Data and Resources

Demographic Profile of Hispanics in California, 2008

This profile contains demographic and economic facts about the Hispanic and non-Hispanic populations in the state of California. All analyses are from Pew Hispanic Center tabulations of the 1% Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS) sample of the 2008 American Community Survey. For some states where the population of Hispanics or other groups is relatively small, reliable estimates of some indicators cannot be generated. This is indicated by the insertion of "n/a" in the text of this document and in the associated tables.

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Population and National Origin

  U.S. Rank1
Total Hispanic Population in California13,435,0001
Hispanics as Percent of State Population37%2
Hispanics as Percent of U.S. Hispanic Population28.7%
Native-Born Hispanics (Percent of Hispanics)61%31
Foreign-Born Hispanics (Percent of Hispanics)39%21
Mexican Origin (Percent of Hispanics)84%1
Non-Mexican Origin (Percent of Hispanics)16%3

Age

 Median Age (years)
All Hispanics27
Native-Born Hispanics17
Foreign-Born Hispanics38
Non-Hispanic Whites43
Non-Hispanic Blacks33

Marriage and Fertility

Marriage: Persons Ages 15 and OlderPercent Married
All Hispanics46%
Native-Born Hispanics33%
Foreign-Born Hispanics57%
Non-Hispanic Whites49%
Non-Hispanic Blacks28%

Fertility: Women 15 to 44
Births to Hispanic Women (12 month period prior to survey)264,000
Hispanic Births as a Percent of All Births in California48%
Births to Native-Born Hispanics125,000 (47%)
Births to Foreign-Born Hispanics140,000 (53%)

Economic Status

Earnings: Persons 16 and olderMedianU.S. Rank2
Annual Personal Earnings of Hispanics$22,40514
Annual Personal Earnings of Non-Hispanic Whites$40,7365
Annual Personal Earnings of Non-Hispanic Blacks$30,5524

PovertyPercent in Poverty3
Hispanics 17 and Younger25%
Non-Hispanic Whites 17 and Younger8%
Non-Hispanic Blacks 17 and Younger26%
Hispanics 18-6415%
Non-Hispanic Whites 18-642%
Non-Hispanic Blacks 18-6410%

Homeownership: HouseholdersHomeownership RateU.S. Rank
Hispanics46%25
Non-Hispanic Whites65%49
Non-Hispanic Blacks38%29

Health Insurance

Percent Uninsured
Hispanics29%
Native-Born Hispanics18%
Foreign-Born Hispanics45%
Non-Hispanic Whites10%
Non-Hispanic Blacks17%
Hispanics 17 and Younger15%
Non-Hispanic Whites 17 and Younger6%
Non-Hispanic Blacks 17 and Younger9%

School Enrollment

U.S. Rank
Number of Hispanics Enrolled in K-123,173,0001
Hispanics as Percent of All K-12 Students48%2

Language

Language at Home: Persons 5 and Older
Only English Spoken at Home2,815,000 (23%)
Language Other than Only English Spoken at Home9,201,000 (77%)

Notes

1National rankings include the District of Columbia as well as the 50 states.
2In order to avoid ties, states are ranked on their median earnings first, then on their average earnings.
3For detailed information on how poverty status is determined, see http://usa.ipums.org/usa-action/variableDescription.do?mnemonic=POVERTY. Due to the way in which the IPUMS assigns poverty values, these data will differ from those that might be provided by the U.S. Census Bureau.

California
At a Glance

Hispanic Population

13,435,000

Hispanics as Percent
of State Population

37%

Median Age of Hispanics

27

Median Income, Hispanics 16+

$22,405

Poverty Rate,
Hispanics 17 and Younger

25%

Hispanics Without
Health Insurance

29%

Hispanic Homeownership

46%

Hispanics as Percent of
All K-12 Students

48%