The Charlotte region’s growth is consistent with other fast-growing regions. An increasing number of young professionals continue to move to the area for employment or to take advantage of the region’s economic prosperity.

Most of the population growth can be attributed to migration rather than birth rates. Of the more than 200,000 boost in population from 2000 to 2005, nearly 68 percent came from migration.   Migration from within the United States accounted for 49 percent of the total population change, while international immigration accounted for 19 percent.

Similarly from 1990 to 1999, of the more than 300,000 increase in population, the population change attributable to migration was over 67 percent, but a much larger component of that change was from domestic migration – 62 percent. International immigration has increased from 5 percent of the total population change from 1990 to 1999 to 19 percent from 2000 to 2005. The Charlotte region is clearly a destination for people from around the country and, increasingly, from around the world.

The rise in population has increased the diversity of the region. While the majority of the population continues to be white, the region has experienced a steady increase in minority populations. Latino population growth is without a doubt the fastest-growing population segment in the Charlotte region. From 2000 through 2005, the Latino population expanded by an astonishing 62 percent, from 93,274 to 151,067. But, the percentage of Latinos within the population is still small, at 6.6 percent in 2005.

The Charlotte region’s racial and ethnic composition has become more diverse since 1990. Representing over 75 percent of the population in 2005, whites are the largest group. But that 75 percent represents a decrease from 79 percent in 1990. African Americans have remained at around 20 percent of the population since 1990, with a slight increase since that time.

Native Americans continue to represent less than one percent of the population. Asian and Pacific Islanders comprised slightly more than two percent of the population in 2005, up from less than one percent in 1990. Latinos have shown the greatest increase in the last 15 years, growing from less than one percent of the population in 1990 to 6.6 percent in 2005.