List of Indian Tribes in the United States 2025 | Statistics & Facts

Indian Tribes in the United States 2025

The landscape of Native American governance and recognition continues to evolve in the United States, with 574 federally recognized Indian tribes officially acknowledged by the Bureau of Indian Affairs as of 2025. These sovereign nations represent diverse cultural heritages, languages, and traditions that have endured for thousands of years. The federal recognition of these tribes establishes a government-to-government relationship between tribal nations and the United States, granting them specific rights, immunities, and access to federal services. This recognition goes beyond mere acknowledgment; it affirms the inherent sovereignty of tribal nations and their right to self-governance, making them distinct political entities within the American constitutional framework.

The demographic composition of American Indian and Alaska Native populations reveals significant patterns across the country. According to the latest 2024 U.S. Census Bureau data, approximately 1.8 million people identify as non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native alone, while over 9.1 million people identify as American Indian and Alaska Native either alone or in combination with other races. These populations are not uniformly distributed across the nation; they are concentrated in specific regions that reflect historical settlement patterns, treaty negotiations, and forced relocations. The states with the highest concentrations of Native American populations include Alaska, New Mexico, South Dakota, Oklahoma, and Montana, where indigenous communities have maintained strong cultural and geographic ties to their ancestral lands despite centuries of colonization and displacement.

Interesting Stats & Facts About Indian Tribes in the US 2025

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024, Bureau of Indian Affairs 2025, Office of Minority Health 2025, CDC National Vital Statistics 2023

As of 2025, the United States is home to 574 federally recognized tribes, representing a vibrant and diverse cultural heritage that spans centuries. Among these, 227 are Alaska Native entities, reflecting the unique and deeply rooted traditions of the state’s Indigenous peoples. The remaining 347 tribes are located across the contiguous 48 states, with California alone hosting 109 federally recognized tribes, the highest number of any state. There are 326 federally recognized reservations across the country, serving as cultural and administrative centers for many Native communities. These tribes maintain their own governments, laws, and traditions, contributing to the nation’s cultural richness and historical identity.

In terms of demographics and living conditions, the total Native American population identifying solely as American Indian or Alaska Native stands at 1.8 million, while 9.1 million people identify as Native American either alone or in combination with another race, according to 2024 estimates. A significant 87% of Native Americans now live in urban areas, reflecting migration trends and access to employment, education, and healthcare opportunities. However, challenges remain—19% of the Native population lives below the poverty line, and the median household income is $54,485, lower than the national average. Health disparities also persist, with a life expectancy of 70.1 years recorded in 2023, underscoring the ongoing need for focused policy efforts in healthcare access, education, and economic development within Indigenous communities.

List of Indian Tribes in the United States

The United States recognizes 574 federally recognized Indian tribes as of 2025. These sovereign nations are distributed across the continental United States and Alaska, with each maintaining distinct governments, cultures, languages, and traditions. Below is a comprehensive table organizing major tribal nations by state and region:

Total Federally Recognized Tribes: 574 (as of 2025)

Note: This table represents major tribes and is not exhaustive of all 574 federally recognized tribes. Tribal enrollment numbers, land holdings, and economic circumstances vary significantly. For the complete official list, consult the Bureau of Indian Affairs Federal Register publications.

The distribution of federally recognized tribes across the United States reflects both the incredible diversity of indigenous peoples who inhabited North America before European contact and the devastating impacts of colonization, forced removal, and federal policies that sought to eliminate or assimilate Native populations. Alaska stands apart with 227 recognized entities, representing the unique legal framework established through the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971, which created a system of village corporations and regional associations rather than traditional reservations. California’s 109 federally recognized tribes demonstrate the remarkable cultural and linguistic diversity that characterized the region historically, with numerous small bands, rancherias, and communities fighting for decades to achieve or maintain federal recognition after generations of state-sponsored violence, land theft, and denial of tribal status.

The geographic concentration of tribes in certain states tells important historical stories. Oklahoma’s 39 federally recognized tribes represent one of the darkest chapters in American history—the forced removal of southeastern tribes along the Trail of Tears and subsequent relocations that transformed Indian Territory into a destination for displaced peoples from across the eastern United States. The Cherokee Nation alone now counts over 400,000 enrolled citizens, making it the largest tribe by enrollment despite its forced exile from ancestral homelands in the Southeast. Similarly, the Southwest’s concentration of tribes in Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah reflects both the persistence of ancient Pueblo communities who have maintained continuous occupation for over a millennium and the vast territorial holdings of the Navajo Nation, whose 27,000-square-mile reservation spans three states and represents the largest reservation by land area in the country.

