CB08…

                                                                 CB08-FF.15         

                                                                 Sept. 8, 2008 (Updated)         


                  Hispanic Heritage Month 2008: 

                        Sept. 15 ­ Oct. 15

In September 1968, Congress authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to proclaim National
Hispanic Heritage Week, which was observed during the week that included Sept. 15 and Sept.
16. The observance was expanded in 1988 to a monthlong celebration (Sept. 15 ­ Oct. 15).
America celebrates the culture and traditions of those who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico and
the Spanish-speaking nations of Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Sept. 15
was chosen as the starting point for the celebration because it is the anniversary of independence
of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.
In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on Sept. 16 and Sept. 18,
respectively.

                                         Population
45.5 million
The estimated Hispanic population of the United States as of July 1, 2007, making people of
Hispanic origin the nation's largest ethnic or race minority. Hispanics constituted 15 percent of
the nation's total population. In addition, there are approximately 3.9 million residents of Puerto
Rico.
Source: Population estimates  and


About 1
. . . of every two people added to the nation's population between July 1, 2006, and July 1, 2007,
was Hispanic. There were 1.4 million Hispanics added to the population during the period.
Source: Population estimates 

3.3%
Percentage increase in the Hispanic population between July 1, 2006, and July 1, 2007, making 

Hispanics the fastest-growing minority group. 

Source: Population estimates  

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132.8 million
The projected Hispanic population of the United States on July 1, 2050. According to this
projection, Hispanics will constitute 30 percent of the nation's population by that date.
Source: Population projections 


22.4 million
The nation's Hispanic population during the 1990 Census -- less than half the current total.
Source: The Hispanic Population: 2000 


2nd
Ranking of the size of the U.S. Hispanic population worldwide, as of 2007. Only Mexico
(108.7 million) had a larger Hispanic population than did the United States (45.5 million). (Spain 

had a population of 40.4 million.) 

Source: International Data Base  

 and population estimates 

 


64%
The percentage of Hispanic-origin people in the United States who are of Mexican background. 

Another 9 percent are of Puerto Rican background, with 3.4 percent Cuban, 3.1 percent 

Salvadoran and 2.8 percent Dominican. The remainder are of some other Central American, 

South American or other Hispanic or Latino origin. 

Source: 2006 American Community Survey 




About 50 percent of the nation's Dominicans live in New York City and about half of the 

nation's Cubans in Miami-Dade County, Fla. 

Source: 2006 American Community Survey 




27.6 years
Median age of the Hispanic population in 2007. This compares with 36.6 years for the 

population as a whole. 

Source: Population estimates  

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107
Number of Hispanic males in 2007 per every 100 Hispanic females. This was in sharp contrast to 

the overall population, which had 97 males per every 100 females. 

Source: Population estimates  



                                 States and Counties
48%
The percentage of the Hispanic-origin population that lives in California or Texas. California is 

home to 13.2 million Hispanics, and Texas is home to 8.6 million. 

Source: Population estimates  


16
The number of states with at least a half-million Hispanic residents. They are Arizona,
California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New
Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia and Washington.
Source: Population estimates 

44%
The percentage of New Mexico's population that is Hispanic, the highest of any state. Hispanics 

also make up more than a quarter of the population in California and Texas, at 36 percent each, 

Arizona (30 percent) and Nevada (25 percent). 

Source: Population estimates  


4.7 million
The Hispanic population of Los Angeles County, Calif., in 2007 -- the largest of any county in
the nation. Maricopa County, Ariz. (home of Phoenix) had the biggest numerical increase in the
Hispanic population (60,700) since July 2006.
Source: Population estimates 

97%
Proportion of the population of Starr County, Texas, that was Hispanic as of 2007, which led the 

nation. In fact, each of the top 10 counties in this category was in Texas. 

Source: Population estimates             

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308,000
The increase in Texas' Hispanic population between July 1, 2006, and July 1, 2007, which led all 

states. California (268,000) and Florida (131,000) also recorded large increases. 

Source: Population estimates  


20
Number of states in which Hispanics are the largest minority group. These states are Arizona, 

California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Nebraska, 

Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, 

Washington and Wyoming. 

Source: Population estimates  


                                        Businesses
Source for statements in this section: Hispanic-owned Firms: 2002


1.6 million
The number of Hispanic-owned businesses in 2002.

Triple
The rate of growth of Hispanic-owned businesses between 1997 and 2002 (31 percent) compared
with the national average (10 percent) for all businesses.

$222 billion
Revenue generated by Hispanic-owned businesses in 2002, up 19 percent from 1997.

44.6%
. . . of all Hispanic-owned firms were owned by Mexicans, Mexican-Americans and Chicanos.

29,168
Number of Hispanic-owned firms with receipts of $1 million or more.

       ·  Nearly 43 percent of Hispanic-owned firms operated in construction; administrative
          and support, and waste management and remediation services; and other services,
          such as personal services, and repair and maintenance. Retail and wholesale trade
          accounted for nearly 36 percent of Hispanic-owned business revenue.
                                            -5-

       ·  Counties with the highest number of Hispanic-owned firms were Los Angeles
          County (188,422); Miami-Dade County (163,187); and Harris County, Texas
          (61,934).



