The New Racial Dot Map of America

On Thursday the Census Bureau released the first detailed data from the 2020 U.S. census. In 2020 Census Statistics - Local Population Changes and Nation’s Racial and Ethnic Diversity the Census Bureau has published data from last year's census on population changes and on the racial and ethnic demographics of the United States.

CNN has used the newly released 2020 census data to create a racial dot of America. The interactive map in Race and ethnicity across the nation uses colored dots to visualize the population density and racial mix of every neighborhood in the country. Each colored dot on CNN's map represents 150 people from a particular race or ethnic group. The data is mapped to the census tract level and the locations of the dots are randomized within each tract.

If you want to compare how the racial diversity of your neighborhood or city has changed since the 2010 census then you can compare CNN's dot map with the University of Virginia's Racial Dot Map, which was created after the 2010 census. One change that you might be able to spot is the growth in the Hispanic population. Nearly every county in America has seen a growth in the Hispanic population in the last ten years. If you are interested in viewing where America's different racial and ethnic groups saw the biggest rise and fall in populations then you might like the maps in the Washington Posts' Mapping America's Racial Population Shifts Over the Last Decade. The Post's article includes maps for each of the major racial and ethnic groups showing where their populations have grown or fallen since the 2010 census.