A line graph showing that the U.S. Hispanic population reached more than 62 million in 2020

National Hispanic Heritage Month, which begins each year on Sept. 15, celebrates U.S. Latinos, their culture and their history. Started in 1968 past Congress as Hispanic Heritage Week, information technology was expanded to a calendar month in 1988. The celebration begins in the eye rather than the start of September because it coincides with national independence days in several Latin American countries: Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Republic of costa rica gloat theirs on Sept. 15, followed by United mexican states on Sept. sixteen, Chile on Sept. 18 and Belize on Sept. 21.

Hither are some key facts nigh the nation's Latino population past geography and characteristics like language use and origin groups.

Every bit part of our ongoing research of Hispanics in the United States, we analyzed how this group has changed over time using several data sources from the U.S. Census Bureau. The decennial demography (PL94-171 census information) provided country and national population counts, and population estimates provided information on births. Nosotros also examined characteristics of the U.S. Hispanic population using the American Community Survey, which provides data on Hispanic origin, linguistic communication use, land of birth and educational attainment. ACS data was primarily accessed through Integrated Public Apply Microdata Series (IPUMS) from the Academy of Minnesota. Finally, the Current Population Survey provided information on schoolhouse enrollment.

The U.Southward. Hispanic population reached 62.ane million in 2020, up from l.5 meg in 2010. The 23% increment in the Hispanic population was faster than the nation's growth rate (+7%), merely a slower increase than in the Asian population (+36%). In 2020, Hispanics made up virtually one-in-five people in the U.S. (nineteen%), upwards from 16% in 2010 and but 5% in 1970.

A bar chart showing that Hispanics made up more than half of total U.S. population growth from 2010 to 2020

Hispanics take played a major role in driving U.S. population growth over the past decade. The U.S. population grew by 22.7 one thousand thousand from 2010 to 2020, and Hispanics accounted for 51% of this increase, a greater share than any other racial or ethnic group.

U.S. Hispanic multiracial population has increased sharply since 2010

The number of Latinos who say they are multiracial has increased dramatically. More than 20 million Latinos identified with more than one race on the 2020 census, up from merely 3 1000000 in 2010. The increase could be due to a number of factors, including changes to the demography form that make information technology easier for people to identify with multiple races and growing racial diversity amongst Latinos. Growth in multiracial Latinos comes primarily from those who identify as White and "some other race" (i.east., those who write in a response to the race question) – a population that grew from 1.six one thousand thousand to 17.0 million over the past decade. At the same time, the number of Latinos who place every bit White and no other race declined from 26.7 million to 12.six million.

A line graph showing that in California, Hispanics were the largest racial or ethnic group in 2020

Hispanics have go the largest racial or ethnic group in California. This demographic milestone happened in 2014, and is a first for the state with the nation's largest Hispanic population. In 2020, there were most xv.vi 1000000 Hispanics in California, up from fourteen.0 million in 2010. The non-Hispanic White population, the side by side largest group, declined from fifteen.0 million to thirteen.vii meg during this time, reflecting a broader national trend.

Latinos deemed for 39% of California'south population in 2020, amidst the highest shares in the country. In the next two largest Latino states by population, Texas (11.4 one thousand thousand) and Florida (5.7 meg), Latinos fabricated upwards 39% and 26% of residents, respectively. New Mexico has 1.0 million Latinos, and they were 48% of the population, the nation'southward highest share.

Three states saw their Hispanic populations increase by more than one million from 2010 to 2020. Texas (+2.0 million), California (+1.6 million) and Florida (+1.five million) together accounted for 43% of the nation's Hispanic population growth over the by decade. New York (+531,000) and New Jersey (+447,000) had the next-biggest increases. All 50 states and the District of Columbia accept seen growth in their Hispanic populations since 2010.

A map showing that Texas, California and Florida have seen the biggest increases in Hispanic population since 2010
A map showing that North Dakota and South Dakota have seen the fastest increases in Hispanic population since 2010

North and South Dakota have seen the fastest growth in their Hispanic populations since 2010. The number of Hispanics in North Dakota more than doubled (+148%) from 2010 to 2020, while in South Dakota it went upwardly 75%. Even with the high growth rates, each of these states at present has fewer than 40,000 Hispanics, amid the smallest populations in the country. The slowest growth happened in New Mexico (+6%) and California (eleven%), states with significant Hispanic populations.

A bar chart showing that newborns have driven U.S. Hispanic population growth in recent decades, while immigration has slowed

Newborns accept driven growth of the U.South. Hispanic population, a tendency that accelerated in the 2010s due to a decline in immigration. From 2010 to 2019, 9.three one thousand thousand Hispanic babies were born in the U.S., similar to the total from the 2000s. By comparison, 3.5 million Hispanic immigrants came to the U.S. from 2010 to 2019, down substantially from the half dozen.5 million who arrived during the 2000s. This is a reversal of historical trends. In the 1980s and 1990s, clearing drove Hispanic population growth in the U.S. due to more immigrants arriving than babies being born.

