Helpful information from the Pew Hispanic Center.  It is important to the future of this country and of course, the well-being of the Latino population. -Angela

September 8, 2016

Key facts about how the U.S. Hispanic population is changing

By Jens Manuel Krogstad

The U.S. Hispanic population reached 57 million in 2015, but a drop-off in immigration from Latin America and a declining birth rate among Hispanic women has curbed overall growth of the population and slowed the dispersion of Hispanics through the U.S.

From the onset of the Great Recession in 2007 through 2014, the U.S. Hispanic population had an annual average growth rate of 2.8%, compared with an average 4.4% growth each year from 2000 to 2007. As a result, in terms of growth rate, Hispanics – once the nation’s fastest-growing population – have now slipped behind Asians, whose population grew at an average annual rate of 3.4% between 2007 and 2014.

Here are key takeaways from our new report on the geography of the U.S. Hispanic population, which includes fact sheets and interactive county, metropolitan and state maps. (Data on Hispanic eligible voters are available in our state and congressional district interactives and fact sheets.)

1Despite slowing growth rates, Latinos still accounted for more than half (54%) of total U.S. population growth from 2000 to 2014. Hispanics drove at least half of overall population growth in 524 counties that had at least 1,000 Latinos in 2014. In these counties, Hispanic population growth accounted for 54% or more of total growth. The South accounted for 46% of these counties, compared with 24% in the West, 18% in the Midwest and 12% in the Northeast. 

2The dispersion of the Latino population across the U.S. has slowed since the onset of the Great Recession. In 2014, half of the nation’s counties had at least 1,000 Hispanics, a 4-percentage-point increase from 2007. But dispersion was more widespread from 2000 to 2007, when this share increased from 38% to 46% of all U.S. counties – an 8-percentage-point increase.

3In recent years, the fastest Latino population growth has tended to come in areas with a relatively small number of Latinos. Three counties in North Dakota had the fastest growth in Latino population from 2007 to 2014. During this time, North Dakota added thousands of workers thanks to a boom in Bakken shale oil production. This Hispanic population surge may be a shift away from the South, which had eight of the 10 fastest-growing Hispanic county populations from 2000 to 2007. Even so, the South remains the largest source of growth, accounting for 43% of U.S. Hispanic population growth from 2007 to 2014.

4The Hispanic population is not growing in every county of the United States. The Latino population declined in 38 counties with at least 1,000 Latinos in 2014, and most of these declines were in Texas, Colorado and New Mexico – states that have large and well-established Latino populations. Many of these counties are located in non-metropolitan areas. For example, in Texas, Culberson County’s Latino population declined from 2007 to 2014 by 15% to 1,665, the largest drop in the nation. Saguache County in Colorado had the second-fastest decline in its Latino population during this period, dropping by 14% to 2,370.

5California continues to have the nation’s largest Latino population among states, but Texas has grown faster. In 2014, 15 million Hispanics lived in California, a 37% increase from the 10.9 million Hispanics in 2000. Texas saw even quicker growth, with its Hispanic population increasing 56%, from 6.7 million in 2000 to 10.4 million in 2014.

6More than half (53%) of the nation’s Hispanics lived in 15 metropolitan areas in 2014. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim topped the list with 6 million Hispanics in 2014, a majority of whom are U.S. born, as is the case in most of these metro areas. Immigrants made up the majority in two of the top 15: In Florida’s Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, 61% of 2.6 million Hispanics were foreign born in 2014, while in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria (which includes the District of Columbia and parts of Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia), 53% of 900,000 Hispanics are foreign born.

Topics: Demographics, Economic Recession, Hispanic/Latino Demographics, Latin America, Migration, Population Geography, Population Trends

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   Jens Manuel Krogstad is a writer/editor focusing on Hispanics, immigration and demographics at Pew Research Center.
   

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The U.S. Hispanic population has increased sixfold since 1970

Trying to keep up with the trends.  Here's an earlier piece by Anna Brown that I published on my blog to add to this one.  Here's another related piece on kindergarten demographics by Jens Manuel Krogstad, 2014.

-Angela

February 26, 2014

The U.S. Hispanic population has increased sixfold since 1970

By Anna Brown15 comments

53,027,708 The U.S. Hispanic population in 2012 was 53,027,708, nearly six times the population in 1970.

The Hispanic population grew to 53 million in 2012, a 50% increase since 2000 and nearly six times the population in 1970, according to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data. Meanwhile, the overall U.S. population increased by only 12% from 2000 to 2012. Hispanic population growth accounted for more than half of the country’s growth in this time period.

