2010 Census shows greater Latino, Asian population in Morris County
Latinos and Asians have continued to become a larger presence in Morris County with population increases of more than 50 percent over the past decade, according to an analysis of 2010 Census figures released Thursday.
Both Morris County and New Jersey as a whole saw a modest population increase of slightly more than 4.7 percent.
Latinos now make up 11.5 percent of Morris County's population, compared with 7.7 percent in the 2000 Census. Asians, including people who trace their origins to India and the Middle East, comprise 9 percent of the county's population, compared with 6.2 percent in 2000.
The African-American population, which had a less dramatic rise, now make up 3.1 percent of the population compared with 2.7 percent in 2000.
Non-Latino whites continue to make up a smaller piece of the pie, and that population actually shrank by 4 percent during the past decade to 370,000 residents.
Dover has the largest population of Latinos with 12,598, 69 percent of the town's total population. The largest Asian congregation is in Parsippany, where a number of Indian grocery stores have opened over the past couple of years. The township has an Asian community of 15,485 residents, 29 percent of the total population.
"Latinos continue to make Morris County their home for various reasons," said Ed Correa, of Dover, co-founder and president of the New Jersey Latino Foundation, an educational organization. "We have transportation, education and employment opportunities. As we progress, we will become more involved in politics."
A few years ago, a Daily Record survey found minorities were underrepresented in Morris County politics despite their rising numbers.
The nation's population increased by almost 10 percent to 309 million. New Jersey's population increased by 4.5 percent, from 8.4 million to 8.8 million, not enough to prevent the loss of a seat in Congress.
Latinos now make up 17.7 percent of the state's population, up from 13.3 percent 10 years ago. The Census counted 1.5 million Latinos in the state. African Americans now make up 13.7 percent of the population and Asians 8.3 percent.