William H. Frey | PhD Demographer

Percentage of Infants Under Age 1 Year Who Are Non-White, 2010

William H. Frey is a Ph.D. demographer and sociologist specializing in U.S. demographics.

This site provides links to publications, demographic issues, media stories, data tools and resources for teachers developed by projects with which Dr. Frey is associated.

Media Mentions

July 22, 2017

The GuardianBLAKE DOYLE: The opportunities of growthThe GuardianThe Brookings institute in the US have examined at why most U.S. small towns are languishing, while a minority are flourishing. Not surprisingly, it relates to employment growth. Employment draws people, people draw people (motion creates energy); but ...

July 15, 2017

The National Memo (blog)Donald Trump Is Working To Make America Whiter By Dramatically Restricting Legal ImmigrationThe National Memo (blog)Fewer immigrants would mean fewer consumers participating in economic activities. William Frey, the Brookings Institution demographer, told the Atlantic that cutbacks in legal immigrants would primarily reduce the share of young people in the population.and more »

July 14, 2017

AlterNetDonald Trump Is Working to Make America Whiter by Dramatically Restricting Legal ImmigrationAlterNetFewer immigrants would mean fewer consumers participating in economic activities. William Frey, the Brookings Institution demographer, told the Atlantic that cutbacks in legal immigrants would primarily reduce the share of young people in the population.

July 13, 2017

July 10, 2017

USA TODAYAs fewer women have babies, population declines in these statesUSA TODAYEight states lost population between 2015 and 2016, and 12 others recorded their lowest population increase of the decade, as economic woes and lower birth rates hit some states harder than others. Connecticut, Illinois, Mississippi, New York ...

July 6, 2017

The ColumbianWhile most small towns languish, others flourishThe ColumbianThe analysis shows there's no single way of looking at the fate of small-town America, said Brookings Institution demographer William Frey. “It seems to be tied to the economic and demographic success, or lack thereof, of the larger region,” he said.

July 6, 2017

NewsweekWhere People Live in the US: America Sees Unexpected Population Growth in Some Small TownsNewsweekWhile 54 percent of small towns across the nation experienced population decline from 2015 through 2016, some small towns in Utah, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, Florida, Idaho, Texas, North Carolina and other U.S. states grew by about 1 percent or ...

July 5, 2017

HuffPostWhile Most Small Towns Languish, Some FlourishHuffPostThe analysis shows there's no single way of looking at the fate of small-town America, said Brookings Institution demographer William Frey. “It seems to be tied to the economic and demographic success, or lack thereof, of the larger region,” he said.

July 3, 2017

Foreign Policy (blog)Here's Who Will Lament — and Celebrate — the Plummeting US Birth RateForeign Policy (blog)Blame the millennials, say demographers — they're not having kids. ... William Frey, a population expert at the Brookings Institution in Washington, suspects that a still-recovering U.S. economy is to blame for the dip, rather than more permanent factors.

July 1, 2017

Kokomo TribuneThe US fertility rate just hit a historic low. Why some demographers are freaking out.Kokomo TribuneWilliam Frey, a demographer and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, points out that despite the recent decline, the U.S. fertility rate still remains relatively high compared to many other developed countries like Germany and Italy. The United ...

Recent

William H. Frey. Race, American Identity and the Census, The Brookings Institution, May 24, 2017 .

William H. Frey. Census shows pervasive decline in 2016 minority voter turnout, The Brookings Institution, May 18, 2017 .

William H. Frey. https://www.brookings.edu/podcast-episode/on-new-census-data-and-a-divided-ameri..., The Brookings Institution, March 27, 2017 .

William H. Frey and Fred Dews. Demography and democracy, The Brookings Institution, March 27, 2017 .

William H. Frey. A substantial majority of Americans live outside Trump counties, census shows, The Brookings Institution, March 23, 2017 .

William H. Frey. City growth dips below suburban growth, Census shows, The Brookings Institution, May 30, 2017 .

William H. Frey. Population Growth Hits Bottom, Milken Institute Review, May 1, 2017 .

William H. Frey. Census shows a revival of pre-recession migration flows, The Brookings Institution, March 30, 2017 .

Tom Ashbrook, William Frey, David Schleicher, and Abigail Wozniak,. Staying Put: Why Nobody's Moving Right Now, NPR On Point, February 8, 2017 .

William H. Frey. U.S. growth rate hits new low as migration to the Sun Belt continues, Brookings Institution, December 23, 2016 .

William H. Frey. Race, American Identity and the Census, The Brookings Institution, May 24, 2017 .

William H. Frey. Census shows pervasive decline in 2016 minority voter turnout, The Brookings Institution, May 18, 2017 .

William H. Frey. https://www.brookings.edu/podcast-episode/on-new-census-data-and-a-divided-ameri..., The Brookings Institution, March 27, 2017 .

William H. Frey and Fred Dews. Demography and democracy, The Brookings Institution, March 27, 2017 .

William H. Frey. A substantial majority of Americans live outside Trump counties, census shows, The Brookings Institution, March 23, 2017 .

Latest Books & Reports

Diversity Explosion: How New Racial Demographics are Remaking America

At its optimistic best, America has embraced its identity as the world's melting pot. Today it is on the cusp of becoming a country with no racial majority, and new minorities are poised to exert a profound impact on U.S. society, economy, and politics. Diversity Explosion shares the good news about diversity in the coming decades, and the more globalized, multiracial country that the U.S. is becoming.

Investigating Change in American Society

The third edition of this exciting and educational workbook, now with a complementary website, brings Census data into the classroom in a dynamic, engaging manner.