Much of the growth is occurring in a relatively small geographic area. A Pew Research Center analysis last year found that the 10 largest counties by Hispanic population accounted for 22% of the national Hispanic population growth between 2000 and 2011. Half of these counties are located in California.
Nationally, Mexicans are the largest Hispanic origin group but the composition of origin groups varies by geographic area. For example, while Mexicans represent a majority of Hispanics in all but 11 states, Puerto Ricans are the largest group in New York and New Jersey and Cubans are most populous in Florida.
The demographics of each origin group vary significantly. For example, Hispanics of Mexican origin are the youngest out of the 14 largest origin groups, with a median age of 25, compared with Cubans’  median age of 40. Venezuelans are the most likely to have a college degree (51%), compared with 7% of both Guatemalans and Salvadorans.

 

Just out from Pew Hispanic. Key quote from within:

The data showed no change in ranking among the states with the highest Hispanic populations. California still leads the list (15.0 million), followed by Texas (10.4 million) and Florida (4.8 million). Together, these three states account for more than half (55%) the Hispanic population. But their share is down from 58% in 2000, reflecting a wider dispersion of the nation’s Hispanic population over the past decade and a half.

-Angela

June 25, 2015

Hispanic population reaches record 55 million, but growth has cooled

By Jens Manuel Krogstad and Mark Hugo LopezLeave a comment

The U.S. Hispanic population has been a key driver of the country’s population growth since at least 2000. But the group’s growth has slowed in recent years, and that trend continued in 2014, as evidenced by new figures released early today by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hispanic population reached a new high of 55.4 million in 2014 (or 17.4% of the total U.S. population), an increase of 1.2 million (2.1%) from the year before. However, that 2.1% rate continues a trend of slower growth that began in 2010.

Hispanic population growth had peaked earlier, in the 1990s. From 1995 to 2000, annual average growth was 4.8%, and growth has declined since then. From 2010 to 2014, the annual average growth had dropped to 2.2%. Part of the reason for this decline in population growth is the slowdown in immigration from Latin America, and in particular, from Mexico.

The Census Bureau’s annual population estimates detail the nation’s demographics in a variety of categories, including race and ethnicity, geography, and age. For example, the county with the highest Hispanic population by far is Los Angeles County in California (4.9 million), followed by Harris County in Texas (1.9 million) and Miami-Dade County in Florida (1.8 million).

Hispanic populations are not necessarily growing everywhere. From 2010 to 2014, the Hispanic population declined in 11 counties that have Hispanic populations of 10,000 or more, located in Alabama (Jefferson), Arizona (Santa Cruz), Florida (Hardee), Georgia (Clayton and DeKalb), New Mexico (Rio Arriba, San Juan, and San Miguel) and Texas (Duval, Hale and Willacy). The biggest decline came in DeKalb County in suburban Atlanta, where the Hispanic population was 64,279 in 2014, down 4% from 2010.

The data showed no change in ranking among the states with the highest Hispanic populations. California still leads the list (15.0 million), followed by Texas (10.4 million) and Florida (4.8 million). Together, these three states account for more than half (55%) the Hispanic population. But their share is down from 58% in 2000, reflecting a wider dispersion of the nation’s Hispanic population over the past decade and a half.

In addition, the new Census Bureau estimates show that Hispanics, with a median age of 29 years, are younger than most other racial or ethnic groups. By comparison, the median age for non-Hispanic blacks is 34; it’s 43 for non-Hispanic whites and 36 for Asians. But Hispanics are growing older: In 2010, the group’s median age was 27, up from 26 in 2000.

A Look at the Latino Population

This information, reported in the Spanish Journal comes from the 2007 American Community Survey so it's already somewhat dated.
-Angela


A Look at the Latino Population
Spanish Journal (November 16, 2009)

The U.S. Census Bureau reported that the minority population reached an estimated 104.6 million -- or 34 percent of the nation's total population -- on July 1, 2008, compared to 31 percent when the Census was taken in 2000. Nearly one in six residents, or 46.9 million people, are Hispanic, the agency reported.
Even more telling for the future: 44 percent of children younger than 18 and 47 percent of children younger than the age of five are now from minority families.

The quickly expanding Latino population is having a healthy impact on the economy, according to Ken Gronbach, author of The Age Curve: How to Profit from the Growing Demographic Trend.

"Latinos have saved our country," he said. "They represent 14 percent of the population but 25 percent of the live births. The United States is the only western industrialized nation with a fertility rate above the 2.2 percent replacement rate."

Here, the US Cenus Bureau provides a look at how America is being shaped by Hispanic-Americans, from population and language to popular names and voting trends.

