Key takeaways
- The 2020 Census counted about 9.7 million people who identified as American Indian or Alaska Native, alone or in combination with another race.
- The Navajo Nation was the most common single-tribe response among people reporting only American Indian, at 315,086.
- Cherokee was the largest group overall, at 1.5 million, though the Cherokee Nation reported about 450,000 enrolled citizens in 2023.
- Oklahoma, Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas together are home to just over half the American Indian alone population.
Tribal nations are sovereign governments that run their own procurement for health, housing, public safety, utilities and enterprises. This page uses Census Bureau data to show the largest tribal populations and where they live.
Largest American Indian and Alaska Native groups
| # | Group | People, 2020 (alone or in any combination) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cherokee | 1,513,326 |
| 2 | Aztec | 583,981 |
| 3 | Navajo Nation | 423,412 |
| 4 | Maya | 300,519 |
| 5 | Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana | 297,899 |
| 6 | Choctaw | 255,557 |
| 7 | Alaska Native (general response) | 241,797 |
| 8 | Chippewa | 130,048 |
| 9 | Apache | 129,589 |
| 10 | Sioux | 126,571 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census Detailed Demographic and Housing Characteristics File A, Table T01001, as compiled by the Congressional Research Service (IF12612). People could report more than one group and are counted in each. Aztec and Maya are Latin American Indian groups, not U.S. tribes. Census counts are self-identification and differ from tribal enrollment.
Largest tribes among people reporting one race
- Navajo Nation: 14.6% of the American Indian alone population, the largest share, with 315,086 people.
- Cherokee: 10.0%.
- Choctaw: 3.2%.
- Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina: 2.5%.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "A Look at the Largest American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes and Villages," October 2023.
Where tribal populations are concentrated
- Oklahoma: 14.2% of the American Indian alone population.
- Arizona: 12.9%.
- California: 9.9%.
- New Mexico: 9.1%.
- Texas: 4.8%.
The Navajo Nation Reservation and Off-Reservation Trust Area has nearly 10 times the American Indian and Alaska Native population of the next-largest reservation, according to the Census Bureau.
How tribal governments buy
- Sovereign procurement. Each tribe sets its own purchasing rules, often through a tribal procurement office or council approval.
- Federal funding. Many tribal purchases are funded through programs such as the Indian Health Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs and HUD's Native American housing block grants, which can carry federal procurement requirements.
- Indian preference. Many tribes give preference to Native-owned businesses, and some have Tribal Employment Rights Offices that set hiring requirements on contracts.
- Tribal enterprises. Tribal casinos, utilities, construction firms and federal contracting companies are major buyers in their own right.
How KSG helps
Kensington Sales Group's SDRs book meetings with public agencies across Federal, SLED, K-12 & Higher Ed, Healthcare, Tribal, Special Districts and Utilities. We help vendors reach tribal health, housing, utility and enterprise leaders with outreach that respects tribal sovereignty and procurement rules. See how our tribal sales development works.