Research Shows Hispanics On Internet.

In the 80 plus metropolitan markets surveyed regularly by The Media Audit, 46.0 percent of adult Hispanics or 8.5 million access the Internet regularly and 19 percent or 3.5 million are heavy users (430 minutes per week or more) of the Internet.

“Hispanic adults (age 18 plus) who frequent the Internet are considerably more affluent than other Hispanics and adults in the general population,” says Bob Jordan, president of International Demographics, Inc., a 33-year-old market research firm that produces The Media Audit. Although not a national survey The Media Audit data traditionally tracks the findings of national surveys. According to the survey data, 51 percent of Hispanics who accessed the Internet at least once during the previous 30 days have a household income of $50,000 or more. In the general adult population of the metropolitan markets surveyed, only 44.9 percent have household incomes of $50,000 or more.

Of all Hispanics in the general adult population, just 31.8 percent have household incomes of $50,000 or more.

“Hispanics are still lagging the general population in Internet use, 45.9 percent versus 61.2 percent, but in affluence they are much closer,” says Jordan, “Among the Internet users in the general population 57.5 percent have incomes of $50,000 or more versus 51 percent among Hispanics on the Internet.”

Heavy Internet Use

Among Hispanic adults, 54.7 percent of heavy users of the Internet have incomes of $50,000 or more. In the general population, 60 percent of heavy users have incomes of $50,000 or more. More than 26 percent of adults in the general population are heavy users of the Internet versus 19 percent among Hispanics.

Approximately 49.0 percent of Hispanics between the ages of 18 to 54 access the Internet on a monthly basis. In the general population approximately 69.0 percent of that same age group frequents the Internet on a monthly basis. “Beyond age 54 Internet use among Hispanics drops off pretty dramatically,” says Jordan, “Approximately 33.0 percent of Hispanics between the ages of 55 to 64 use the Internet and 22.7 percent of those between the ages of 65 and 74 use the Internet”

In the general population use of the Internet doesn’t fall off nearly as quickly as it does among Hispanics. Among those 55 to 64, approximately 57.0 percent use the Internet, “says Jordan “and use among those 65 to 74 has increased to almost 36.0 percent.”

Overall, says Jordan, the Hispanic embrace of the Internet is very similar to that of the general population. “The young and affluent embraced it first, then those in midlife and finally those over 55,” says Jordan, “and that’s pretty much what we see happening among Hispanics. We expect their presence on the web to continue to increase over the next several years.”

Dramatic Educational Differences

“The educational differences between Hispanics on the Internet and the Hispanic population in general are dramatic,” says Jordan, “While 27 percent of all Hispanic adults in the 80 markets we survey have less than a high school education, just 8.8 percent of Hispanics who frequent the Internet are lacking a high school education. Among those who are heavy users of the Internet that figure drops further to 6.4 percent.

Approximately 19 percent of all Hispanic adults have a college degree, but 30.9 percent of those who frequent the Internet have a college education. Among those who are heavy users of the Internet 30.9 percent have a college degree.

Hispanics also shop on the Internet with increasing frequency. Among all Hispanic adults, 29.4 percent made at least one purchase during 2003 and 15.3 percent made five or more purchases. In 2000 the comparable percentages were 17.6 and 9.0. In the total adult population in the 80 plus markets comparable percentages for 2003 are 43.7 and 25.4.