Outlines of the Hispanic Population in America
Even though Spanish-origin people were the first European settlers in what ultimately became the U.S., the 1970 census was the first time Hispanics were counted and recognized as a distinct population. Nevertheless, over the last 100 years, few racial or ethnic groups have had as great an impact on the population of the U.S. as Hispanics. Consider that in 1900 there were slightly more than 500,000 Hispanics in the U.S. As of 2022, 63.6 million Hispanics (which includes people of any race) lived in America, representing 19 percent of the population. Mexicans are the largest nationality within the Hispanic population. Since 2010, the Hispanic population increased by 23 percent, whereas the non-Hispanic population grew by 4.3 percent. While the 204.3 million people that identify as “White alone” remain the largest racial group in the U.S. (61.6 percent), Hispanics are the largest minority in America.
The distribution of the Hispanic population is quite varied among states. In terms of sheer numbers of residents, California has the largest Hispanic population (15.57 million) and Vermont the smallest (12,410). Hispanics are the largest percentage of the state population in New Mexico (49,2 percent) and lowest in West Virginia (1.59 percent).
Information regarding amounts of Hispanic employment is available monthly from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, including special analyses that track employment for separate gender and age groups. The Bureau also makes yearly data available on the types of occupations in which Hispanics are employed, again for the total employed population and separately for men and women. A higher percentage of Latinas than Latinos is employed in management, professional, and related occupations. A higher percentage of Latinos than Latinas is employed in natural resources, construction, maintenance, production, transportation, and material moving occupations.
Discussion of Hispanic employment must consider the effects of racial and ethnic equity in the labor market. By comparison with the non-Hispanic population, Hispanics are more likely to be involuntary part-time workers whose terms of employment are quite unstable, especially during recession years. In addition to pervasive underemployment, Hispanics also face higher barriers to stable employment.
Despite these obstacles, Hispanics have an important influence on the American economy and workplace. The amount that Hispanics contribute to the U.S.’s gross domestic product (GDP) is primarily determined by their percentage of the U.S. population, the percentage of working-age Hispanics that is either employed or actively seeking work, and their overall productivity. Hispanics’ economic influence has expanded rapidly, contributing approximately 21 percent of real GDP growth between 2011 and 2021. “From 2011 to 2021, their income grew at an annualized rate of 4.7% compared to 1.9% for non-Latinos, purchases made “by and on behalf of Latinos” grew at 4% (vs 1.9% for non-Latinos), and Latino purchasing power did so at 3.9% (vs 1.6% for non-Latinos), highlighting this community’s significant role in propelling the U.S. economy forward.“ Hispanics are generating $3.2 trillion in GDP, and Latino Purchasing Power is $3.4 trillion. In part this increasing economic impact can be traced to the fact that in the decade prior to the pandemic the number of Hispanic-owned businesses grew 34 percent compared to just 1 percent for all others. Finally, were U.S. Hispanics their own country, its GDP would rank as the fifth largest in the world, surpassing those of the United Kingdom, India and France.
The business community has discovered the economic clout, notably the increased buying power of the Hispanic population. The average household income of Hispanics in 2019 was 21.1 percent higher than it was in 2007. As the U.S. economy expanded and incomes rose from 2014 through 2019, income growth among Hispanics was greater than any of the country’s other major racial/ethnic groups. Nonetheless, the absolute size of the income gap between Hispanic and White households in 2020 was reduced by a mere $2,700. As of 2022, the median household income was approximately $81,060 for white workers compared to $62,800 for Hispanics. “These earnings differences have changed little since 1970.”
It should not be surprising that a minority group of this size has had an important influence on many cultural and political aspects of U.S. society. Hispanic food and music, and Hispanics in the worlds of sports and entertainment, have an accepted cultural impact on American society. Spanish is the second most common language spoken in the U.S., and is notable in Spanish-language signage, advertisements, and media.
Politicians increasingly recognize Hispanic political muscle. Hispanic settlement is greatest in the most populous and, therefore, the most politically influential states in the nation, including Texas, California, Florida, New York, and Arizona. Hispanics cast 16.6 million votes in the 2020 presidential election. Whereas turnout in the general population increased by approximately 16 percent over the 2016 election, it increased by approximately 31 percent among Hispanics. The Center for American Progress estimates that by 2030, 40 million Hispanics will be eligible to vote. In 2023, the share of Hispanic representatives in both Congressional houses is much lower than the Hispanic share of the U.S. population. Hispanics held six percent of the U.S. Senate seats and approximately eleven percent of the seats in the House of Representatives.