U S C E N S U S B U R E A U

Census 2000 Special Reports

U.S. Department of Commerce

Economics and Statistics Administration 

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU 

CENSR-18

Issued December 2004

By 

Roberto R. Ramirez

Helping You Make Informed Decisions

We the People: 

Hispanics in the United States
This report was prepared by Roberto R. Ramirez, under the

supervision of Arthur R. Cresce, Chief, Ethnicity and Ancestry

Branch and Jorge del Pinal, Assistant Division Chief, Special

Population Statistics, Population Division. John F. Long, Chief,

Population Division, provided overall direction. 

General direction was provided by Judy G. Belton, Chief, Race and

Hispanic Origin Review Branch, Population Division. Within the Race

and Hispanic Origin Review Branch, Linda M. Chase provided

principal statistical assistance, and additional assistance was

provided by Yvonne J. Gist, Debra A. Niner, and Paula L. Vines.

The contents of the report were reviewed by Marjorie F. Hanson,

Population Division. Steve Smith, Population Division, provided

computer programming support.

Paulette Lichtman-Panzer and Jeanne Waples of the Decennial

Management Division provided decennial policy review of this

report. Inez Iy-Hsiu Chen and Vincent T. Mule, under the

guidance of Philip M. Gbur and Dawn E. Haines of Decennial

Statistical Studies Division, conducted sampling review. 

Jan Sweeney, Theodora Forgione, Jamie Peters, and 

Mary Stinson of the Administrative and Customer Services

Division, Walter C. Odom, Chief, provided publications and printing management, graphics design and composition, and editorial

review for print and electronic media. General direction and production management were provided by Susan L. Rappa, Chief,

Publications Services Branch. 

Acknowledgments
U.S. Census Bureau We the People: Hispanics in the United States 1

This report provides a portrait of the

Hispanic-origin population in the

United States and discusses some of

the Hispanic or Latino groups within

this population at the national level.1

It is part of the Census 2000 Special

Reports series that presents several

demographic, social, and economic

characteristics collected from

Census 2000. 

Census 2000 measured 35.2 million Hispanics who accounted for

12.5 percent of the total population. This group experienced a 

61 percent increase since 1990,

when the Hispanic population

stood at 21.9 million. During the

same time period, the total population of the United States grew by

13 percent, from 248.7 million in

1990 to 281.4 million in 2000.

Among Hispanic or Latino groups,

Mexicans were the largest with

20.9 million, while Other Hispanics

(5.5 million) and Puerto Ricans 

(3.4 million) were second and third

largest, respectively.2

The federal government defines

Hispanic or Latino as a person of

Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban,

South or Central American, or

other Spanish culture or origin

regardless of race. Thus, Hispanics

may be any race. 

In Census 2000, Hispanics were

asked to mark one of four categories: Mexican, Puerto Rican,

Cuban, or other Spanish/Hispanic/

Latino. The last category had a

write-in option by which a person

could provide a specific Hispanicorigin group such as Dominican or

Spaniard. In order to be comparable with the earlier U.S. Census

Bureau report We the American...

Hispanics, the following specific

Hispanic groups are included:

Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban,

Central American, South American,

Dominican, Spaniard, and Other

Hispanic.3 For information regarding detailed Hispanic groups, such

as Colombian and Uruguayan, refer

to the technical documentation for

Summary File 4 at

<www.census.gov/prod/cen2000

/doc/sf4.pdf>.

We the People: 

Hispanics in the United States

Table 1.

Hispanic Population by Origin: 2000

(Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error,

nonsampling error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Type of origin Number

Percent of U.S.

population

Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35,238,481 12.5

Mexican . . ....................................... 20,900,102 7.4

Puerto Rican . .................................... 3,403,510 1.2

Cuban . . . ........................................ 1,249,820 0.4

Central American1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,811,676 0.6

South American2

.................................. 1,419,979 0.5

Dominican . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 799,768 0.3

Spaniard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112,999 -

Other Hispanic3

................................... 5,540,627 2.0

- Rounds to zero.

