Research

Hispanic workers accounted for more than 1 million of the 2.5 million new jobs created by the U.S. economy in 2004. But Hispanics are the only major group of workers to have suffered a two-year decline in wages and they now earn 5 percent less than two years ago, according to a Pew Hispanic Center analysis of latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau.

Recent immigrants to the U.S. from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic — who are more likely than Mexicans to enter with legal documents, more education, and better English competency — “are no better off in terms of wages and, in fact, are more likely than their Mexican counterparts to be working in the informal sector and receiving their wages in cash,” reveals a new study by a Rice sociologist. These hostile working conditions, like those of Mexican migrants, are linked to America’s immigration policies for the last 19 years.

A new Food Marketing Institute (FMI) report provides retailers a blueprint on how to serve the fastest-growing consumer segment in the U.S. — Hispanic families, which had purchasing power of $686 billion in 2004 and is expected to reach $1 trillion by 2010. The report, El Mercado 2004: A Perspective on U.S. Hispanic Shopping Behavior shows that U.S. Hispanics are by no means a homogeneous market, but that they share many common demands and needs.

The number of Latino homeowners has significantly increased in recent years, while the number of Non-Hispanic white homeowners has remained the same. In 2003, Latinos made up 31 percent of all households in Southern California and 25 percent of homeowners. About half of all Latino homeowners purchased within the last five years.

Global Advertising Strategies has published a new report titled “The Marketing of Financial Products and Services to Unbanked Americans.” Unbanked Americans comprise more than 13 percent of the 105 million households in the United States.

Three states — Florida, California and Texas — would account for nearly one-half (46 percent) of total U.S. population growth between 2000 and 2030, according to Census Bureau state population projections released today. Consequently, Florida, now the fourth most populous state, would edge past New York into third place in total population by 2011; California and Texas would continue to rank first and second, respectively, in 2030.

According to projections in a recently released report titled The State of the Nation’s Housing 2004, from the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard, University Hispanics will account for one-third of the growth in the number of U.S. homeowners by the year 2020. Minority homeownership rates, though, still lag those of whites by nearly 25%.

A new report by JupiterResearch finds that digital music players will achieve “critical mass” this year, with ownership levels reaching 15% to 20% of households. The popularity of iPods among teenagers continues to grow.