In September 1968, Congress authorized President Lyndon
B. Johnson to proclaim National Hispanic Heritage Week, which was observed
during the week including Sept. 15 and Sept. 16. The observance was
expanded in 1988 to a monthlong celebration (Sept. 15 – Oct. 15).
America celebrates the culture and traditions of U.S. residents who
trace their roots to Spain, Mexico and the Spanish-speaking nations
of Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Sept. 15 was chosen
as the starting point for the celebration because it is the anniversary
of independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate
their independence days on Sept. 16 and Sept. 18, respectively.
Population
44.3 million
The estimated Hispanic population of the United States as of July 1,
2006, making people of Hispanic origin the nation’s largest ethnic
or race minority. Hispanics constituted 15 percent of the nation’s
total population. (This estimate does not include the 3.9 million residents
of Puerto Rico.) <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/010048.html>
and <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/007910.html>
About 1
. . . of every two people added to the nation’s population between
July 1, 2005, and July 1, 2006, was Hispanic. There were 1.4 million
Hispanics added to the population over the period. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/010048.html>
3.4%
Percentage increase in the Hispanic population between July 1, 2005,
and July 1, 2006, making Hispanics the fastest-growing minority group.
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/010048.html>
102.6 million
The projected Hispanic population of the United States as of July 1,
2050. According to this projection, Hispanics will constitute 24 percent
of the nation’s total population by that date.
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/001720.html>
22.4 million
The nation’s Hispanic population during the 1990 census —
just slightly over half the current total. <http://www.census.gov/prod/2001pubs/c2kbr01-3.pdf>
3rd
Ranking of the size of the U.S. Hispanic population worldwide, as of
2005. Only Mexico (106.2 million) and Colombia (43 million) had larger
Hispanic populations than did the United States (42.7 million). (Spain
had a population of 40.3 million.) <http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/idbsum.html>
64%
The percentage of Hispanic-origin people in households who are of Mexican
background. Another 9 percent are of Puerto Rican background, with 3.5
percent Cuban, 3 percent Salvadoran and 2.7 percent Dominican. The remainder
are of some other Central American, South American or other Hispanic
or Latino origin. (Source: 2005 American Community Survey)
Roughly half of the nation’s Dominicans live in New York City
and about half of the nation’s Cubans in Miami-Dade County, Fla.
(Source: 2005 American Community Survey)
27.4 years
Median age of the Hispanic population in 2006. This compares with 36.4
years for the population as a whole.
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/010048.html>
107
Number of Hispanic males in 2006 per every 100 Hispanic females. This
was in sharp contrast to the overall population, which had 97 males
per every 100 females. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/010048.html>
States and Counties
48%
The percentage of the Hispanic-origin population that lives in California
or Texas. California is home to 13.1 million Hispanics, and Texas is
home to 8.4 million. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/010048.html>
15
The number of states with at least a half million Hispanic residents.
They are Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois,
Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina,
Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/010048.html>
44%
The percentage of New Mexico’s population that is Hispanic, the
highest of any state. Hispanics also make up more than a quarter of
the population in California and Texas, at 36 percent each, and Arizona
(29 percent).
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/010048.html>
4.7 million
The Hispanic population of Los Angeles County, Calif. — the largest
of any county in the nation.
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/007263.html>
305,000
The increase in Texas’ Hispanic population between July 1, 2005,
and July 1, 2006, which led all states. California (283,000), Florida
(161,000) and Arizona (102,000) also recorded large increases. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/010048.html>
22
Number of states in which Hispanics are the largest minority group.
These states are: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida,
Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire,
New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, Vermont,
Washington and Wyoming. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/010048.html>
Businesses
Source for statements in this section: Hispanic-owned Firms: 2002,
at <http://www.census.gov/csd/sbo/hispanic2002.htm>
1.6 million
The number of Hispanic-owned businesses in 2002.
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.
45%
. . . of all Hispanic-owned firms were owned by Mexicans, Mexican-Americans
and Chicanos.
29,168
Number of Hispanic-owned firms with receipts of $1 million or more.