1

People who responded Costa Rican, Guatemalan, Honduran, Nicaraguan, Panamanian,

Salvadoran, and other Central American were grouped under this heading. 2

People who responded Argentinean, Bolivian, Colombian, Ecuadorian, Paraguayan,

Peruvian, Uruguayan, Venezuelan, and other South American were grouped under this

heading. 3

This group included all other general Hispanic-origin responses such as ‘‘Hispanic,’’

‘‘Spanish,’’ and ‘‘Latino.’’

Note: Confidence intervals are not displayed because they round to the percentages

shown in the table.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 4.

1 The text of this report discusses data

for the United States, including the 50 states

and the District of Columbia. 2 The estimates in this report are based

on responses from a sample of the population. As with all surveys, estimates may vary

from the actual values because of sampling

variation or other factors. All statements

made in this report have undergone statistical

testing and are significant at the 90-percent

confidence level unless otherwise noted.

3 U.S. Census Bureau, 1993, We the

American...Hispanics, WE-2. This report is

available on the U.S. Census Bureau’s Web

site at <www.census.gov/apsd/wepeople

/we-2r.pdf>.
For this report, people who

responded to the question on

Hispanic origin by indicating either

Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban,

Dominican, or Spaniard were categorized as such. People who

responded Costa Rican,

Guatemalan, Honduran,

Nicaraguan, Panamanian,

Salvadoran, and Other Central

American were grouped under

Central American. Similarly, people who responded Argentinean,

Bolivian, Colombian, Ecuadorian,

Paraguayan, Peruvian, Uruguayan,

Venezuelan, and Other South

American were categorized under

South American. Other Hispanic

includes all general Hispanic-origin

responses, such as “Hispanic,”

“Spanish,” and “Latino.”4

Two companion reports provide

more information on the Hispanic

population. The Census 2000

Brief, The Hispanic Population:

2000, analyzes Hispanic population data collected from the short

form questions for Census 2000.5

It describes the distribution at both

the national and subnational levels

of specific subgroups as well as

the total Hispanic population. In

addition, the Census 2000 Brief

Overview of Race and Hispanic

Origin: 2000 (Grieco and Cassidy,

2001) provides a complete explanation of the race categories used

in Census 2000 and information on

each of the six major race groups

and the Hispanic-origin population

at the national level.

2 We the People: Hispanics in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

Census 2000 incorporated the

federal standards for collecting

and presenting data on race and

Hispanic origin established by

the Office of Management and

Budget (OMB) in October 1997,

considering race and Hispanic

origin to be two separate and

distinct concepts. For Census

2000, the questions on race and

Hispanic origin were asked of

every individual living in the

United States. The question on

Hispanic origin asked respondents if they were Spanish,

Hispanic, or Latino (the terms

"Hispanic" and "Latino" are used

interchangeably in this report).

The question on race asked

respondents to report the race or

races they considered themselves

to be. Data from both questions

are based on self-identification.

The question on Hispanic origin

for Census 2000 was similar to

the 1990 census question,

except for its placement on the

questionnaire and a few wording

changes. For Census 2000, the

question on Hispanic origin was

asked directly before the question on race. For the 1990 census, the order was reversed—the

question on race preceded questions on age and marital status,

which were then followed by the

question on Hispanic origin.* 

Because Hispanics may be any

race, data in this report for

Hispanics overlap with data for

racial groups. Based on Census

2000 sample data, the proportion

Hispanic among respondents who

reported only one race was 

8.0 percent for Whites, 

1.9 percent for Blacks or African

Americans, 14.6 percent for

American Indians and Alaska

Natives, 1.0 percent for Asians,

9.5 percent for Native Hawaiians

and Other Pacific Islanders, and

97.1 percent for those reporting

Some Other Race. Among respondents who reported Two or More

Races, the proportion was 

31.1 percent. 

The question on race in Census

2000 was different from that in

1990 in several ways. Most significantly, respondents were asked

to select one or more race categories to indicate their racial identities. Because of the changes,

the Census 2000 data on race are

not directly comparable to data

from the 1990 or earlier censuses.