The variation in tribal size, resources, and circumstances is dramatic and consequential. Some tribes, like the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community in Minnesota, have achieved remarkable economic success through gaming operations and strategic investments, providing substantial per capita payments and comprehensive services to their citizens. Others, particularly tribes on isolated reservations in the Great Plains and Southwest such as Pine Ridge in South Dakota, face crushing poverty rates exceeding 50%, inadequate infrastructure, limited economic opportunities, and health outcomes that rank among the worst in the developed world. These disparities reflect not only geographic and resource differences but also the legacy of federal policies that confined tribes to marginal lands, the varying success of economic development initiatives, and ongoing challenges in exercising tribal sovereignty within complex federal and state jurisdictional frameworks. Understanding this diversity is essential for anyone seeking to engage with or advocate for Native American communities, as solutions must be tailored to specific tribal contexts rather than treating all 574 nations as a monolithic group.

Population Demographics of Indian Tribes in the US 2025

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024, Indian Health Service 2024, Bureau of Indian Affairs 2025

The demographic profile of American Indian and Alaska Native populations in 2025 presents a fascinating portrait of resilience, adaptation, and ongoing challenges. The distinction between those identifying as “AI/AN alone” versus “AI/AN alone or in combination” reveals important trends in identity, intermarriage, and cultural affiliation. The 1.8 million individuals who identify solely as American Indian or Alaska Native represent those who claim exclusive Native heritage, while the broader 9.1 million figure includes multiracial individuals who acknowledge their indigenous ancestry alongside other racial identities. This fivefold difference highlights the reality of increasing intermarriage and the complex nature of racial and cultural identity in contemporary America. Both figures are significant for different reasons: the smaller number often drives federal program eligibility and resource allocation, while the larger number represents the full scope of Native American cultural influence and community connection.

The geographic distribution of Native populations defies common stereotypes about reservation-based communities. Contrary to popular perception, an overwhelming 87% of American Indian and Alaska Native people now live in urban areas rather than on reservations or tribal lands. This urbanization trend reflects multiple factors including economic opportunities, educational access, healthcare availability, and individual choice, though it has also resulted from historical policies of relocation and termination that deliberately attempted to assimilate Native peoples into mainstream American society. Only 13% of the Native population continues to reside on reservations or tribal lands, though these communities often serve as cultural and political centers for their respective nations. The Bureau of Indian Affairs tracks approximately 326 federally recognized reservations with a combined service population approaching 2 million people, indicating that many urban Native Americans maintain connections to their tribal homelands and participate in reservation-based governance and cultural activities.

Geographic Distribution by State in the US 2025

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024, Office of Minority Health 2024

The state-by-state distribution of American Indian and Alaska Native populations tells the story of indigenous persistence and survival across dramatically different geographic and political landscapes. Alaska stands alone as the state with the highest percentage of Native population at 13.5%, reflecting both the relatively recent colonization of the region and the successful maintenance of indigenous communities across the state’s vast and often isolated territories. The 227 federally recognized Alaska Native entities include village corporations, traditional councils, and regional associations that govern under unique legal frameworks established by federal legislation specific to Alaska. New Mexico ranks second at 8.3%, home to the ancient Pueblo communities that have maintained continuous occupation of their lands for over a thousand years, alongside portions of the vast Navajo Nation that extends into Arizona and Utah.

The Great Plains states of South Dakota, Montana, and North Dakota maintain substantial Native populations ranging from 4.1% to 7.2%, representing the homelands of the Lakota, Dakota, Nakota, Blackfeet, Crow, and other Plains nations. These states contain some of the largest reservations in the country, including the Pine Ridge, Standing Rock, and Crow reservations, which face ongoing challenges related to poverty, healthcare access, and economic development despite their rich cultural heritage and strong community bonds. Oklahoma presents a unique case with 6.6% Native population, as it served as the primary destination for the forced removal of southeastern tribes during the Trail of Tears and subsequent relocations, resulting in the state hosting 39 federally recognized tribes today, including the Cherokee Nation, which is the largest tribe by enrollment in the United States. Arizona and Washington round out the top ten, each hosting diverse tribal nations ranging from desert peoples to Pacific Northwest coastal communities, demonstrating the remarkable environmental and cultural diversity of indigenous peoples across the American landscape.

