SEPTEMBER 2009 Hispanic Americans In September 1968, Congress authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to proclaim National Hispanic Heritage Week, an observance that was expanded to a month long celebration in 1988. The celebration begins on September 15, coinciding with the independence days of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Take part in observing National Hispanic Heritage Month by checking out statistics about Americans that trace their roots back to Spain, Mexico and the Spanish speaking countries of Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Population There are approximately 46.9 million Hispanic Americans in the United States, making people of Hispanic origin the nation's largest minority group. Hispanics constitute 15 percent of the total U.S. population. The projected Hispanic population of the United States by July 1, 2050 is 132.8 million. According to this projection, Hispanics will constitute 30 percent of the nation's population by that date. The United States has the second largest Hispanic population in the world, according to 2008 population estimates. Only Mexico (110 million) has a larger Hispanic population. Sixty-four percent of Hispanic-origin people in the United States are of Mexican descent. Another 9 percent are of Puerto Rican background, with 3.5 percent Cuban, 3.1 percent Salvadoran and 2.7 percent Dominican. The remainder are of some other Central American, South American or other Hispanic or Latino origin. The median age of the Hispanic American population is 27.7 years. This compares with 36.8 years for the total U.S. population. Business There are about 1.6 million Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States. Nearly 43 percent of Hispanic-owned firms operate in construction, administrative and support, waste management, remediation services, and other services, such as personal services, and repair and maintenance. Retail and wholesale trade account for nearly 36 percent of Hispanic-owned business revenue. Families and Children There are 10.4 million Hispanic family households in the United States. Of these households, 62 percent included children younger than 18. Sixty-six percent of Hispanic family households consisted of a married couple, while 43 percent consisted of a married couple with children younger than 18. Seventy percent of Hispanic children live with two parents. Spanish Language Thirty-five million U.S. residents 5 and older spoke Spanish at home in 2007. There are four States in which at least one-in-five residents spoke Spanish at home in 2007 -- Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas. Income, Poverty and Health Insurance The median income of Hispanic households was $38,679 in 2007. The poverty rate among Hispanics is 21.5 percent. Thirty-two percent of Hispanics lacked health insurance in 2007, down from 34.1 percent in 2006. Education Fifty-three percent of Hispanic 4-year-olds enrolled in nursery school in 2007, up from 43 percent in 1997 and 21 percent in 1987. Sixty-two percent of Hispanics 25 and older had at least a high school education in 2008. Thirteen percent of the Hispanic population 25 and older had a bachelor's degree or higher in 2008. Jobs Eighteen percent of Hispanics 16 or older worked in management, professional and related occupations in 2007. The same percentage worked in production, transportation and material moving occupations. Another 16 percent worked in construction, extraction, maintenance and repair occupations. Approximately 24 percent of Hispanics 16 or older worked in service occupations; 21 percent in sales and office occupations; and 2 percent in farming, fishing and forestry occupations. There are about 79,400 Hispanic chief executives in the United States. In addition, 50,866 physicians and surgeons; 48,720 postsecondary teachers; 38,532 lawyers; and 2,726 news analysts, reporters and correspondents are Hispanic. Other About fifty-eight percent of Hispanic Americans say that they prefer being called " Hispanic." Twelve percent would rather be referred to as "of Spanish origin," while 11 percent prefer "Latino," seven percent prefer "some other term" and ten percent have " no preference." SOURCE: http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/pdf/cb09ff-17.pdf www.infoplease.com NOTE: The numbers recorded in Census 2000 may be skewed because the census does notcount "Hispanic" as a race but rather as a separate category, in addition to race. Many who checked off "two or more races" also checked "white" and "some other race," and then "Hispanic," raising concern that they may be no different than white Hispanics in the single-race category. Disclaimer: Although we try to use the most credible sources, we are not responsible for any incorrect findings. Read more: August Statistics - Mixed-Race Americans July Statistics - Asian Indian Americans June Statistics - Caribbean Americans May Statistics - Asian/Pacific Americans in the U.S. "Census changes reflect diversity" By Elizabeth MacGillivray "Cultural insights: Everyone judges from experience" By Craig Storti Want more statistics on a variety of topics? Find more in the Cultural Diversity at Work Archive or the Diversity Statistics page

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