In March, the U.S. Census Bureau released data from the 2000 Census. The Census reported the number of people over age 18 and the total population by race and Hispanic origin.

The most significant change in the recent Census is the change of minimum racial categories from four to five, with 57 additional racial combinations. The increase of racial groups in 2000 is due to the division of the previous “Asian and Pacific Islander” category into two distinct categories — “Asian” and “Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander.” People could also choose a sixth category, “Some Other Race,” if the specific categories did no t describe them appropriately.

In the 2000 Census, people were allowed to choose as many combinations as possible of the six racial groups to describe their race.