Educational Attainment in the US 2025

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024

Educational outcomes for American Indian and Alaska Native populations reveal both progress and persistent disparities that demand attention from policymakers, educators, and tribal leaders. The 34.9% of Native Americans who have attained at least a high school diploma or equivalent represents genuine educational achievement, particularly given the historical trauma of forced boarding school attendance, cultural suppression, and systematic underfunding of reservation schools. This figure actually exceeds the national average of 25.7% for high school completion, suggesting that basic educational access has improved in many Native communities. However, this positive indicator masks deeper concerns about educational quality, cultural relevance, and barriers to advanced education that become apparent when examining higher degree attainment.

The gap widens dramatically at the bachelor’s degree level, where only 11.3% of American Indians and Alaska Natives hold four-year degrees compared to 22.1% of the general population, representing a disparity of nearly 11 percentage points. This gap persists and even expands at the graduate level, where just 6.1% of Native Americans hold advanced degrees versus 14.7% nationally, a difference of 8.6 percentage points. These disparities reflect multiple interconnected factors including geographic isolation of many tribal communities from higher education institutions, financial barriers that disproportionately affect Native families, cultural disconnect between traditional indigenous knowledge systems and Western academic structures, and ongoing effects of historical trauma and systemic discrimination. Many tribal nations have responded by establishing tribal colleges and universities that blend Western academic credentials with indigenous knowledge traditions, creating pathways to higher education that honor Native cultural identity while preparing students for success in both tribal and mainstream economies.

Economic Indicators in the US 2025

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024

Economic disparities represent perhaps the most tangible manifestation of historical injustice and ongoing systemic barriers facing Native American communities. The median household income for American Indian and Alaska Native families stands at $54,485, which falls $27,119 below the national median of $81,604, representing a gap of approximately 33%. This substantial income disparity translates directly into reduced access to quality housing, healthcare, transportation, technology, and other resources that facilitate upward mobility and improved quality of life. The causes of this economic inequality are multifaceted and deeply rooted in historical dispossession of tribal lands, forced confinement to reservations often located in areas with limited economic opportunity, chronic underfunding of federal trust obligations, discrimination in employment and lending, and structural barriers to economic development on tribal lands including complex jurisdictional issues and limited infrastructure.

The poverty rate among American Indian and Alaska Native families reaches 19.0%, more than double the national average of 8.5%, placing Native communities at heightened risk for food insecurity, housing instability, and limited access to healthcare and educational opportunities. This poverty concentration often clusters on reservations and in specific urban neighborhoods, creating environments where intergenerational poverty becomes self-reinforcing through limited local job markets, inadequate schools, and social networks with few connections to mainstream employment opportunities. The unemployment rate for Native Americans stands at 7.8%, substantially higher than the 4.5% national rate, reflecting both limited job availability in many tribal areas and barriers to employment in urban labor markets including discrimination, geographic isolation, transportation challenges, and mismatches between available jobs and workforce skills. Despite these challenges, tribal nations have demonstrated remarkable entrepreneurship through gaming enterprises, natural resource development, tourism ventures, and other economic initiatives that leverage tribal sovereignty and unique cultural assets.

Health Insurance Coverage in the US 2025

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024

Health insurance coverage patterns among Native Americans reveal significant disparities in access to healthcare services and highlight the complex patchwork of coverage options available to indigenous communities. Only 44.8% of American Indians and Alaska Natives hold private health insurance, compared to 67.2% of the general population, a gap of over 22 percentage points that reflects lower rates of employer-sponsored coverage due to higher unemployment, concentration in industries that offer fewer benefits, and affordability challenges even when coverage is available. This private insurance deficit is partially offset by higher enrollment in public programs, with 49.1% of Native Americans covered by Medicare, Medicaid, or other public insurance compared to 36.8% nationally. However, this higher public coverage rate should not be interpreted as indicating superior access; rather, it reflects the higher poverty rates and older average age of some Native populations that qualify them for means-tested and age-based programs.

Most concerning is the 16.2% of American Indians and Alaska Natives who lack any health insurance coverage, double the national uninsured rate of 8.2%. This gap persists despite the existence of the Indian Health Service, which theoretically provides healthcare to all federally recognized tribal members. The IHS operates on a chronically underfunded budget that forces facilities to prioritize emergency and urgent care while deferring preventive services and specialty care. Many Native Americans live far from IHS facilities and must rely on mainstream healthcare providers who may not accept IHS payment or understand the unique healthcare needs of indigenous populations. The uninsured rate is particularly problematic because it correlates directly with delayed care, worse health outcomes, and medical debt that can trap families in poverty. These coverage gaps contribute to the significant health disparities facing Native communities, including higher rates of diabetes, heart disease, substance abuse disorders, and mental health conditions compared to other populations.