Caution must be used when interpreting changes in the racial composition of the U.S. population

over time.

Understanding Data On Race and Hispanic Origin From Census 2000

* For a more detailed discussion of

these changes, see Elizabeth M. Grieco and

Rachel C. Cassidy, 2001, Overview of Race

and Hispanic Origin: 2000, U.S. Census

Bureau, Census 2000 Brief, C2KBR/01-1.

This report is available on the U.S. Census

Bureau's Internet site at <www.census.gov

/prod/2001pubs/c2kbr01-1.pdf>.

4 For complete details, see the Hispanic

origin code list in the technical documentation for Summary File 4 available at 

<www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf>. 5 Betsy Guzman, 2001, The Hispanic

Population: 2000, U.S. Census Bureau,

Census 2000 Brief, C2KBR/01-3. This report

is available on the U.S. Census Bureau’s

Internet site at <www.census.gov/prod

/2001pubs/c2kbr01-3.pdf>.
U.S. Census Bureau We the People: Hispanics in the United States 3

• In 2000, people of Mexican origin were the largest Hispanic

group in the United States,

representing 59 percent of the

country’s total Hispanic

population.

• Other Hispanics were the second largest group, comprising

16 percent of the Hispanic population, followed by Puerto

Ricans at 9.7 percent.

• Central Americans composed

5.1 percent of the Hispanic population. Among Central

Americans, Salvadorans were

the largest group, with 39 percent of this population, followed

by Guatemalans (22 percent)

and Hondurans (13 percent). 

• People with origins from South

America represented 4.0 percent

of the Hispanic population. Of

the South American population,

35 percent were Colombian, 

19 percent were Ecuadorian,

and 17 percent were Peruvian. 

• Cubans represented 3.5 percent

of the Hispanic population,

Dominicans 2.3 percent, and

Spaniards 0.3 percent.

Figure 1.

Hispanic Population by Origin: 2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 4.

(Percent distribution. Data based on sample. For information on 

confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, 

see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Other Hispanic

Spaniard

Dominican

South American

Central American

Cuban

Puerto Rican

Mexican 59.3

9.7

3.5

5.1

4.0

2.3

0.3

15.7

Mexicans were the largest Hispanic group. 
4 We the People: Hispanics in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

• The proportions of male and

female Hispanics exceeded the

corresponding proportions in

the total population for every 

5-year age group under 35.

• On the other hand, in every

group from ages 40 to 44

through ages 85 and older, larger

proportions of both men and

women were found in the total

population than in the Hispanic

population.

• Among Hispanics in 2000, the

male population exceeded the

female population, while for the

total population the opposite

was true—females outnumbered

males.

The Hispanic population was younger than the total population.

7 6 5 4 3 2 10

0 to 4 

5 to 9 

10 to 14 

15 to 19 

20 to 24 

25 to 29 

30 to 34 

35 to 39 

40 to 44 

45 to 49 

50 to 54 

55 to 59 

60 to 64 

65 to 69 

70 to 74 

75 to 79 

80 to 84 

85 + 

Figure 2.

Age and Sex: 2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 4.

Percent

Male Female

(Percent distribution. Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling 

error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf) Total population

Hispanic 

01234567

Age
U.S. Census Bureau We the People: Hispanics in the United States 5

• In 2000, the median age for

Hispanics was 26.0 years, compared with 35.4 years for the

total population.

• Over one-third of the Hispanic

population was younger than

18, compared with approximately one-fourth of the total population. Additionally, 4.8 percent

of the Hispanic population was

65 and older, compared with 

12 percent of the total

population.

• Among Hispanic groups, people

of Mexican, Puerto Rican, and

Other Hispanic origin were the

most likely to be younger than

18, while Cubans were the most

likely to be 65 and older.

Figure 3.

Selected Age Groups and Median Age: 2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 4.

