":22,"regionName":"Nevada"},{"data":91331,"viewData":"91.33K","regionIndex":23,"regionName":"Maryland"},{"data":90962,"viewData":"90.96K","regionIndex":24,"regionName":"South 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Dakota"},{"data":44192,"viewData":"44.19K","regionIndex":38,"regionName":"Connecticut"},{"data":43425,"viewData":"43.43K","regionIndex":39,"regionName":"Nebraska"},{"data":39790,"viewData":"39.79K","regionIndex":40,"regionName":"Iowa"},{"data":37753,"viewData":"37.75K","regionIndex":41,"regionName":"Hawaii"},{"data":36262,"viewData":"36.26K","regionIndex":42,"regionName":"Mississippi"},{"data":22501,"viewData":"22.50K","regionIndex":43,"regionName":"Wyoming"},{"data":22226,"viewData":"22.23K","regionIndex":44,"regionName":"Maine"},{"data":18965,"viewData":"18.97K","regionIndex":45,"regionName":"West Virginia"},{"data":18528,"viewData":"18.53K","regionIndex":46,"regionName":"Rhode Island"},{"data":13832,"viewData":"13.83K","regionIndex":47,"regionName":"New Hampshire"},{"data":13623,"viewData":"13.62K","regionIndex":48,"regionName":"Delaware"},{"data":10679,"viewData":"10.68K","regionIndex":49,"regionName":"District of Columbia"},{"data":9273,"viewData":"9.27K","regionIndex":50,"regionName":"Vermont"}]}]},{"name":"Native American Percentage","shortName":"Native American Percentage","context":"Percentage of population identifying as Native American","type":"Choropleth","inverted":false,"mapColorScheme":"pink","mapInterpolation":"linear","colorOverwrite":"","summary":"average","measurement":{"id":"recmEHiSLgGFVCmIH","name":"Percentage","symbol":"%","showMap":true,"showText":true},"dataset":[{"id":"reco32pxsguNJZthE","year":2023,"sources":[{"name":"2024 American Community Survey","link":"https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/news/data-releases.html","lastUpdated":"2024","organization":{"name":"U.S. Census 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