Minorities nearly quarter of state’s population

OLYMPIA – State demographers say projections show that by mid-decade, racial minorities will increase to about 1.4 million Washington residents and represent 23 percent of the state’s population.

The projections were by the Washington Office of Financial Management.

U.S. Census Bureau figures show minorities in Washington increased from 15.7 percent in 1990 to 20.8 percent in 2000 and to 22 percent by 2003.

In 2003, the state’s population was 6,131,445. Of that total, 5,243,441 were white, 508,199 were Hispanic, 355,805 were Asian, 199,174 were black and 127,001 were multiracial.