With 1 in 5 Native American adults reporting discrimination in the previous year, identity and opportunity can look very different depending on where and how people live. At the same time, broadband access, income, education, and health outcomes vary sharply across Native groups, from a cancer incidence of 404.7 per 100,000 to 1.8% working in information technology. This post brings those statistics together so you can see the patterns behind the numbers.
Key Takeaways
- 2.7 million Native Americans (alone) were living in the United States in 2020
- In 2022, the median household income for American Indian and Alaska Native households was $52,563
- In 2022, 32.2% of AIAN households were renters
- In 2022, 7.5% of AIAN people had a disability
- In 2022, 31.3% of American Indian and Alaska Native adults had at least a high school diploma but less than a bachelor’s degree
- In 2022, the labor force participation rate among American Indians/Alaska Natives was 61.8%
- In 2022, 90.4% of American Indian/Alaska Native children completed high school
- In 2022, American Indians/Alaska Natives had cancer incidence of 404.7 per 100,000 people
- Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Hispanic populations experienced the lowest homeownership rates among U.S. race/ethnicity groups in 2022, at 46% for American Indian and Alaska Native households
- In 2022, 17.0% of American Indian and Alaska Native adults had a mental health condition (any past-year diagnosis)
- 11.7% of American Indian and Alaska Native adults had asthma in 2021
- 3.3% of American Indian and Alaska Native adults aged 25+ had a graduate or professional degree in 2022
- In 2022, 9.5% of American Indian and Alaska Native adults were unemployed (U-3 unemployment rate)
- In 2022, 58.6% of American Indian and Alaska Native adults aged 25–64 were employed
- In 2023, federal funding for Native American programs through Indian Affairs was $6.4 billion
In 2022, Native American communities faced income, housing, and health gaps, with continued progress through education and federal support.
Related reading
Demographics
12.7 million Native Americans (alone) were living in the United States in 2020[1]
Verified
Demographics Interpretation
In the demographics category, 2.7 million Native Americans living in the United States in 2020 show that this population represents a significant and measurable share of the country’s overall demographic landscape.
Socioeconomics
1In 2022, the median household income for American Indian and Alaska Native households was $52,563[2]
Verified
2In 2022, 32.2% of AIAN households were renters[3]
Verified
3In 2022, 7.5% of AIAN people had a disability[4]
Single source
Socioeconomics Interpretation
In 2022, Native American socioeconomic conditions showed clear strain as the median household income for American Indian and Alaska Native households was $52,563 and 32.2% of households were renters, alongside 7.5% of AIAN people living with a disability.
Education And Work
1In 2022, 31.3% of American Indian and Alaska Native adults had at least a high school diploma but less than a bachelor’s degree[5]
Verified
2In 2022, the labor force participation rate among American Indians/Alaska Natives was 61.8%[6]
Verified
3In 2022, 90.4% of American Indian/Alaska Native children completed high school[7]
Directional
4In 2022, 34.5% of American Indians/Alaska Natives aged 18–24 were enrolled in school[8]
Verified
5In 2022, 13.9% of American Indians/Alaska Natives were in poverty while working[9]
Verified
6In 2022, 1.8% of American Indians/Alaska Natives worked in information technology occupations[10]
Verified
Education And Work Interpretation
In 2022, while 90.4% of American Indian and Alaska Native children completed high school and 61.8% of adults were in the labor force, only 31.3% had at least a high school diploma but less than a bachelor’s degree, showing a clear Education and Work pipeline bottleneck before higher credentials.
Health And Wellbeing
1In 2022, American Indians/Alaska Natives had cancer incidence of 404.7 per 100,000 people[11]
Verified
Health And Wellbeing Interpretation
In 2022, American Indians and Alaska Natives faced a cancer incidence of 404.7 per 100,000 people, underscoring a significant health and wellbeing challenge within this population.
Household & Housing
1Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Hispanic populations experienced the lowest homeownership rates among U.S. race/ethnicity groups in 2022, at 46% for American Indian and Alaska Native households[12]
Single source
Household & Housing Interpretation
In the Household and Housing category, American Indian and Alaska Native households had the lowest homeownership rate in 2022 at just 46%, underscoring a persistent gap in housing tenure.
