(TOPEKA, Kan.) — The U.S. Census Bureau reports Kansas' Hispanic population grew by 59 percent over the past decade.
Figures provided Thursday to state officials said the 2010 Census counted 300,042 residents of Hispanic origin in Kansas. That's compared to just more than 188,252 Hispanic residents in 2000.
That's nearly 112,000 new Hispanic residents. The state's Hispanic population also doubled between 1990 and 2000.
The news comes on the same day Gov. Sam Brownback talked about a proposal to help grow rural Kansas. His plan offers a break from state income taxes for anyone who moves to a county that's seen a double digit population drop.
"We've got nearly half the state that have lost over 10-percent of their population of their county over the last ten years, just completely dying on the vine and we need to start attracting people
The legislature is currently discussing the governor's proposal. Brownback was addressing the Andover Rotary Club, where he also talked about his plans to balance the state budget.