                              Families and Children
9.9 million
The number of Hispanic family households in the United States in 2006. Of these households, 

62 percent included children younger than 18.

Source: Families and Living Arrangements 



67%
The percentage of Hispanic family households consisting of a married couple.
Source: Families and Living Arrangements 


44%
The percentage of Hispanic family households consisting of a married couple with children 

younger than 18. 

Source: Families and Living Arrangements 


66%
Percentage of Hispanic children living with two married parents. 

Source: Families and Living Arrangements  



24%
Percentage of total population younger than 5 that was Hispanic as of July 1, 2007.
Source: Population estimates 
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                                 Spanish Language
34 million
The number of U.S. residents 5 and older who speak Spanish at home. Spanish speakers 

constitute 12 percent of U.S. residents. 

Source: 2006 American Community Survey 




29%
Percentage of Texas residents 5 and older who speak Spanish at home, which leads all states. 

(The percentage for Texas is not significantly different from that of New Mexico, however.) This 

compares with the national average of 12 percent.

Source: 2006 American Community Survey 





78%
Percentage of Hispanics 5 and older who speak Spanish at home.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey


                 Income, Poverty and Health Insurance
$38,679
The median income of Hispanic households in 2007, statistically unchanged from the previous 

year after adjusting for inflation. 

Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007




21.5%
The poverty rate among Hispanics in 2007, up from 20.6 percent in 2006.                              

Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007

 


32.1%
The percentage of Hispanics who lacked health insurance in 2007, down from 34.1 percent in
2006.
Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/income_wealth/012528.html
                                              -7-

                                       Education
60%

The percentage of Hispanics 25 and older who had at least a high school education in 2007.
Source: Educational Attainment in the United States: 2007 


13%
The percentage of the Hispanic population 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or 

higher in 2007. 

Source: Educational Attainment in the United States: 2007  


3.3 million
The number of Hispanics 18 and older who had at least a bachelor's degree in 2007, up from
1.7 million a decade earlier. 

Source: Educational Attainment in the United States: 2007  


811,000
Number of Hispanics 25 and older with advanced degrees in 2007 (e.g., master's, professional, 

doctorate). 

Source: Educational Attainment in the United States: 2007  


11%
Percentage of all college students in October 2006 who were Hispanic. Among elementary and 

high school students combined, the corresponding proportion was 19 percent. 

Source: School Enrollment ­ Social and Economic Characteristics of Students: October 2006 

 


Educational attainment levels are higher among certain Hispanic groups than among others. For 

example, among Cubans 25 and older, 75 percent were at least high school graduates, and      

26 percent had a bachelor's degree or higher. 

Source: 2006 American Community Survey 



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                                             Jobs
68%
Percentage of Hispanics 16 and older who are in the civilian labor force.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey


17%
The percentage of Hispanics 16 or older who work in management, professional and related
occupations. Roughly the same percentage work in construction, extraction, maintenance and
repair occupations (although this percentage is significantly lower than for those in management,
professional and related occupations). Approximately 24 percent of Hispanics 16 or older work
in service occupations; 22 percent in sales and office occupations; 2 percent in farming, fishing
and forestry occupations; and 18 percent in production, transportation and material moving
occupations.
Source: 2006 American Community Survey



82,500
Number of Hispanic chief executives. In addition, 46,200 physicians and surgeons; 

53,600 postsecondary teachers; 43,000 lawyers; and 5,700 news analysts, reporters and 

correspondents are Hispanic. 

Source: Upcoming Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2009, Table 596 

 


                                           Voting
7.6 million
The number of Hispanic citizens who reported voting in the 2004 presidential election. The
percentage of Hispanic citizens voting -- about 47 percent -- did not change statistically from
four years earlier.
Source: Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2004


5.6 million
The number of Hispanic citizens who reported voting in the 2006 congressional elections. The
percentage of Hispanic citizens voting -- about 32 percent -- did not change statistically from
four years earlier.
Source: Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2006

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                                     Serving our Country
1.1 million
The number of Hispanic veterans of the U.S. armed forces. 

Source: 2006 American Community Survey 




Following is a list of observances typically covered by the Census Bureau's Facts for Features

series:

African-American History Month (February)                    Labor Day (Sept. 1) 

Super Bowl XLII (Feb. 3)                                     Grandparents Day (Sept. 7)

Valentine's Day (Feb. 14)                                    Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15)

Women's History Month (March)                                Unmarried and Single Americans Week (Sept. 21-27)

Irish-American Heritage Month (March)/                       Halloween (Oct. 31) 

  St. Patrick's Day (March 17)                               American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month

Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May)                    (November)

Older Americans Month (May)                                  Veterans Day (Nov. 11)

Cinco de Mayo (May 5)                                        Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 27)

Mother's Day (May 11)                                         The Holiday Season (December)

Hurricane Season Begins (June 1)
Father's Day (June 15)
The Fourth of July (July 4)
Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act (July 26)
Back to School (August)

Editor's note: The preceding data were collected from a variety of sources and may be subject
to sampling variability and other sources of error. Facts for Features are customarily released
about two months before an observance in order to accommodate magazine production timelines.
Questions or comments should be directed to the Census Bureau's Public Information Office:
telephone: 301-763-3030; fax: 301-763-3762; or e-mail: .