UNITED STATES DEPT. OF COMMERCE
September 11, 1997 CB97-FS.10 MEMORANDUM FOR Reporters, Editors, News Directors From: LaVerne Vines Collins Chief, Public Information Office Subject: Facts for Hispanic Heritage Month Each month, we plan to provide previously released facts pertaining to selected events or holidays occurring that month. Questions or comments should be directed to the Census Bureau's Public Information Office (tel: 301-457-3030; fax: 301-457-3670; e-mail: pio@census.gov). The following facts come from the Current Population Survey, 1992 Survey of Minority-Owned Business Enterprises, population estimates and population projections. Census Facts For Hispanic Heritage Month The numbers: - On June 1, 1997, there were an estimated 29.2 million Hispanics in the United States, comprising 10.9 percent of the total population. Since July 1, 1990, the Hispanic population has grown 29 percent, while the non-Hispanic White population has increased 3 percent. (These totals do not include persons living in Puerto Rico, whose estimated population on July 1, 1996 was 3.8 million. http://www.census.gov/population/estimates/nation/intfile3-1.txt http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb97-65.html - In 1995, 74 percent of the nation's Hispanics resided in either California, Texas, New York, Florida or Illinois. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb96-176.html - The Hispanic population is expected to contribute 35 percent of the nation's population growth from 1995 to 2000, 44 percent from 2000 to 2020, and 62 percent from 2020 to 2050. By the middle of the next century, the nation's Hispanic population is expected to reach 96.5 million (24.5 percent of the total population). http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb96-36.html - Each year from now to 2050, the Hispanic population is projected to add more people to the United States than the non-Hispanic White population (or any other single race/ethnic group). By 2005, it is projected that Hispanics will surpass non-Hispanic African Americans as the nationžs second-largest race/ethnic group, behind only non-Hispanic Whites. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb96-36.html - By 2025, Hispanics would be the largest race or ethnic group in California, comprising 43 percent of the population. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb96-176.html - The nation's Hispanic population is young, with about half under 26.5 years old on June 1, 1997. By comparison, non-Hispanic Whites were more than a decade older, with a median age of 37.3 years. http://www.census.gov/population/estimates/nation/intfile3-1.txt Education: - In March 1996, 53 percent of the nation's Hispanics aged 25 and over had at least a high school diploma and 9 percent had earned at least a bachelor's degree. The proportion of high school graduates is up 7 percentage points since 1983. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb97-122.html http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb95-137.html - An estimated 54,000 Hispanics aged 25 and over had PhDs while 71,000 had professional degrees, such as an M.D. or J.D, in March 1996. (These two totals are not statistically different from one another.) http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb97-122.html - During the year beginning October 1994, 12 percent of Hispanic high school students in 10th, 11th, and 12th grades dropped out of school. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb97-80.html - One quarter (25 percent) of Hispanics aged 18 to 21 were attending college in October 1995. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb97-80.html Income and Poverty: - The 1995 income level of Hispanic households ($22,860) was not statistically different from that of African American households ($22,393). The median income of non-Hispanic White households was $37,178. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb96-159a.html - The 1995 Hispanic poverty rate of 30.3 percent was not significantly different from that of African Americans but higher than the 8.5 percent for non-Hispanic Whites. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb96-159a.html Jobs: - In March 1994, employed Hispanic men, aged 16 and over, most commonly worked as operators, fabricators or laborers or in precision production, craft and repair jobs (30 percent and 19 percent, respectively). Their female counterparts most frequently worked in technical, sales or administrative support occupations or in service jobs (39 percent and 28 percent, respectively). http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/hispanic/ho94-1-09.html - Among Hispanic groups, the March 1994 unemployment rate ranged from 7 percent for Cubans to an apparent high of 14 percent for Puerto Ricans. Overall, 11 percent of Hispanics and 6 percent of non-Hispanic Whites were unemployed. http://www.census.gov/apsd/www/statbrief/ Marriage and Families: - As of March 1995, 54 percent of Hispanic men and 57 percent of women aged 15 and over were married. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb96-200.html - Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of Hispanic children under 18 years old lived with both parents while 28 percent lived with their mother only, 4 percent with their father only and 4 percent with neither parent. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb96-200.html - In 1996, married couples made up 68 percent of Hispanic families; another 26 percent were made up of a woman with no husband present. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb97-110.html - The typical Hispanic family consisted of 3.95 people compared with an average of 3.2 people in all families. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb97-110.html - About two-thirds of Hispanic families (64 percent or 4 million) included children. Families with children had an average of 2.2 children and more than a quarter (29 percent) of these families had three or more children. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb97-110.html Coming to America: - In 1996, the nationžs total foreign-born population was 24.6 million, of which over 40 percent were Hispanic. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb97-55.html Businesses: - The number of Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States increased 76 percent between 1987 and 1992, from 489,973 to 862,605. This compared to a rate increase of 26 percent for all U.S. firms, from 13.7 million in 1987 to 17.3 million in 1992. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb96-110.html - Receipts for Hispanic-owned firms increased 134 percent during the five-year span, from $32.8 billion to $76.8 billion. In comparison, receipts for all U.S. firms grew by 67 percent, from $2 trillion to $3.3 trillion. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb96-110.html - About two-thirds (68 percent) of firms owned by Hispanics in 1992 were located in either California, Texas or Florida. New Mexico, however, had the highest concentration of such firms, with 20 percent of its businesses Hispanic-owned. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb96-110.html
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