Census Bureau Releases New Data On Racial Groups In Kent

The U.S. Census Bureau released more detailed statistics for Ohio recently from the 2010 Census, including new data for racial groups in Kent.

The bureau says the new data offers a "new layer of detail" to the population and housing data released last year as part of the decennial population study.

The new data even drills down into city data, giving communities like Kent a window into how different racial groups are living within our communities.

The Census data is a massive trove of information, so the plan here is to highlight some interesting facts gleamed from the data. All figures are based on the 2010 Census.

1. Kent is largely white, but becoming more diverse

Data show Kent is a largely white community with 24,019 people, or about 83 percent of the total population of 28,904.

But Kent's asian population increased greatly in the decade between 2000 and 2010, having risen from 599 to 1,065.

The number of African Americans increased by 241 to 2,782 in 2010, and the number of hispanics rose by 285 to 642 total in 2010.

2. Blacks have lowest husband-wife household percentage

As a percentage, African Americans in Kent are more likely to not be married.

Of households by type, 13 percent of all black households in Kent are a husband-wife family household.

That compares with 29.4 percent of all white households being married couples, 24.7 percent of all asian households and 23 percent of all hispanic households.

3. Majority of households are "non-family"

Of Kent's 10,288 total households, 56 percent are "non-family" households, which can include elderly residents living alone and student renters. Of the total households, 63 percent, or 6,480, are renters.

About 44 percent of all hosueholds in Kent are families, which can be defined as a married couple or a couple with children.

4. Larger percentage of asians rent

As a percent, more asians rent than own their homes compared with blacks, whites and hispanics.

Eighty-eight percent of asian households in Kent are renters compared with 12 percent that are owner-occupied.

That compares with 86 percent of blacks living in rentals and 14 percent in owner-occupied houses; 76 percent of hispanics living in rentals and 24 percent in owner-occupied; and 59 percent of whites living in rentals and 41 percent in owner-occupied houses.

5. Whites have more single moms

By sheer numbers, more white women are raising children alone in Kent.

A total 559 households in Kent are single mothers with children under the age of 18. As a percentage, that's 6.4 percent.

Blacks, however, have a larger percentage of single-mother households. Of all black households, 253 single moms are raising children under the age of 18. That's 26 percent of all black households.

Thirteen asian households are single moms with kids under 18 at 3 percent of all asian households. Twelve hispanic households, or 7.5 percent, are single moms raising children under 18.