Sonoma County: One of Three in Bay Area With Over 50 Percent Population White

A study published Aug. 31 by the Washington D.C.-based think tank, the Brookings Institute, has found that as of the 2010 census, the population of minorities surpassed whites in 18 of California's 26 major metropolitan areas — up from 14 metro areas surveyed in the 2000 census, according to California Watch. 

"Non-whites and Hispanics accounted for 98 percent of population growth in large metro areas from 2000 to 2010," according to the study. In addition, "forty-two of the 100 largest metro areas lost white population, and 22 now have 'majority minority' populations. Smaller metro areas and areas outside of metropolitan regions, by contrast, remain overwhelmingly white."

While cities such as Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose have seen an uptick in minority populations, Sonoma County is one of three in the Bay Area where whites still outnumber minorities. The others are Solano and Napa counties. Not that the Sonoma Valley necessarily follows this trend.

According to census maps from the New York Times, the majority of Sonoma's population 77 percent white. Moving towards Boyes Hot Springs, however, the the racial makeup flips, with a population between 40 and 60 percent Hispanic, less than two percent Asian, less than one percent African American and about 36 to 55 percent white.  Multiracial and other groups make up about two percent of the population locally.

Interested in Sonoma's racial and ethnic breakdown? Check out the interactive Times maps, or the cool maps at California Watch. There you can find out how your neighborhood has changed.