Sueño Incompleto: A History of the Latino Wealth Gap in the U.S. [REPORT]

Latinos are central to the present and future of the U.S. economy. They account for nearly one fifth of the population, drive the vast majority of new workforce growth, anchor key industries, and contribute more than $4.1 trillion annually to the U.S. gross domestic product, an economy larger than that of most countries in the world. Yet these contributions have not translated into proportional financial security for Latino households.

Today, the median Latino household holds less than one quarter of the wealth of white households, a gap that has persisted for more than three decades. In 1989, the median Latino household held about seven cents for every dollar of wealth held by white households. By 2022, that figure rose to 22 cents—a modest improvement that nonetheless reflects enduring inequality. Latino households are far less likely than white households to own high‑value, appreciating assets such as homes, retirement accounts, and business equity, and more likely to rely on high‑cost debt to meet basic needs.

Through historical analysis, policy research, and data, this report traces how key systems—including immigration, housing, labor markets, public benefits, and education—have structured unequal pathways to wealth-building. Together, these systems created unequal starting points, restricted access to appreciating assets, exposed Latino families to greater economic risk, and repeatedly disrupted the intergenerational transfer of wealth.

As Latinos continue to drive population growth and labor force participation, closing the wealth gap is a prerequisite for long‑term economic stability and national prosperity for all.

To download report, CLICK HERE.