Population 46.9 million

The estimated Hispanic population of the United States as of July 1, 2008, making people of Hispanic origin the nation's largest ethnic or race minority. Hispanics constituted 15 percent of the nation's total population. In addition, there are approximately 4 million residents of Puerto Rico.
Source: Population estimates pand further estimates

More than 1 . . . of every two people added to the nation's population between July 1, 2007, and July 1, 2008, was Hispanic. There were 1.5 million Hispanics added to the population during the period. Source: Population estimates

3.2% increase in the Hispanic population between July 1, 2007, and July 1, 2008, making Hispanics the fastest-growing minority group.
Source: Population estimates

132.8 million - The projected Hispanic population of the United States on July 1, 2050. According to this projection, Hispanics will constitute 30 percent of the nation's population by that date.
Source: Population projections

22.4 million - The nation's Hispanic population during the 1990 Census - less than half the current total.
Source: The Hispanic Population: 2000

2nd ranking of the size of the U.S. Hispanic population worldwide, as of 2008. Only Mexico (110 million) had a larger Hispanic population than the United States (46.9 million).
Source: International Data Base <> and population estimates

64% - The percentage of Hispanic-origin people in the United States who were of Mexican background in 2007. Another 9 percent were of Puerto Rican background, with 3.5 percent Cuban, 3.1 percent Salvadoran and 2.7 percent Dominican. The remainder were of some other Central American, South American or other Hispanic or Latino origin.
Source: 2007 American Community Survey

About 45 percent of the nation's Dominicans lived in New York City in 2007 and about half of the nation's Cubans in Miami-Dade County, Fla.
Source: 2007 American Community Survey

25% - Percentage of children younger than 5 who were Hispanic in 2008. All in all, Hispanics comprised 22 percent of children younger than 18.
Source: Population estimates

27.7 years - Median age of the Hispanic population in 2008. This compared with 36.8 years for the population as a whole.
Source: Population estimates

107 - Number of Hispanic males in 2008 per every 100 Hispanic females. This was in sharp contrast to the overall population, which had 97 males per every 100 females.
Source: Population estimates

States and Counties

48% - The percentage of the Hispanic-origin population that lived in California or Texas in 2008. California was home to 13.5 million Hispanics, and Texas was home to 8.9 million. Source: Population estimates

16 - The number of states with at least a half-million Hispanic residents - Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Washington.
Source: Population estimates

45% - The percentage of New Mexico's population that was Hispanic in 2008, the highest of any state. Hispanics also made up at least one fifth of the population in California and Texas, at 37 percent each, Arizona (30 percent), Nevada (26 percent), Florida (21 percent) and Colorado (20 percent). New Mexico had 891,000 Hispanics.
Source: Population estimates

The Carolinas - The states with the highest percentage increases in Hispanic population between July 1, 2007, and July 1, 2008. South Carolina's increase was 7.7 percent and North Carolina's was 7.4 percent.
Source: Population estimates

4.7 million - The Hispanic population of Los Angeles County, Calif., in 2008 - the largest of any county in the nation. Los Angeles County also had the biggest numerical increase in the Hispanic population (67,000) since July 2007.
Source: Population estimates

97% - Proportion of the population of Starr County, Texas, that was Hispanic as of 2008, which led the nation. All of the top 10 counties in this category were in Texas.
Source: Population estimates

48 - Number of the nation's 3,142 counties that are majority-Hispanic.
Source: Population estimates

15% - Percent increase in the Hispanic population in Luzerne County, Pa., from July 1, 2007, to July 1, 2008. Among all counties with 2007 Hispanic populations of at least 10,000, Luzerne topped the nation in this category. Luzerne's county seat is Wilkes-Barre.
Source: Population estimates

313,000 - The increase in California's Hispanic population between July 1, 2007, and July 1, 2008, which led all states. Texas (305,000) and Florida (111,000) also recorded large increases.
Source: Population estimates

20 - Number of states in which Hispanics are the largest minority group. These states are Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
Source: Population estimates

Businesses
Source for statements in this section: Hispanic-owned Firms: 2002

1.6 million
The number of Hispanic-owned businesses in 2002.
Nearly 43 percent of Hispanic-owned firms operated in construction; administrative and support, and waste management and remediation services; and other services, such as personal services, and repair and maintenance. Retail and wholesale trade accounted for nearly 36 percent of Hispanic-owned business revenue.

Counties with the highest number of Hispanic-owned firms were Los Angeles County (188,422); Miami-Dade County (163,187); and Harris County, Texas (61,934).

