Hispanic Heritage Month 2017

In September 1968, Congress authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to proclaim National Hispanic Heritage Week, observed during the week that included Sept. 15 and Sept. 16. In 1989, Congress expanded the observance to a month long celebration (Sept. 15-Oct. 15) of the culture and traditions of those who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico and the Spanish-speaking nations of Central America, South America and the Caribbean.

Sept. 15 is 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

57.5 million

The Hispanic population of the United States as of July 1, 2016, making people of Hispanic origin the nation’s largest ethnic or racial minority. Hispanics constituted 17.8 percent of the nation’s total population.

Source: Vintage 2016 Population Estimates

https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2016/PEPASR6H  

1,131,766

The number of Hispanics added to the nation’s population between July 1, 2015, and July 1, 2016. This number is more than half of the approximately 2.2 million people added to the nation’s total population during this period.

Source: Vintage 2016 Population Estimates

https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2016/PEPASR6H

2.0%

The percentage increase in the Hispanic population between 2015 and 2016.

Source: Vintage 2016 Population Estimates

https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2016/PEPASR6H

119 million

The projected Hispanic population of the United States in 2060. According to this projection, the Hispanic population will constitute 28.6 percent of the nation’s population by that date.

Source: 2014 National Population Projections, Table 10 www.census.gov/data/tables/2014/demo/popproj/2014-summary-tables.html

63.4%

The percentage of those of Hispanic or Latino origin in the United States who were of Mexican origin in 2015. Another 9.5 percent were Puerto Rican, 3.8 percent Salvadoran, 3.7 percent Cuban, 3.3 percent Dominican and 2.4 percent Guatemalan. The remainder were of some other Central American, South American, or other Hispanic or Latino origin.

Source: 2015 American Community Survey, Table B03001

http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/B03001       

States and Counties

10.9 million

The estimated population for those of Hispanic origin in Texas as of July 1, 2016.

Source: Vintage 2016 Population Estimates

https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2016/PEPSR6H

9

The number of states with a population of 1 million or more Hispanic residents in 2016 — Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York and Texas.

Source: Vintage 2016 Population Estimates

https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=PEP_2016_PEPSR6H&prodType=table

54.4%

The percentage of the Hispanic population in the United States that lived in California, Florida and Texas as of July 1, 2016.

Source: Vintage 2016 Population Estimates

https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=PEP_2016_PEPSR6H&prodType=table

15.3 million

The Hispanic population of California. This was the largest Hispanic population of any state in 2016.

Source: Vintage 2016 Population Estimates

https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=PEP_2016_PEPSR6H&prodType=table

4.9 million

The Hispanic population of Los Angeles County. This was the largest Hispanic population of any county in 2016.

Source: Vintage 2016 Population Estimates

https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2016/PEPSR6H/0400000US06.05000

39,600

Harris County in Texas had the largest numeric increase of Hispanics from 2015 to 2016.

Source: Vintage 2016 Population Estimates

https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tableservices/jsf/pages/productview.xhtml?pid=PEP_2016_PEPSR5H&prodType=table  

Families and Children

16.7 million

The number of Hispanic households in the United States in 2016.

Source: Families and Living Arrangements, Households, Table H-3

www.census.gov/data/tables/2016/demo/families/cps-2016.html

48.0%

The percentage of Hispanic households that were married-couple households in 2016. Among all households in the United States, 47.9 percent were married-couple households.

Source: Families and Living Arrangements, Households, Table H-3

www.census.gov/data/tables/2016/demo/families/cps-2016.html

57.5%

The percentage of Hispanic married-couple households that had children younger than age 18 present in 2016, whereas for all married-couple households it was 39.5 percent.

Source: Families and Living Arrangements, Households Table H-3

www.census.gov/data/tables/2016/demo/families/cps-2016.html

67.2%

The percentage of Hispanic children that lived with two parents in 2016, whereas for all children it was 68.7 percent.

Source: Historical Living Arrangements of Children, Table CH-1 and Table CH-4 www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/families/children.html  

Spanish Language

40 million

The number of U.S. residents age 5 and older who spoke Spanish at home in 2015. This is a 130.9 percent increase since 1990 when it was 17.3 million. Those who hablan español en casa constituted 13.3 percent of U.S. residents age 5 and older. More than half (59 percent of all Spanish speakers and 57.4 percent of Hispanic Spanish speakers) spoke English “very well.”

