Demographics 101: Over the past decade the US population has grown by 9.7% to 309m. Minorities accounted for 92% of that growth. The ranks of Hispanics swelled by 43% to 51m. The Asian population grew at the same rate to 15m. Blacks increased in number by 11% to 38m. All minority groups put together jumped by 29% to 112m. The non-Hispanic White population grew by 1.2%.