LATINO POPULATION IN THE U.S.-

DEMOGRAPHICS

DEFINITION OF HISPANIC

The U.S. Census uses the terms Hispanic or Latino to refer to people who come from Spanish-speaking countries or who can trace their ancestry to those areas.

The Hispanic population includes a diversity of birthplaces, national origins, legal status, socioeconomic class, and settlement histories.

DEFINITION OF HISPANICThis terminology differs from the question on race which includes white, black, Asian, American Indian, native Hawaiian or some other group.Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin could be of any of these groups.Historically, Hispanic meant someone from Spain who was white.

DEFINITION OF LATINO

Whereas Hispanic is a term used by government agencies, Latino is a term of grassroots origins.

Latino refers to people with Latin American ancestors that speak or spoke a Latin-based (Romance) languages (Spanish, Portuguese [Brazil], French [Haiti]).

The Latino identity includes people of various ethnic origins: Native American (indigenous), African, European, Asian, etc.

FACTS

By 2010, the total US population reached 308.7 millionLatinos are the fastest growing minority in the U.S. Latinos comprise 16.3 percent of the total U.S.

population as compared to Black Americans who represent 13.6 percent of the total population.

The population numbers of Latinos increased 58% during the 2000’s: from 35.3 million in 2000 to 50.4 million in 2010.Source: http://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/briefs/c2010br-04.pdf

MEXICAN-AMERICAN POPULATION

By 2010, Mexicans comprise 63% of all Latinos (31.8 million).Puerto Ricans represent 9.2% of all (4.6 million in total).Cubans represent 3.5% of all Latinos (1.8 million)South Americans make up 5.5% of all Latinos(2.7 million).

LATINO POPULATION GROWTH

By the year 2040, 40 million more Latinos will be added to the total population.

Without emigration, the Latino population will be 51 million in 2050.

In 2010, the Latino population became the largest minority in the U.S.

MEXICAN-AMERICANS

In 1990, an estimated 14,000,000 MA lived in the U.S.

90% of the MA population is estimated to live in urban areas.

In 1980, 73% of all Mexican-Americans lived in two states: California and Texas.

In 1980, 9% of the MA lived in Illinois and Arizona.

STATES WITH LATINO POPULATION OVER 600,000 IN 2010

1) California: 14,13,719

2) Texas: 9,460,921 3) Florida: 4,223,806 4)New York: 3,416,922 5) Illinois: 2,027,578

6) Arizona: 1,895,149 7) New Jersey: 1,555,144 8) Washington: 1,329,934 9) Colorado 1,038,687

10) New Mexico: 953,403

11) Georgia: 853,689

12) North Carolina: 800,120

14) Pennsylvania: 719,660

15) Nevada: 716,501

16) Virginia: 631,825

17) Massachusetts 627,654

SELF IDENTIFICATION OF MEXICAN-AMERICANS

Foreign born: 86% called themselves Mexican.U.S. born: 62% favor the term Mexican-American30% favor Latino

8% favor American* Hispanic Recruitment, Pamela Cox Otto, Ph.D. Interact

Communications

US Latino Population 1960-2000

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

5

Portion attributable to post 1966 Immigrants and Offspring by

Ethnicity

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

hispanic api white black

55.3

LATINO POPULATION BY AGE GROUPS

Children

0-9

Ages 10-19

Ages 20-39

Ages 40-59

Ages 60+

6.4 millions

6.1 millions

11.2 millions

8.3 million

3.3 million

18% of total pop.

17.4% of total pop.

31% of total pop.

23% of total pop.

9.3% of total pop.

POPULATION GROWTH

The Latino population is growing in most metropolitan areas at different rates and in different patterns which include the following:1. Metros with the largest absolute increase in population between 1990 and 20002. New Latino destinations in historically smaller Hispanic bases3. Fast growing Latino hubs with large Latino bases4. Small Latino places with lower population

growth

GROWTH PATTERN 1

Metros with the largest absolute increase between 1980 and 2000

Los Angeles

New York

Chicago

Miami

LATINO GROWTH 1980-2000

City Numbers Percent of Total Pop.

Growth

Los Angeles

4,242,213 45% 105%

New York 2,339,836 25% 60%

Chicago 1,416,584 17% 143%

Miami 1,291,737 57% 123%

GROWTH PATTERN 2

New Latino destinations in historically smaller Hispanic bases.