Other Hispanic

Spaniard

Dominican

South American

Central American

Cuban

Puerto Rican

Mexican

Hispanic

Total population

(Percent distribution. Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, 

nonsampling error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Under 18 18 to 64 65 and older Median age

(years)

35.4

26.0

24.4

27.7

40.3

29.6

29.0

33.0

35.8

24.8

25.6 61.9 12.4

34.8 60.4 4.8

37.1 59.1 3.8

33.6 60.9 5.5

18.3 63.1 18.7

29.4 66.0 4.6

24.8 72.2 3.0

21.8 72.9 5.2

21.8 66.2 12.0

38.3 56.3 5.4

The median age for Hispanics was about 9 years less than that of the total population.
6 We the People: Hispanics in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

• Over half of both the Hispanic

population and the total population 15 and older were married

in 2000. In contrast, 34 percent

of Hispanics 15 and older were

never married, compared with 

27 percent of the total

population.

• Approximately 14 percent of

Hispanics and 19 percent of the

total population were separated,

widowed, or divorced in 2000.

• Among the Hispanic groups,

Cubans were the most likely to

be married, followed by South

Americans, Mexicans, and

Spaniards. Cubans were also

more likely to be separated,

widowed, or divorced than any

other Hispanic group. 

• In 2000, over one-third of

Puerto Ricans and Central

Americans were never married

(38 percent each). 

More than half of the Hispanic population was married. 

Figure 4.

Marital Status: 2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 4.

Other Hispanic

Spaniard

Dominican

South American

Central American

Cuban

Puerto Rican

Mexican

Hispanic

Total population

(Percent distribution of population 15 and older. Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality protection, 

sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Never married Separated, widowed, or divorced Married

49.3

27.1 54.4 18.5

34.2 51.3 14.4

34.5 53.4 12.1

37.9 42.3 19.8

21.8 55.3 22.9

34.4 44.6 21.0

37.9 49.3 12.8

30.6 53.6 15.8

29.1 53.3 17.5

34.1 16.6

15 and older
U.S. Census Bureau We the People: Hispanics in the United States 7

• The composition of Hispanic

households by type differed

from that of all households. For

example, 81 percent of Hispanic

households, but 68 percent of

all households were family

households.6

• Over half of both all households

and Hispanic households were

composed of married-couple

families.

• Households maintained by a

female householder with no

spouse present represented 

17 percent of Hispanic households, compared with 12 percent of all households.

• Over one-half of Mexican,

Cuban, Central American, South

American, and Other Hispanic

households, but about 

42 percent of Puerto Rican and

Dominican households, were

maintained by married-couple

families.

• Over one-fourth of Puerto Rican

households and about one-third

of Dominican households were

maintained by a female householder with no spouse present.

About 11 percent of Central

American households and 9 percent of Mexican households were

maintained by a male householder with no spouse present. 

More than half of Hispanics lived in family households.

Figure 5.

Household Type: 2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 4.

Other Hispanic

Spaniard

Dominican

South American

Central American

Cuban

Puerto Rican

Mexican

Hispanic

Total households

(Percent distribution based on the Hispanic origin of the householder. Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality 

protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Married couple Male householder, 

no spouse present

Nonfamily 

households

Female householder, 

no spouse present

22.3

52.5 11.8 31.5 4.1

55.1 17.3 19.3 8.3

59.9 14.7 16.2 9.2

41.7 26.2 26.1 6.0

54.7 12.3 27.5 5.4

42.4 33.5 15.8 8.3

54.0 18.1 16.6 11.3

54.1 15.5 22.8 7.7

49.4 12.2 33.9 4.6

51.6 19.2 6.9

Family households

6 A family household consists of a householder and one or more people living together in the same household who are related to

the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption. It may also include people unrelated to

the householder.
8 We the People: Hispanics in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

• In 2000, 40 percent of Hispanics

were foreign born. About 7 out

of every 10 Hispanics residing

in the United States were either

native or naturalized citizens,

compared with over 9 out of

every 10 people in the total

population.

• Among Hispanic groups, 

98.6 percent of Puerto Ricans

were native.7 In contrast, about

one-quarter of Central

Americans and South Americans

were native in 2000 (24 percent

and 23 percent, respectively).