Triple - The rate of growth of Hispanic-owned businesses between 1997 and 2002 (31 percent) compared with the national average (10 percent) for all businesses.

$222 billion - Revenue generated by Hispanic-owned businesses in 2002, up 19 percent from 1997.

44.6% . . . of all Hispanic-owned firms were owned by people of Mexican origin (Mexican, Mexican-American or Chicano).

29,168 - Number of Hispanic-owned firms with receipts of $1 million or more.

Families and Children

10.4 million - The number of Hispanic family households in the United States in 2008. Of these households, 62 percent included children younger than 18.
Source: Families and Living Arrangements

66% - The percentage of Hispanic family households consisting of a married couple.
Source: Families and Living Arrangements

43% - The percentage of Hispanic family households consisting of a married couple with children younger than 18.
Source: Families and Living Arrangements

70% - Percentage of Hispanic children living with two parents.
Source: Families and Living Arrangements
Spanish Language

35 million - The number of U.S. residents 5 and older who spoke Spanish at home in 2007. Those who hablan español constituted 12 percent of U.S. residents. More than half of these Spanish speakers spoke English "very well."
Source: 2007 American Community Survey

4 - Number of states where at least one-in-five residents spoke Spanish at home in 2007 - Arizona,California, New Mexico and Texas.
Source: 2007 American Community Survey

78% - Percentage of Hispanics 5 and older who spoke Spanish at home in 2007.
Source: 2007 American Community Survey

Income, Poverty and Health Insurance

$38,679 - The median income of Hispanic households in 2007, statistically unchanged from the previous year after adjusting for inflation.
Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007

21.5% - The poverty rate among Hispanics in 2007, up from 20.6 percent in 2006.
Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007

32.1% - The percentage of Hispanics who lacked health insurance in 2007, down from 34.1 percent in 2006.
Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007

Education

53% - The percentage of Hispanic 4-year-olds enrolled in nursery school in 2007, up from 43 percent in 1997 and 21 percent in 1987.
Source: School Enrollment - Social and Economic

Characteristics of Students: October 2007

62% - The percentage of Hispanics 25 and older who had at least a high school education in 2008.
Source: Educational Attainment in the United States: 2008

13% - The percentage of the Hispanic population 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher in 2008.
Source: Educational Attainment in the United States: 2008

3.6 million - The number of Hispanics 18 and older who had at least a bachelor's degree in 2008.
Source: Educational Attainment in the United States: 2008

1 million - Number of Hispanics 25 and older with advanced degrees in 2008 (e.g., master's, professional, doctorate).
Source: Educational Attainment in the United States: 2008

12% - Percentage of full-time college students (both undergraduate and graduate students) in October 2007 who were Hispanic, up from 10 percent in 2006.
Source: School Enrollment - Social and Economic Characteristics of Students: October 2007

20% - Percentage of elementary and high school students combined who were Hispanic.
Source: School Enrollment - Social and Economic Characteristics of Students: October 2007

Names

4 - The number of Hispanic surnames ranked among the 15 most common in 2000. It was the first time that a Hispanic surname reached the top 15 during a census. Garcia was the most frequent Hispanic surname, occurring 858,289 times and placing eighth on the list - up from 18th in 1990. Rodriguez (ninth), Martinez (11th) and Hernandez (15th) were the next most common Hispanic surnames.
Source: Census 2000 Genealogy

Jobs

67% - Percentage of Hispanics 16 and older who were in the civilian labor force in 2007.
Source: 2007 American Community Survey

18% - The percentage of Hispanics 16 or older who worked in management, professional and related occupations in 2007. The same percentage worked in production, transportation and material moving occupations. Another 16 percent worked in construction, extraction, maintenance and repair occupations. Approximately 24 percent of Hispanics 16 or older worked in service occupations; 21 percent in sales and office occupations; and 2 percent in farming, fishing and forestry occupations.
Source: 2007 American Community Survey

79,400 - Number of Hispanic chief executives. In addition, 50,866 physicians and surgeons; 48,720 postsecondary teachers; 38,532 lawyers; and 2,726 news analysts, reporters and correspondents are Hispanic.
Source: Upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2010, Table 603

Voting

9.7 million - The number of Hispanic citizens who reported voting in the 2008 presidential election, about 2 million more than voted in 2004. The percentage of Hispanic citizens voting - 50 percent - represented a statistical increase from 2004 (47 percent).
Source: Voting and Registration in the Election of 2008

Serving our Country

1.1 million - The number of Hispanic veterans of the U.S. armed forces.
Source: 2007 American Community Survey