Orlando

Atlanta

Nashville

HYPERGROWTHNEW LATINO DESTINATIONS

City Number of Latinos

Percent of Total Pop.

Growth Rate 1980-2000

Orlando 271,627 17% 859%

Atlanta 268,851 7% 995%

GROWTH PATTERN 3

Fast growing Latino hubs in the past 20 years with large Latino bases

Houston

Phoenix

FAST GROWING LATINO HUBS – 1980 - 2000

City Number of Latinos

Percent of total population

Growth Rate

Houston 1,248,586 30% 211%

Phoenix 817,012 25% 261%

GROWTH PATTERN 4

Small Latino places with lower growth rates:

Baton Rouge – Small concentration of Latinos accounting for less than 4% of the total population

OTHER FACTS

54% of all Latinos now reside in the suburbs.

Hispanic men outnumber Hispanic women by 17% in the new Latino destination metros, where the Latino population grew fastest. This follows the traditional pattern of male immigrants coming first and then their immediate families and extended kin.

OTHER FACTS

9.7 million Latinos were 7.6% of the one 125.2 million voters in the 2008 elections.

Hispanics are expected become 25% of the U.S. population by 2050.

30.8 million Mexicans make up 63% of the 50.4 million of Latinos in the U.S.

The population of Mexicans is increasing faster than that of any other group in the U.S.

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENTS OF MEXICAN-AMERICANS IN 2000

High school grads.

No college

Some College

Bachelors

Graduate degree

51%

70%

18.7%

8.3%

2.6%

EDUCATIONAL FACTS

Hispanics are the least educated major population group in the U.S.

They are the least likely to graduate from high school, enroll in college, and receive a college degree.

Only 6% of high school graduates make it to 4 year institutions.

EDUCATIONAL FACTS

In California and Texas, where more than one third of the college age population is Hispanic, only 11 to 13% are enrolled in four year colleges.

Fewer than half of these can be expected to get a bachelor’s degree.

EDUCATIONAL FACTS

Mexican-Americans are the least well educated group among Hispanic groups and in the U.S. as a whole.

The dropout rate of MA at different levels is estimated at 40% or more.

Most MA are concentrated in blue collar jobs, farm work, and service occupations, with only about 35% holding white collar positions as compared to 57% of the total population.

LATINO EMPLOYMENT PATTERNS

In 2006, 5.2% unemployment ratesMajor industry: constructionWages are lower than those for any other groupThe Pew Hispanic Center finds large wealth gaps between white household and other groups. The median net income average for whites in 2002 was $88,000, 11 times larger than that of Hispanics and 14 times larger than that for African Americans.

INCOME LEVELS OF HISPANICS IN THE U.S. - 2000

The per capita income for average Hispanics in the year 2000 was $13,200.

45% of the population made $25,000 per year.

HISPANICS IN THE MILITARY

Some 200,000 Hispanics were mobilized for World War I, the bulk being Mexican-Americans. 18,000 Puerto Ricans who were inducted served in the island’s six segregated infantry regiments, guarding key installations in Puerto Rico and the Panama Canal zone. About 500,000 Hispanics served during World War II. Most were Mexican-Americans.

WORLD WAR II

Although 350,000 Puerto Ricans registered for military service in World War II, only 65,000 were called to the colors. Most served in segregated units, like the Regular Army’s 65th Infantry Regiment or the Puerto Rican National Guard’s 295th and 296th Infantry Regiments in Puerto Rico, Panama, the Caribbean, Hawaii, North Africa, Italy, the Maritime Alps of France and Germany.

HISPANICS IN THE MILITARY

THE KOREAN WAR 148,000 Hispanics served in the U.S. military, winning nine of the 131 Medals of Honor awarded.At the beginning, 20,000 Puerto Ricans served in the U.S. militaryLater, this number included 61,000 Puerto Ricans (including 18,000 from the Continental United States). Over the course of the war, more than 3,000 Puerto Ricans were killed or wounded. One of every 42 casualties suffered by U.S. forces was Puerto Rican. The island suffered one casualty for every 660 of its inhabitants as compared to one casualty for every 1,125 inhabitants of the continental United States.