- 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 36 percent of Hispanic-owned
business revenue.
- States with the fastest rates of growth for Hispanic-owned
firms between 1997 and 2002 included New York (57 percent), Georgia
and Rhode Island (56 percent each), and Nevada and South Carolina (48
percent each).
- 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).
Families and Children
9.9 million
The number of Hispanic family households in the United States in 2006.
Of these households, 62 percent included children younger than 18. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/families_households/009842.html>
67%
The percentage of Hispanic family households consisting of a married
couple.
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/families_households/009842.html>
44%
The percentage of Hispanic family households consisting of a married
couple with children younger than 18.
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/families_households/009842.html>
66%
Percentage of Hispanic children living with two married parents.
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/families_households/009842.html>
23%
Percentage of total population younger than 5 that was Hispanic as of
July 1, 2006. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/010048.html>
Spanish Language
32.2 million
The number of U.S. household residents 5 and older who speak Spanish
at home. Spanish speakers constitute nearly one in eight U.S. household
residents. Among all those who speak Spanish at home, more than one-half
say they speak English very well. (Source: 2005 American Community Survey)
29%
Percentage of Texas residents who speak Spanish at home, which leads
all states. This compares with the national average of 12 percent. (Source:
2005 American Community Survey)
78%
Percentage of Hispanics 5 and older who speak a language other than
English at home. Of that number, about half speak English very well.
(Source: 2005 American Community Survey)
Income, Poverty and Health Insurance
$37,800
The median income of Hispanic households in 2006, statistically unchanged
from the previous year after adjusting for inflation. (Source: Income,
Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2006,
at <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/income_wealth/010583.html>)
20.6%
The poverty rate among Hispanics in 2006, down from 21.8 percent in
2005. (Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in
the United States: 2006, at <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/income_wealth/010583.html>)
34.1%
The percentage of Hispanics who lacked health insurance in 2006, up
from 32.3 percent in 2005. (Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United
States: 2006, at <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/income_wealth/010583.html>)
Education
59%
The percentage of Hispanics 25 and older who had at least a high school
education in 2006. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/009749.html>
12%
The percentage of the Hispanic population 25 and older with a bachelor’s
degree or
higher in 2006. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/009749.html>
3.1 million
The number of Hispanics 18 and older who had at least a bachelor’s
degree in 2006, up from 1.4 million a decade earlier. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/009749.html>
839,000
Number of Hispanics 25 and older with advanced degrees in 2006 (e.g.,
master’s, professional, doctorate).
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/009749.html>
11%
Percentage of all college students in October 2005 who were Hispanic.
Among elementary and high school students combined, the corresponding
proportion was 19 percent. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/007909.html>
Educational attainment levels are higher among certain Hispanic groups
than among others. For example, among Cubans 25 and older, 73 percent
were at least high school graduates, and 24 percent had a bachelor’s
degree or higher. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/american_community_survey_acs/007748.html>
Jobs
68%
Percentage of Hispanics 16 and older who are in the civilian labor force.
(Source: 2005 American Community Survey)
17%
The percentage of Hispanics 16 or older who work in management, professional
and related occupations. Approximately 24 percent of Hispanics 16 or
older work in service occupations; 22 percent in sales and office occupations;
2 percent in farming, fishing and forestry occupations; 16 percent in
construction, extraction, maintenance and repair occupations; and 19 percent in production, transportation and material moving occupations.
(Source: 2005 American Community Survey)
77,700
Number of Hispanic chief executives. In addition, 49,200 physicians
and surgeons; 53,700 postsecondary teachers; 29,000 lawyers; and 3,300
news analysts, reporters and correspondents are Hispanic. (Source: Upcoming
Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2008)
Voting
7.6 million
The number of Hispanic citizens who reported voting in the 2004 presidential
election. The percentage of Hispanic citizens voting — about 47
percent — did not change statistically from four years earlier.
(Source: Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2004,
at <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/voting/004986.html>)
Serving our Country
1.1 million
The number of Hispanic veterans of the U.S. armed forces. (Source: 2005
American Community Survey)