Native Americans represent 2.7 million people across the United States. This community faces clear socioeconomic challenges, including a homeownership rate of just 46 percent. The data shows distinct patterns across income, education, and health outcomes.
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
01 · Category
Demographics1 stats
01
2.7 million Native Americans (alone) were living in the United States in 2020
Interpretation
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.
02 · Category
Socioeconomics3 stats
01
In 2022, the median household income for American Indian and Alaska Native households was $52,563
02
In 2022, 32.2% of AIAN households were renters
03
In 2022, 7.5% of AIAN people had a disability
Interpretation
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.
03 · Category
Education And Work6 stats
01
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
02
In 2022, the labor force participation rate among American Indians/Alaska Natives was 61.8%
03
In 2022, 90.4% of American Indian/Alaska Native children completed high school
04
In 2022, 34.5% of American Indians/Alaska Natives aged 18–24 were enrolled in school
05
In 2022, 13.9% of American Indians/Alaska Natives were in poverty while working
06
In 2022, 1.8% of American Indians/Alaska Natives worked in information technology occupations
Interpretation
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.
04 · Category
Health And Wellbeing1 stats
01
In 2022, American Indians/Alaska Natives had cancer incidence of 404.7 per 100,000 people
Interpretation
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.
05 · Category
Household & Housing1 stats
01
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
Interpretation
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.
06 · Category
Health Outcomes2 stats
01
In 2022, 17.0% of American Indian and Alaska Native adults had a mental health condition (any past-year diagnosis)
02
11.7% of American Indian and Alaska Native adults had asthma in 2021
Interpretation
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.
More related reading
07 · Category
Education & Work5 stats
01
3.3% of American Indian and Alaska Native adults aged 25+ had a graduate or professional degree in 2022
02
In 2022, 9.5% of American Indian and Alaska Native adults were unemployed (U-3 unemployment rate)
03
In 2022, 58.6% of American Indian and Alaska Native adults aged 25–64 were employed
04
In 2022, 31.2% of American Indian and Alaska Native adults had attained a bachelor’s degree or higher
05
In 2021, 2.1% of American Indian and Alaska Native students enrolled in STEM fields
Interpretation
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.
08 · Category
Economy & Income1 stats
01
In 2023, federal funding for Native American programs through Indian Affairs was $6.4 billion
Interpretation
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.
09 · Category
Technology & Digital1 stats
01
In 2022, American Indian and Alaska Native people were 1.6x as likely as the total U.S. population to lack home broadband subscriptions
Interpretation
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.
10 · Category
Policy & Services1 stats
01
In 2022, tribal governments received $4.7 billion in federal grants
Interpretation
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.
11 · Category
Culture & Community2 stats
01
In 2020, 1 in 5 Native American adults reported experiencing discrimination in the previous year (VETTED survey estimate)
02
In 2022, 12% of Native American adults reported high levels of cultural engagement (culture scale index)
Interpretation
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.
Reference
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.
Sources & references
24 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+12 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)