Health Outcomes and Life Expectancy in the US 2025

Data Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2023, CDC National Center for Health Statistics 2024

Life expectancy serves as a comprehensive indicator of overall population health, reflecting the cumulative impact of healthcare access, socioeconomic conditions, environmental factors, and health behaviors. American Indians and Alaska Natives face the stark reality of the lowest life expectancy among all racial and ethnic groups in the United States at just 70.1 years, falling 8.3 years short of the national average of 78.4 years. This disparity is even more dramatic when compared to Asian Americans, who enjoy the highest life expectancy at 85.2 years, representing a gap of over 15 years. The life expectancy gap persists across gender lines, with Native American women living an average of 73.5 years compared to 80.5 years for women nationally, while Native American men average 66.7 years versus 75.3 years for all American men.

These sobering statistics reflect multiple intersecting health crises affecting Native communities. The leading causes of death among American Indians and Alaska Natives in 2023 included heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries, chronic liver disease, and diabetes—a pattern that differs from the general population in the elevated prominence of liver disease and unintentional injuries, which often reflect higher rates of alcohol-related conditions and accidents. The 24.4% of Native Americans who report being in fair or poor health represents the highest rate among all racial groups, indicating widespread chronic disease, disability, and general health challenges. These health disparities emerge from a complex web of social determinants including poverty, limited healthcare access, food insecurity, housing inadequacy, environmental hazards, historical trauma, and ongoing discrimination within healthcare systems. Addressing these disparities requires comprehensive approaches that honor tribal sovereignty, invest in Indian Health Service infrastructure, expand culturally appropriate care, and tackle the underlying social and economic inequities that drive poor health outcomes.

Leading Causes of Death in the US 2023

Data Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Vital Statistics 2023

The mortality patterns affecting American Indian and Alaska Native populations reveal specific health challenges that demand targeted interventions and culturally responsive solutions. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death, claiming more Native American lives than any other condition, with rates that exceed those in many other populations due to a combination of genetic predispositions, dietary changes from traditional foods to processed products high in salt and fat, limited access to preventive cardiology care, and high rates of underlying risk factors including diabetes, obesity, and smoking. Cancer ranks as the second leading cause of death, but Native Americans face unique challenges in cancer outcomes including lower screening rates due to healthcare access barriers, later-stage diagnosis when treatment options are more limited, and cultural beliefs about illness and treatment that may delay seeking care.

Unintentional injuries appear as the third leading cause of death, a ranking that differs from the general population where such deaths typically rank lower. This elevated position reflects multiple factors including higher rates of motor vehicle accidents due to long-distance travel on poorly maintained rural roads, occupational hazards in industries like mining and construction where Native Americans are overrepresented, and accidents related to substance abuse. Chronic liver disease occupies the fourth position, representing a significantly higher burden than in other populations and largely attributable to higher rates of alcohol use disorder, viral hepatitis, and limited access to hepatology specialists and liver transplantation services. Diabetes completes the top five, affecting Native Americans at rates two to three times higher than the general population in some tribal communities, creating a cascade of complications including kidney disease, vision loss, amputations, and cardiovascular problems that severely impact quality of life and contribute to premature mortality. These patterns underscore the urgent need for comprehensive public health investments, culturally tailored prevention programs, improved healthcare infrastructure in tribal areas, and policies that address the social determinants driving these health crises.

Federal Recognition Process and Tribal Sovereignty 2025

Data Source: Bureau of Indian Affairs 2025, Federal Register 2025

Federal recognition represents the cornerstone of tribal sovereignty and access to resources in contemporary America. The 574 federally recognized tribes enjoy a government-to-government relationship with the United States that acknowledges their status as domestic dependent nations with inherent sovereignty predating the Constitution. This recognition is not merely symbolic; it carries profound legal and practical implications including eligibility for federal programs administered by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Indian Health Service, and other agencies, exemption from state jurisdiction over internal tribal matters, authority to establish tribal courts and law enforcement, rights to engage in gaming operations under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, and protection of tribal lands held in trust by the federal government. The recognition process itself has become increasingly complex and contentious, with tribes seeking federal acknowledgment required to document continuous existence as a distinct community since historical times, demonstrate political influence over their members, and prove descent from a historical tribal entity—standards that some critics argue impose Western concepts of governance on indigenous peoples whose traditional social structures may differ.

