BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho labor officials say Idaho's population of ethnic minorities and people of color is on the rise. The Idaho Mountain Express reports diversity grew state-wide by about four percent from mid-2013 to mid-2014. The figure comes from a state Department of Labor report released this week. According to the report, the state's Hispanic population grew by 2.9 percent. Hispanics now make up nearly 12 percent of Idaho's population. The African-American population grew by 3.9 percent, the American Indian or Alaska native population by 1.9 percent, and the Asian population grew by 3.9 percent.

The number of people of mixed race also grew, by 4.7 percent. The report shows whites had the lowest growth rate of all race categories, 1.2 percent, though they represented the largest numeric increase at 17,817.

More From 98.3 The Snake