Male-female ratio reaching equality

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON – The gap between the number of men and women in the United States narrowed during the 1990s as immigration and falling death rates helped boost the male population, the 2000 census shows.

There were 138.1 million men in 2000, a 14 percent increase from 1990, according to the Census Bureau report released last week. Women numbered 143.7 million, a 13 percent increase from 1990.

That works out to 96.3 men for every 100 women in 2000. The gap has been closing steadily since 1980, when the male-female ratio was 94.5-to-100.

Death rates for men are declining at faster pace than for women, bureau analyst Renee Spraggins said. In general, people are living longer thanks to healthier lifestyles and medical technology.

Immigration also has brought more men into the country, Spraggins said. Historically, male immigrants tend to settle into a home and job first before the rest of the family arrives in the country.

Demographers have said the Hispanic population, which went up 58 percent during the decade to 35.3 million, increased at a faster-than-expected rate because of immigration.

The male-female ratio for Hispanics in 2000 was 105.9-to-100. By comparison, the ratio for Americans who chose only non-Hispanic white as their race was 95.7-to-100.

Other highlights:

-By state, Alaska had the highest male-female ratio, with 107 men for every 100 women. Rhode Island had the lowest, 92.5-to-100.

-For places with a population of 100,000 or more, Salinas, Calif. had the highest ratio, 113.7-to-100; Gary, Ind. had the lowest, 84.6-to-100.