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CB05-FF.14-3 (Rev.)
September 8, 2005 Radio
Features Printable
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Hispanic Heritage Month 2005:
September 15-October 15
In 1968, Congress authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to proclaim
a week in September as National Hispanic Heritage Week. The observance
was expanded in 1988 to a monthlong celebration (Sept. 15-Oct.
15). During this month, 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
41.3 million
The
estimated Hispanic population of the United States as of July 1, 2004,
making people of Hispanic origin the nation’s largest race or
ethnic minority. Hispanics constituted 14 percent of the nation’s
total population. (This estimate does not include the 3.9
million residents of Puerto Rico.)
1
Of
every two people added to the nation’s population between
July 1, 2003, and July 1, 2004, were Hispanic.
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 on that date.
22.4 million
The
nation’s Hispanic population during the 1990 census
[PDF] — just slightly over half the current total. |
States and Counties
49%
The
percentage of the Hispanic-origin population that lives in California
or Texas. California is home to 12.4 million Hispanics, and Texas
is home to 7.8 million.
13
The
number of states with at least half a million Hispanic residents.
These states are: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia,
Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina,
Texas and Washington.
43%
The
proportion of New Mexico’s population that is Hispanic,
highest of any state. Hispanics also make up more than one-third
of the population in California and Texas, at 35 percent each.
4.6 million
The
Hispanic population of Los Angeles County, Calif. —
the largest of any county in the nation. |
64%
The proportion of Hispanic-origin
people who are of Mexican background. Another approximately
10 percent are of Puerto Rican background, with about 3 percent
each of Cuban, Salvadoran and Dominican origins. The remainder
are of some other Central American, South American or other Hispanic
or Latino origins.
Roughly
half of the nation’s Dominicans live in New York City, with
about half of the nation’s Cubans residing in Miami-Dade
County, Fla. |
Spanish Language
31 million
The
number of U.S. residents age 5 and older who speak Spanish at home.
Spanish speakers constitute a ratio of more than 1-in-10 U.S. household
residents. Among all those who speak Spanish at home, more than one-half
say they speak English “very well.” |
Businesses
1.6 million
The
number of Hispanic-owned businesses in 2002, up 31 percent from
1997. Their receipts were $226.5 billion, up 22 percent from 1997.
A total of 199,725 such firms had paid employees, with receipts of
$184 billion, or about $921,090 per firm.
About 40 percent of Hispanic-owned
firms were in administrative support and waste management;
health-care; and other services industries; with another 13 percent
in construction.
Hispanic-owned
firms claimed between 15 and 22 percent of businesses in New
Mexico, Texas, Florida and California.
4%
Among
business owners in 2002 with paid employees, the percentage who
were Hispanic. There were approximately 7.7 million owners
of employer businesses in the United States. |
Jobs
38,500 The
number of Hispanic physicians and surgeons [PDF]. Latinos are
represented in a wide variety of occupations. For instance, there
are about 50,400 Hispanic postsecondary teachers; 53,400 chief executives
of businesses; 38,100 lawyers; and 5,000 news analysts, reporters
and correspondents.
18%
The
percentage of Hispanics who work in managerial, professional and
related occupations. Another approximately 24 percent work
in service occupations, 22 percent in sales and office jobs, 15
percent in construction, extraction and maintenance jobs and 19
percent in production, transportation and material moving occupations. |
Serving our Country
1.1 million
The number of Latino
veterans of the U.S. armed forces. About 53,000 Hispanic-origin
people were on active duty in 2003 in the United States. |
The Latino Vote
7.6 million
The number of Hispanic
citizens who reported voting in the 2004 presidential election,
up from 5.9
million four years earlier. The percentage of Hispanic citizens
voting — about 47 percent — did not change. |
Coming to America
53%
Percentage of the foreign-born
population from Latin America. This amounts to 18.3 million people.
10 million
The number of foreign-born
people who were born in Mexico, by far more than any other
Latin American country or any other country in the world for that
matter. Other countries of birth that contribute large numbers
of Hispanics are El Salvador (937,000), Cuba (925,000), the Dominican
Republic (688,000), Guatemala (590,000) and Colombia (500,000). |
Income and Poverty
$34,241 The
real median income of Hispanic households in 2004, unchanged from
the previous year.
21.9%
The
poverty rate among Hispanics in 2004, unchanged from 2003. |
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Families and Children
9.3 million
The
number of Hispanic families who reside in the United States. Of
these families, 63 percent include their own children under 18 years
old.
67%
The
percentage of Hispanic families consisting of a married couple.
44%
The
percentage of Hispanic families consisting of a married couple
with children under 18.
65%
Percentage
of Hispanic children who live with both parents.
11%
Percentage
of Hispanic population under age 5, as of July 1, 2004. Hispanics
had a higher concentration of preschoolers among their population
than any other race or ethnic group. |
Following is a list
of observances typically covered by the Census Bureau Facts
for Features series: |
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Jan. 17) &
African-American History Month (February)
- Valentine's Day (Feb. 14)
- Women's History Month (March)
- St. Patrick's Day (March 17)
- Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May)
- Older Americans Month (May)
- Mother's Day (May 8)
- Father's Day (June 19)
- The Fourth of July (July 4)
- Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities
Act (July 26)
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- Back to School (August)
- Labor Day (Sept. 5)
- Grandparents Day (Sept. 11)
- Hispanic Heritage Month
(Sept. 15-Oct. 15)
- Halloween (Oct. 31)
- American Indian/Alaska Native
Heritage Month (November)
- Veterans Day (Nov. 11)
- Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 24)
- The Holiday Season (December)
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Individual source links
for each statement herein may be accessed on the Internet at
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/005338.html>.
The photos
herein may be downloaded and are available free for your use
in all print and broadcast products.
Please credit the U.S. Census Bureau. For product information,
call (301) 763-3011 or e-mail <pio.broadcast.services@census.gov>.
Editor’s note: The preceding data were collected
from a variety of sources and may be subject to sampling variability
and other sources of error. Questions or comments should be directed
to the Census Bureau’s Public Information Office: telephone:
(301) 763-3030; fax: (301) 457-3670; or e-mail: <pio@census.gov>.
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