 

THE VIETNAM WARApproximately 80,000 Hispanics served in America’s armed forces during the country’s 10-year involvement in Vietnam, winning 13 of the 239 Medals of Honor awarded during the war. Special Forces MSgt. Roy P. Benavidez, a Mexican-American, is among the most famous Hispanic Medal of Honor holders of the Vietnam War. Taking charge of the extraction of a downed Special Forces team in May 1968, although seriously wounded during the rescue effort, he single-handedly saved the lives of eight men. Another Hispanic hero, Alfred Rascon, was awarded the Medal of Honor on February 8, 2000 for his heroic actions in March 1966 near Long Khanh province as a medic with the 173rd Airborne Brigade.     

OPERATION DESERT SHIELD AND DESERT STORM

Twenty thousand Latinos took part in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm (1990-1991), including 1,700 Puerto Rico National Guardsmen. By 1997, Latinos made up almost a third of the infantry, artillery crews and specialists deployed to Bosnia for peacekeeping operations. At the time they constituted 12 percent of the U.S. population, 8 percent of the U.S. military and about 4 percent of the military’s officers. The Marines, with 12.5 percent, had the largest proportion of Hispanics, while the Air Force, with 4.8 had the smallest. The Navy had 9 percent and the Army had 8.1 percent. By November 2000, Latino representation in the military had climbed to almost 11 percent, although still only 4 percent of all the officers. The Marines had the highest representation with almost 14 percent, while the Air Force continued to have the lowest with slightly more than 7 percent. The Army and Navy both had about 11 percent.

WAR ON TERRORISM

Latinos have also been on the frontlines in the war on terrorism and in Afghanistan. Many Hispanics died at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 as a result of the terrorist attacks, and many Hispanic soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since the U.S. military operations began there.       

HISPANICS IN THE MILITARYPuerto Rican, became the Navy’s first Hispanic four-star admiral. In 1982 Gen. Richard E. Cavazos, a Mexican-American, became the Army’s first Hispanic four-star general. Cavazos served with the 65th Infantry Regiment during the Korean War, earning a Distinguished Service Star on June 14, 1953 as a lieutenant during bitter outpost fighting. On July 2, 1998, Luis Caldera, a Mexican-American and West Point graduate, became the highest-ranking Hispanic to hold office in America when he became Secretary of the Army. During his tenure Caldera sought to increase the number of Hispanics in the military. The failure of nearly half of all Hispanics to graduate from high school, however, proved a major obstacle. Nonetheless, Hispanics will probably serve in increasing numbers on the front lines of America’s military.

COL. GILBERTO VILLAHERMOSA is the Chief, Combined Joint Task Force Coordination Branch of NATO’s Regional Headquarters Allied Forces North in Brunssum, The Netherlands. An Armor officer, he has published articles and studies in several military magazines as well as for the former Soviet Army Studies Office and the U.S. Army Center of Military History.

LATINOS IN IRAQ

Texas Hispanic soldiers dying at higher rate

Iraq death toll falls unevenly on Latinos, rural whites.

IRAQ

Latino Casualties of the Iraq War 07/01/2005

LATINO CASUALTIES IN IRAQ

Cpl. Roberto Abad, 22Sgt. Jose Antonio Bernal Gomez 34 Capt. Ernesto M. Blanco-Caldas 28 Spc. Edward W. Brabazon 20 Cpl. Juan C. Cabral Banuelos 25 Pfc. Cody S. Calavan 19 Sgt. Juan Calderon Jr. 26 Sgt. Pablo A. Calderon 26 Sgt. Carlos M. Camacho- Rivera 24 Staff Sgt. Joseph Camara 40 Spc. Marvin A. Camposiles 25 Spc. Adolfo C. Carballo 20 Spc. Jocelyn L. Carrasquillo 28 Pfc. Jose Casanova 23 Pfc. Stephen A. Castellano 21 Lance Cpl. Mario A. Castillo 20 Spc. Jonathan Castro 21