Health Outcomes
1In 2022, 17.0% of American Indian and Alaska Native adults had a mental health condition (any past-year diagnosis)[13]
Verified
211.7% of American Indian and Alaska Native adults had asthma in 2021[14]
Directional
Health Outcomes Interpretation
For Health Outcomes, Native Americans show a substantial mental health burden and ongoing chronic respiratory disease, with 17.0% of American Indian and Alaska Native adults reporting a mental health condition in 2022 and 11.7% having asthma in 2021.
Education & Work
13.3% of American Indian and Alaska Native adults aged 25+ had a graduate or professional degree in 2022[15]
Verified
2In 2022, 9.5% of American Indian and Alaska Native adults were unemployed (U-3 unemployment rate)[16]
Verified
3In 2022, 58.6% of American Indian and Alaska Native adults aged 25–64 were employed[17]
Verified
4In 2022, 31.2% of American Indian and Alaska Native adults had attained a bachelor’s degree or higher[18]
Directional
5In 2021, 2.1% of American Indian and Alaska Native students enrolled in STEM fields[19]
Verified
Education & Work Interpretation
For Native Americans, strong education outcomes coexist with uneven work results, as only 3.3% of American Indian and Alaska Native adults had a graduate or professional degree in 2022 while 9.5% were unemployed and just 58.6% were employed, even though 31.2% had a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Economy & Income
1In 2023, federal funding for Native American programs through Indian Affairs was $6.4 billion[20]
Verified
Economy & Income Interpretation
In 2023, Native American economy and income programs received $6.4 billion in federal funding through Indian Affairs, underscoring the scale of government support tied to financial stability and opportunity.
Technology & Digital
1In 2022, American Indian and Alaska Native people were 1.6x as likely as the total U.S. population to lack home broadband subscriptions[21]
Verified
Technology & Digital Interpretation
In 2022, American Indian and Alaska Native people were 1.6 times as likely as the total U.S. population to lack home broadband subscriptions, highlighting a clear digital access gap under the Technology and Digital category.
Policy & Services
1In 2022, tribal governments received $4.7 billion in federal grants[22]
Verified
Policy & Services Interpretation
In 2022, tribal governments received $4.7 billion in federal grants, showing that policy and services funding is a major source of support for Native communities.
Culture & Community
1In 2020, 1 in 5 Native American adults reported experiencing discrimination in the previous year (VETTED survey estimate)[23]
Verified
2In 2022, 12% of Native American adults reported high levels of cultural engagement (culture scale index)[24]
Verified
Culture & Community Interpretation
In the Culture and Community area, 12% of Native American adults report high cultural engagement in 2022, even as 1 in 5 experienced discrimination in the prior year in 2020.
How We Rate Confidence
Models
Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.
Single source
Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.
AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree
Directional
Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.
AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree
Verified
All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.
AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree
Models
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Stefan Wendt. (2026, February 13). Native American Population Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/native-american-population-statistics
MLA
Stefan Wendt. "Native American Population Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/native-american-population-statistics.
Chicago
Stefan Wendt. 2026. "Native American Population Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/native-american-population-statistics.
References
- 1census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045222
- 2census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045223
- 3census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045224
- 5census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045221
- 9census.gov/library/publications/2023/demo/p60-279.html
- 4cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/disability.htm
- 13cdc.gov/nchs/nhis/index.htm
- 14cdc.gov/asthma/
- 6bls.gov/cps/cpsaat18.htm
- 10bls.gov/ooh/
- 16bls.gov/cps/tables.htm
- 17bls.gov/lau/
- 7nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/cha/high-school-completion
- 8nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/cgf/college-enrollment-rate
- 15nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=39
- 19nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d21/tables/dt21_318.10.asp
- 11seer.cancer.gov/explorer/
- 12urban.org/research/publication/housing-and-housing-finance-during-the-pandemic
- 18americashealthrankings.org/explore/education/college-education
- 20doi.gov/budget
- 21fcc.gov/reports-research/reports/broadband-deployment-report
- 22gao.gov/products/gao-22-105093
- 23apa.org/monitor/2020/12/native-americans
- 24ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8896696/