Chart comparing the racial and ethnic distribution of the total U.S. population with that of the incarcerated population. White people make up the majority of the total U.S. population, but a minority of the prison population. Black and American Indian and Alaska Native people make up a disproportionately larger share of the incarcerated population than they do the total U.S. population. Data is the newest national data available that includes all types of incarceration and uses data from the 2023 Census Bureau American Community Survey.

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 1-Year Estimates, Table S2603. For more details, see the Data sources & methodology section of the full Whole Pie report. (Graph: Wendy Sawyer, 2025)

This graph originally appeared in Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2025.

Stay Informed

Get the latest updates:


And our other newsletters:







Stay Informed


Get the latest updates:



Share on 𝕏 Donate


Events

Not near you?
Invite us to your city, college or organization.