Cpl. Roberto Abad, 22Cmdr. Joseph Acevedo 46 Spc. Genaro Acosta 26 Pfc. Steven Acosta 19 Cpl. Nicanor Alvarez 22 Cpl. Daniel R. Amaya 22 Spc. Yoe M. Aneiros 20 Pfc. Michael A. Arciola 20 Sgt. Roberto Arizola Jr. 31 Lance Cpl. Alexander S. Arredondo 20 Spc. Richard Arriaga 20 Staff Sgt. Jimmy J. Arroyave 30 Spc. Robert R. Arsiaga 25Lance Cpl. Andrew Julian Aviles 18 Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Cesar O. Baez 37 Lt. Col. Dominic R. Baragona 42 Cpl. Jeremiah A. Baro 21 Sgt. Michael Paul Barrera 26

LATINO CASUALTIES IN IRAQ

Staff Sgt. Roland L. Castro 26 Lance Cpl. Manuel A. Ceniceros 23 Sgt. Aaron N. Cepeda Sr. 22 Lance Cpl. Daniel Chavez 20 Lance Cpl. Julio C. Cisneros Alvarez 22 Spc. Zeferino E. Colunga 20 Capt. Aaron J. Contreras 31 Lance Cpl. Pedro Contreras 27 Sgt. Dennis A. Corral 33 Staff Sgt. Victor M. Cortes III 29 Pvt. Rey D. Cuervo 24 Spc. Sergio R. Diaz-Varela 21 Pfc. Analaura Esparza Gutierrez 21 Pvt. Ruben Estrella-Soto 18 Master Sgt. George A. Fernandez 36 Lance Cpl. Luis A. Figueroa 21 Lance Cpl. Jonathan R. Flores 18 Pfc. Jose Ricardo Flores-Mejia 21Pfc. Jesus Fonseca 19 Spc. Tomas Garces 19 Sgt. Javier J. Garcia 25

Staff Sgt. Juan De Dios Garcia-Arana 27 Spc. Israel Garza 25 1st Sgt. Joe J. Garza 43 Pfc. Juan Guadalupe Garza Jr. 20 Sgt. Carlos J. Gil 30 Cpl. Armando Ariel Gonzalez 25 Lance Cpl. Benjamin R. Gonzalez 23 Cpl. Jesus A. Gonzalez 22 Cpl. Jorge A. Gonzalez 20 Lance Cpl. Victor A. Gonzalez 19 Pfc. Daniel F. Guastaferro 27 Sgt. Jose Guereca Jr. 24 Pvt. Joseph R. Guerrera 20 Lance Cpl. Jose Gutierrez 22 Sgt. Atanacio Haro Marin 27 Cpl. Joseph J. Heredia 22 Spc. Armando Hernandez 22 Sgt. Frank B. Hernandez 21 Lance Cpl. Tony L. Hernandez 22

LATINO CASUALTIES IN IRAQ

Staff Sgt. Henry E. Irizarry 38 Sgt. Linda C. Jimenez 39 1st Lt. Oscar Jimenez 34 Cpl. Romulo J. Jimenez II 21 Pfc. Jesus A. Leon-Perez 20 Sgt. Edgar E. Lopez 27 Lance Cpl. Hilario F. Lopez 22 Lance Cpl. Juan Lopez 22 Spc. Manuel Lopez III 20 Sgt. Angelo L. Lozada Jr. 36 Master Sgt. Jose Lucas Egea 42 Lance Cpl. Joshua E. Lucero 19 Capt. Robert L. Lucero 34 Lance Cpl. Jacob R. Lugo 21 Lance Cpl. Cesar F. Machado-Olmos 20 Pfc. Pablo Manzano 19

CONCLUSION

Latinos have spread all over the U.S. in major metropolitan areas.

There are four definite patterns of settlement across the nation: the fast-growing Latino hubs, the established Latino metros, the new Latino destinations and the small Latino places.

There is a great need to improve the educational situation of Latinos: they are the least educated minority in the U.S.

CONCLUSION

Gender ratios suggest the newness of settlement. Gender ratios that favor men indicate growth due to new migration flow and those where there is a gender balance indicate older type of settlements.

Educational needs of Hispanics are increasing, especially those of Mexican-Americans.

CONCLUSIONPopulation of Hispanics in rising in the USThis is mainly due to higher immigration and birth

ratesThe educational level of Hispanics is lower than that of

any other groupHispanics in the US make less money than any other

groupHispanics are overly represented in wars as compared

to their population numbersHispanics death numbers are larger than any other

number