Pew Recently Released Latest Data About the U.S. Latino Population, and Some of the Findings Might Surprise You

Oct 1, 2019
11:03 AM

At the start of Hispanic Heritage Month in the middle of September, Pew Research published a very detailed and comprehensive analysis of the U.S. Latino population (now updated to 2017). In the interest of trying to provide factual information about the community, we wanted to share many of the key findings. The full report is here, and it also provides data by country of origin. In the meantime, here are some topline highlights you need to know:

Population, 2000–2017

Top 3 States, 2017

Top 10 U.S. Metropolitan Areas, 2017

Length of Time in the U.S. for Latino immigrants, 2000-2017

English Proficiency, 2017

Educational Attainment, 2017

Living in Poverty, 2017

The data also highlighted the following:

  • 79% of all Latinos in the United States are citizens. 67% are U.S.-born.
  • The median age of the U.S. Latino population is 29. The median age of the U.S.-born Latino population is 20. The median age of the foreign-born U.S. Latino population is 43.
  • The median household income of the U.S. Latino population is $49,010. The median household income of the U.S.-born Latino population is $53,000. The median age of the foreign-born U.S. Latino population is $45,200.
  • 27% of all U.S. Latinos under 18 years old are living in poverty.
  • The share of Latinos in the U.S. who are immigrants declined to 33% in 2017, down from 37% in 2010.

  • The fastest-growing groups since 2010 are Venezuelans (76% to 421,000 in 2017), Dominicans (37%) and Guatemalans (30%).
  • The Mexican population grew by 11% from 2010 to 2017, tied for the lowest growth rate among 15 origin groups.
  • East Coast Latino populations in U.S. metro areas are more diverse across origin countries that West Coast Latino populations.

For more findings, click here.