For the first time in Denver's history, Anglos are no longer the majority of the city's population, new census figures indicate. Denver's Anglo population dropped by 0.8 percentage points between 2002 and 2003 to 49.4 percent of the 558,379 residents, according to figures released Wednesday by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The bureau's report is based on estimates and not exact counts, but the figures paint the most accurate picture available of the city's makeup.
They underscore trends that have been building over the last two decades, which have seen the growth of minorities outpacing that of Anglos in Denver.
The Asian, black, Hispanic and American Indian populations grew to 49.2 percent from 48.4 percent - a small increase, but one that leaders believe will contribute to minorities surpassing the 50 percent mark this year.
At this point, there technically isn't a majority population in Denver because 1.3 percent of residents are considered to be at least two other races and therefore they fall into their own census category.
Experts say the movement toward a minority majority in Denver is no surprise.
"Denver is seen as the city of opportunity," said Estevan Flores, executive director of the Denver-based Latino/a Policy & Research Center and author of several studies that analyze the state's Hispanic population.
According to the new census data, Hispanics in 2003 continued to be the city's largest minority group, comprising 34.8 percent of the total population - a 2.3 percent increase from 2002.
Blacks followed closely, and made up 10.6 percent of the Denver population, despite a 1.3 percent drop - the only drop in the metro area.
Asians, on the other hand, grew the most with a 3.9 percent gain. They now make up 3.1 percent of the city's population.
In Colorado, minority residents increased between 2002 and 2003.
Hispanics increased 3.8 percent and remained the largest single minority at 833,702.
Asians grew the most, 4.6 percent, to 117,353.
Minorities are still far from taking the lead in Colorado, where Anglos outnumber them nearly threefold and comprise 72.8 percent of the state's 4,550,688 population.
Polly Baca, chief executive officer of the Denver-based Latin American Research and Service Agency, believes that the state will continue to attract minority residents. Baca expects that many will settle in cities such as Denver, where they would have access to jobs and services that are offered in their native languages.
"Colorado has always been a beacon for immigrants," Baca said. "They help fuel the economy and we need them."
The minority population, mainly Hispanic immigrants, began to increase across the country about two decades ago, attracted by the availability of minimum-wage paying jobs.
Many immigrants settled on the West and East coasts, until about a decade ago, when many of them heard of Colorado's strong economy, Baca said.
Between 1990 and 2000, Colorado experienced perhaps its biggest wave of Hispanics, with the population increasing 73 percent to 735,601 during that time.
While the economy has become stagnant, it won't discourage minorities from moving to Denver, Baca said.
Because of that, both she and Flores said that city departments, hospital emergency rooms and schools must evolve to include more diversity and offer more bilingual services.
Mayor John Hickenlooper said his administration is already trying to better reflect the changing demographics, noting that two-thirds of the 52 people he appointed to his Cabinet are Asian, black or Hispanic.
The Denver Police Department is also trying to diversify. As it stands, 449 of the city's 1,399 police officers are either Asian, black, Hispanic or American Indian.
Denver undoubtedly is following the trend set by other U.S. cities.
Flores and Baca believe that by the next census in 2010, the city's minority population will be well above 50 percent.
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