Jorge Portalatin had doubts about moving to Gwinnett County eight years ago.

He wondered if a Puerto Rican cop with an African-American wife would fit in.

The Lawrenceville resident now says he "loves" Gwinnett. He is part of a demographic sea change propelling the county toward a majority-minority population.

In the last seven years, the county's African-American and Hispanic populations have more than doubled, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released today. The county has a vibrant and growing Asian population as well.

At this rate, Gwinnett could become the fifth metro Atlanta county to turn majority-minority, joining DeKalb, Fulton, Clayton and Rockdale.

The percentage of minorities among Gwinnett's 776,380 residents has grown from 32.7 percent in 2000, to 48.3 percent, as of July 1, 2007. As recently as 1990, the county's white population was about 90 percent.

Gwinnett's change in demographics has been propelled by job opportunities as well as affordable housing, University of Georgia demographer Doug Bachtel said.

The county's galloping growth has spurred a demand for workers in construction, landscaping, hotels and hospitality, he said.

"Twenty-four/seven, they are busy recruiting business," Bachtel said of Gwinnett.

Nearly one in 10 counties in the United States —- 302 overall —- have more than 50 percent minority residents, according to census data. Some examples are Miami-Dade County in Florida, Queens in New York, and Los Angeles County in California.

In Georgia, Clayton County has the highest percentage of minority residents at 79 percent. Rockdale County went from 27 percent minority in 2000 to 51 percent last year. Fulton and DeKalb counties have been majority-minority for many years.

Gwinnett is different from other metro counties because its minority makeup is a more balanced mix of black, Hispanic and Asian.

The county is a magnet for immigrants from Latin America and Asia. Nearly one in four residents is foreign-born.

Korean grocery chains, tofu houses and bakeries have opened in Duluth and Suwanee. A Chinese expo center is coming to Pleasant Hill Road. Hispanic supermarkets and shopping plazas line Jimmy Carter Boulevard and surrounding thoroughfares.

Norcross is now estimated at 52 percent Hispanic, according to Claritas, a marketing information resources company. Gwinnett's public school system became majority-minority in 2004.

Sulamita Palmer, 41, originally from the Dominican Republic, opened a hair salon in Norcross two years ago to attract Dominican customers who didn't want to drive all the way to her other salon in Chamblee.

To her surprise, 90 percent of the clients at her new location are African-American.

Fallon Moore, 24, drives to Norcross from Atlanta.

"I like the way they straighten the hair. It lasts longer —- like two weeks," Moore said.

Some Dominicans do still show up.

Gissia Nunez, 33, wife of Atlanta Braves pitcher Vladimir Nunez, found the salon on Google and came in for an appointment. She lives in Orlando but stays in an apartment in Buckhead.

The changes in Gwinnett's racial and ethnic makeup will also affect the ballot box eventually.

State Sen. Curt Thompson (D-Norcross) represents one of the most diverse districts in the metro area. He has said he has to campaign in Spanish, Korean, Hindi, Vietnamese and Mandarin to keep his seat.

There are 73,880 black voters registered in Gwinnett County. The number of registered Hispanic voters in Gwinnett jumped from 43 people in 2001 to 12,289 this month.

Illegal immigration is also a heated topic and part of any discussion of Gwinnett's demographic change.

Gwinnett County Sheriff Butch Conway has applied to institute a program at the jail that could deport 4,000 to 6,000 illegal immigrants per year who are arrested on anything from a major felony to a minor traffic violation.

This year, Gwinnett enacted strict contracting rules that require contractors doing public business to make sure their new hires are legally allowed to work in the United States.

As minority populations continue to grow in Gwinnett, Portalatin says racial lines could become more flexible.

He is straddling Gwinnett's multiracial trend as the first Latino president of the county's National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

A self-described conservative, Portalatin says the NAACP in Gwinnett does not represent only black interests, but civil rights in general.

"We got Hispanics, blacks, whites, Asians, Middle Easterners, Jewish, atheists, Christian. We are very open," he said.

Portalatin, 37, received the backing of the former head of Gwinnett's NAACP when he filed a discrimination complaint against the Lilburn police department over a denied promotion a few years ago. He was later fired from the force.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission found in his favor and he later settled with the city for an undisclosed amount.

He is now a lieutenant on the Clarkston police force in DeKalb County.

"My wife and I have made it our purpose that our kids don't see color," Portalatin said. "Mommy's black. Daddy's Puerto Rican. Grandma is white, grandpa is black," he said.

How would his son define himself on a census form?

"I think he'll check 'Other' when he's grown up," Portalatin said.

Staffer Matt Dempsey contributed to this article.

 SHANNON PEAVY / Staff 
GWINNETT COUNTY 
Population 
2000: 588,448
2007: 776,380
Minority population 
2000: 33%
2007: 48%
Racial breakdown 
 ..................2000 ......2007
White ..............67%........52%
Black ..............13%........21%
Hispanic............11%........17%
Asian and other......9%........10%
Source: U.S. Census data, American Community Survey, 2007

 SHANNON PEAVY / Staff 
CLAYTON COUNTY 
Population 
2000: 236,517
2007: 272,217
Minority population 
2000: 65%
2007: 79%
Racial breakdown 
 ..................2000 ......2007
Black ..............51%........61%
White ..............35%........21%
Hispanic.............7%........11%
Asian and other......7%.........7%

COBB COUNTY 
Population 
2000: 607,751
2007: 691,905
Minority population 
2000: 31%
2007: 40%
Racial breakdown 
 ..................2000 ......2007
White ..............69%........60%
Black ..............19%........23%
Hispanic.............8%........11%
Asian and other......4%.........6%

DEKALB COUNTY 
Population 
2000: 665,865
2007: 737,093
Minority population 
2000: 67%
2007: 69%
Racial breakdown 
 ..................2000 ......2007
Black ..............54%........54%
White ..............33%........31%
Hispanic.............8%........10%
Asian and other......5%.........5%

FULTON COUNTY 
Population 
2000: 816,006
2007: 992,137
Minority population 
2000: 54%
2007: 56%
Racial breakdown 
 ..................2000 ......2007
White ..............46%........44%
Black ..............44%........42%
Hispanic.............6%.........8%
Asian and other......4%.........6%

Source: U.S. Census data, AmericanCommunity Survey, 2007