The share of Latinos in the U.S. who speak English proficiently is growing. In 2019, 72% of Latinos ages v and older spoke English proficiently, upwards from 59% in 2000. U.S.-born Latinos are driving this growth, every bit their share on this measure has grown from 81% to 91% during this fourth dimension. Past comparison, 37% of Latino immigrants spoke English proficiently in 2019, a per centum that has increased somewhat since 2000. At the aforementioned time, the share of Latinos who speak Spanish at home declined from 2000 to 2019 (78% to 70%). Among the U.S. born, this share has decreased from 66% to 57%. About all Latino immigrants, 94% in 2019, say they speak Spanish at home.

Even though the share of Latinos who speak Spanish at home has declined, the number who do so has grown from 24.6 1000000 in 2000 to 39.1 million in 2019. Meanwhile, 39.8 million Latinos spoke English proficiently in 2019.

A line graph showing that for Latinos, English proficiency has increased and Spanish use at home has decreased, especially among those born in the U.S.

The share of U.S. Hispanics with college feel has increased since 2010. About 42% of U.S. Hispanic adults ages 25 and older had at to the lowest degree some college experience in 2019, up from 36% in 2010. More Hispanic women than Hispanic men accept attended higher, though the share with some college experience or more increased amid both Hispanic women (38% to 45%) and Hispanic men (33% to 39%). Overall, the share of Hispanics with a bachelor's caste or more education increased during this period, from 13% to 18%.

The number of Latinos enrolled in college also increased from 2010 to 2019, from ii.9 one thousand thousand to 3.6 1000000. In 2019, women fabricated up a significantly higher share of Latino college students than men, 56% vs. 44%. (A gender gap in college enrollment exists among all racial groups.) Among all U.Southward. higher students, the share of Latinos enrolled in college increased from 14% in 2010 to 19% in 2019.

A table showing Hispanic origin groups in the U.S., 2019

People of Mexican origin deemed for near 62% (most 37.2 million) of the nation's overall Hispanic population every bit of 2019. Those of Puerto Rican origin are the next largest group, at 5.8 million (another roughly 3.3 million live on the island as of 2020); their numbers have been growing partly due to people leaving Puerto Rico and moving to the l states and the Commune of Columbia. Half-dozen other Hispanic origin groups in the U.South. have roughly one 1000000 or more than people each: Cubans, Salvadorans, Dominicans, Guatemalans, Colombians and Hondurans.

The fastest population growth among U.S. Latinos has come among those with origins in Venezuela, Guatemala and Republic of honduras. From 2010 to 2019, the Venezuelan population in the U.S. increased 126% to 540,000, by far the fastest growth rate. Guatemalans saw an increment of 49%, followed by a 47% increase among the Honduran population.

By dissimilarity, the number of people of Mexican origin grew past only 13% from 2010 to 2019, among the lowest growth rates in the height 10 origin groups. At half dozen%, the Ecuadorian population saw the slowest growth rate amongst the top origin groups.

Iv-in-5 Latinos are U.S. citizens. As of 2019, 80% of Latinos living in the country are U.S. citizens, upwards from 74% in 2010. This includes people built-in in the U.South. and its territories (including Puerto Rico), people born abroad to American parents and immigrants who have go naturalized citizens. Among the origin groups, virtually all Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens. Spaniards (93%), Panamanians (88%) and Mexicans (81%) have some of the highest citizenship rates, while Hondurans (51%) and Venezuelans (48%) have the lowest rates.

A chart showing that the immigrant share has fallen in largest Latino origin groups since 2007

The share of U.S. Latinos who are immigrants is on the decline and varies past origin group. From 2007 to 2019, the number of Latino immigrants increased modestly, from xviii.0 meg to 19.eight million. Just immigrants fabricated upwardly a declining share of the Latino population – decreasing from 40% to 33% during this span every bit the number of U.S.-born Latinos increased and the arrival of new immigrants slowed.

Fewer than a third of Mexican-origin Latinos (29%) are foreign built-in. That's far lower than the shares among the other major groups by population – Hondurans (63%), Colombians (62%), Guatemalans (61%), Salvadorans (57%), Cubans (56%) and Dominicans (53%). Each of these groups saw the immigrant share of their populations decline from 2007 to 2018. Past contrast, 77% of Venezuelans are foreign built-in, the highest of any origin grouping, and up from 73% in 2007. People born in Puerto Rico are U.S. citizens at nascency.

Note: This mail has been regularly updated since information technology was originally published on Sept. 16, 2014.

Luis Noe-Bustamante is a research analyst focusing on global migration and Hispanic trends at Pew Research Heart.