Sources:

1990 Decennial Census

https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial/tables/cph/cph-l/cph-l-096-table4.txt

2015 American Community Survey, Table DP02

http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/DP02

Language Spoken at Home by Ability to Speak English for the Population 5 Years and Over (Hispanic or Latino), 2015 American Community Survey, Table B16006

http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/B16006          

Language Spoken at Home, 2015 American Community Survey, Table S1601

http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/S1601

72.9%

The percentage of Hispanics age 5 and older who spoke Spanish at home in 2015.

Source: 2015 American Community Survey, Table B16006 http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/B16006

Income, Poverty and Health Insurance

$45,150  

The median income of Hispanic households in 2015.

Source: Income and Poverty in the United States: 2015, Table 1

www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2016/demo/p60-256.pdf

21.4%

The poverty rate among Hispanics in 2015.                                                                                   

Source: Income and Poverty in the United States: 2015, Table 3

www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2016/demo/p60-256.pdf

16.2%

The percentage of Hispanics who lacked health insurance in 2015.

Source: Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2015, Table 5

www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2016/demo/p60-257.pdf

Education

66.0%

The percentage of Hispanics age 25 and older that had at least a high school education in 2015.

Source: 2015 American Community Survey, Table B15002I

http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/B15002I

14.8%

The percentage of the Hispanic population age 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or higher in 2015.

Source: 2015 American Community Survey, Table B15002I

http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/B15002I

4.7 million

The number of Hispanics age 25 and older who had at least a bachelor’s degree in 2015.

Source: 2015 American Community Survey, Table B15002I

http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/B15002I  

1.5 million

The number of Hispanics age 25 and older with advanced degrees in 2015 (e.g., master’s, professional, doctorate).

Source: 2015 American Community Survey, Table B15002I

http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/B14007I

17.0%

The percentage of students (both undergraduate and graduate) enrolled in college in 2015 who were Hispanic.

Source: 2015 American Community Survey, Tables B14007I and B14007

http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/B14007I

24.3%

The percentage of elementary and high school students that were Hispanic in 2015.

Source: 2015 American Community Survey, Tables B14007I and B14007

https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ASE/2015/00CSA01

Foreign Born

34.5%

The percentage of the Hispanic population that was foreign born in 2015.

Source: 2015 American Community Survey, Table B05003I

http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/B05003I

64.3%

The percentage of the 10.3 million noncitizens under the age of 35 who were born in Latin America and the Caribbean and were living in the United States in 2010-2012.

Source: Noncitizens Under Age 35: 2010-2012, American Community Survey Brief www.census.gov/prod/2014pubs/acsbr12-06.pdf

Jobs

67.0%

The percentage of Hispanics or Latinos age 16 and older who were in the civilian labor force in 2015.

Source: 2015 American Community Survey, Table S2301 http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/S2301  

20.5%                                                            

The percentage of civilian employed Hispanics or Latinos age 16 and older who worked in management, business, science and arts occupations in 2015.

Source: 2015 American Community Survey, Table B24010I

http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/B24010I/0100000US   

Voting

9.2%

The percentage of voters in the 2016 presidential election who were Hispanic. Hispanics comprised 4.7 percent of voters in 1996.

Sources: Reported Voting and Registration, by Race, Hispanic Origin, Sex, and Age, for the United States: November 2016, Table 2

www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/voting-and-registration/p20-580.html

The Diversifying Electorate—Voting Rates by Race and Hispanic Origin in 2012 (and Other Recent Elections), Population Characteristics, Table 3 www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/p20-568.pdf

7.3%

The percentage of voters in the 2014 congressional election who were Hispanic.                

Source: Who Votes? Congressional Elections and the American Electorate: 1978-2014, Population Characteristics, Figure 5 www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2015/demo/p20-577.pdf

Serving our Country

1.2 million

The number of Hispanics or Latinos age 18 and older who are veterans of the U.S. armed forces.

Source: 2015 American Community Survey, Table B21001I

http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/15_1YR/B14007I

Business

312,738

The estimated number of Hispanic-owned employer firms nationally in 2015, up from 298,563 or 4.7 percent from 2014. Source: 2015 Annual Survey of Entrepreneurs https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ASE/2015/00CSA01

$61.2 billion

The estimated sales/receipts reported by Hispanic employer firms owned by women in 2015. Male-owned Hispanic employer firms reported sales of $264.2 billion. Source: 2015 Annual Survey of Entrepreneurs https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ASE/2015/00CSA01