Beyond federal recognition, over 100 tribes hold state recognition in various jurisdictions, a status that provides limited benefits varying dramatically by state but generally excludes access to federal programs and services. State recognition may offer protections for tribal cultural practices, exemptions from certain state regulations, and recognition in legal proceedings, but it lacks the sovereignty protections and resource access associated with federal status. Many indigenous groups remain entirely unrecognized by either federal or state governments, existing as cultural communities without official acknowledgment despite maintaining traditions, language, and identity. These unrecognized groups often face skepticism about their authenticity, may lack documentation due to historical suppression and dislocation, and find themselves excluded from resources and protections available to recognized tribes. The federal acknowledgment process, revised in January 2025 to create a conditional opportunity for denied petitioners to re-petition, reflects ongoing debates about the appropriate criteria for recognition, the role of the federal government in determining tribal existence, and the balance between protecting the integrity of the recognition process and acknowledging the diverse histories of indigenous peoples whose documentation may have been lost or destroyed through colonization.

Tribal Land Holdings and Reservations in the US 2025

Data Source: Bureau of Indian Affairs 2025, Indian Health Service 2024

Tribal land holdings represent one of the most contentious and complex aspects of federal-tribal relations, embodying both the survival of Native nations and the devastating land loss they have endured. The 326 federally recognized reservations across more than 35 states exist as legally distinct territories where tribal governments exercise substantial sovereignty, though their status as lands held in trust by the federal government creates a unique legal framework that limits some aspects of property rights while providing federal protections. These reservations vary enormously in size, resources, and population, ranging from the vast Navajo Nation, which encompasses over 27,000 square miles across Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah, making it larger than West Virginia, to small rancherias in California measuring just a few acres. The approximately 2 million people living on or near reservations comprise the BIA’s service population, though this represents only a fraction of the total Native population due to widespread urbanization.

Reservation lands are typically held in trust status, meaning the federal government holds legal title on behalf of the tribe, preventing sale or taxation by states but also creating bureaucratic barriers to economic development including difficulties securing financing, lengthy approval processes for leases and development projects, and jurisdictional complications that can deter outside investment. The historical context of these land holdings cannot be ignored: reservations were often created on marginal lands that white settlers did not want, following forced removal of tribes from their traditional territories and the systematic dispossession of indigenous lands through fraudulent treaties, outright theft, and policies like the Dawes Act that divided communal tribal lands into individual allotments and opened “surplus” lands to white settlement. Today, many reservations face challenges including inadequate infrastructure, limited economic opportunities, environmental degradation from nearby industrial activities, and ongoing disputes over water rights, mineral rights, and boundaries. Despite these challenges, reservations serve as cultural heartlands where languages, traditions, and governance systems persist, and many tribes have successfully leveraged their sovereign status to create economic opportunities including gaming operations, natural resource development, and tourism enterprises that provide employment and revenue to support tribal programs and services.

The trajectory of American Indian and Alaska Native communities over the coming decades will be shaped by several converging forces that present both unprecedented opportunities and significant challenges. Tribal nations are increasingly asserting their sovereignty through economic development initiatives, legal victories in federal courts, and political advocacy that has elevated Native voices in national policy debates. Gaming revenues have transformed the economies of some tribes, providing resources for healthcare, education, housing, and cultural preservation programs that were previously impossible due to chronic underfunding. Young Native Americans are pursuing higher education at increasing rates, entering professions from law to medicine to technology, and bringing both Western expertise and traditional knowledge to address persistent challenges in their communities. Climate change presents existential threats to some tribal communities, particularly those in Alaska facing erosion and permafrost melt, and coastal tribes confronting sea level rise, while also creating opportunities for tribes to lead in renewable energy development and climate adaptation strategies rooted in traditional ecological knowledge.

However, significant obstacles remain that will require sustained commitment from both tribal governments and federal partners. Health disparities show limited signs of improvement, with life expectancy gaps and chronic disease burdens demanding massive investments in Indian Health Service infrastructure, workforce development, and preventive care programs. Educational outcomes must improve at all levels to provide young Native Americans with tools for economic advancement while honoring cultural identity and traditional knowledge systems. Economic development on reservations continues to face structural barriers including inadequate infrastructure, complex regulatory environments, and geographic isolation that require creative solutions and substantial federal investment. The federal trust responsibility, established through treaties and legislation, demands adequate funding that has consistently fallen short of actual needs, requiring advocates to continue pressing Congress for appropriations that match legal and moral obligations. The coming years will test whether the United States can finally honor its commitments to tribal nations, support their sovereignty and self-determination, and address the historical injustices that continue to reverberate through Native communities while celebrating the resilience, cultural richness, and contributions of American Indian and Alaska Native peoples to the nation’s past, present, and future.

Disclaimer: This research report is compiled from publicly available sources. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is given as to the completeness or reliability of the information. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions, losses, or damages of any kind arising from the use of this report.

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