• Cubans had the highest proportion (41 percent) of naturalized

citizens of all the Hispanic

groups, while Central Americans

had the highest proportion 

(56 percent) of noncitizens 

in 2000. 

About 60 percent of Hispanics were born in the United States.

Figure 6.

Nativity and Citizenship Status: 2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 4.

Other Hispanic

Spaniard

Dominican

South American

Central American

Cuban

Puerto Rican

Mexican

Hispanic

Total population

(Percent distribution. Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, 

nonsampling error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Native Foreign born, naturalized citizen Foreign born, not a citizen

88.9 4.5 6.6

59.8 11.2 29.0

58.5 9.2 32.3

98.6 0.6 0.8

31.5 41.4 27.1

31.8 24.9 43.3

24.2 19.8 55.9

23.4 28.1 48.4

59.8 14.9 25.3

72.4 9.0 18.6

7 Nearly all Puerto Ricans are born either

in the United States or Puerto Rico. People

born in Puerto Rico are automatically U.S.

citizens at birth.
U.S. Census Bureau We the People: Hispanics in the United States 9

• About 46 percent of foreign-born

Hispanics entered the United

States between 1990 and 2000.

About 29 percent arrived

between 1980 and 1989, 15 percent between 1970 and 1979,

and 10 percent before 1970.

• Nearly half of foreign-born

Mexicans and South Americans

entered the United States

between 1990 and 2000 (49 percent and 47 percent, respectively), representing the largest proportions of newly arrived

Hispanic immigrants during the

1990s. The smallest proportion

was foreign-born Cubans, 

26 percent of whom entered the

United States during the same

time period. 

• About 40 percent of the Cuban

foreign born arrived before

1970, more than any other

Hispanic group.

More than 2 in 5 of the Hispanic foreign born arrived during the 1990s. 

Figure 7.

Foreign Born by Year of Entry: 2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 4.

Other Hispanic

Spaniard

Dominican

South American

Central American

Cuban

Puerto Rican

Mexican

Hispanic

Total foreign born

(Percent distribution. Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, 

and definitions, see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Before 1970 1970 to 1979 1980 to 1989 1990 to 2000

9.9 

23.2 

11.0 

5.1 

10.4 

39.6 

7.9 

10.2 

15.4 

14.7 

18.2 

14.1 

11.1 

14.8 

13.8 

15.3 

14.6 

15.1 

33.5 

22.4 

27.7 

39.2 

32.2 

20.1 

28.1 

29.4 

27.2 

41.9

36.2

47.2

44.6

42.6

26.4

48.7

45.8

42.4

14.9 14.3 27.5 43.3
• In 2000, 18 percent of the country’s population aged 5 and over

spoke a language other than

English at home, and the majority (60 percent) of them spoke

Spanish at home.

• Over 75 percent of Hispanics

spoke a language other than

English at home. Nearly all 

(99 percent) of them spoke

Spanish at home.

• Over 9 of every 10 Dominicans

and Central Americans spoke a

language other than English at

home, the highest rate among

Hispanic groups. 

• Among Hispanics, approximately 2 in 5 spoke English less than

“very well.” Additionally, the

proportion who spoke English

less than “very well” varied from

a high of 57 percent for Central

Americans to a low of about 

26 percent for Puerto Ricans

and Spaniards.

10 We the People: Hispanics in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

Over three-fourths of Hispanics spoke a language other than English at home. 

Figure 8.

Language Spoken at Home and English-Speaking Ability: 2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 4.

Other Hispanic

Spaniard

Dominican

South American

Central American

Cuban

Puerto Rican

Mexican

Hispanic

Total population

(Percent distribution of population 5 and older. Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality protection, 

sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Only English at home Non-English at home, 

English spoken "very well"

Non-English at home, 

English spoken less than "very well"

8.1

31.3 38.8 29.8

40.1 34.6 25.3

10.5 41.9 47.6

8.5 34.6 56.8

7.1 39.2 53.7

13.7 40.4 45.9

24.6 48.7 26.7

21.2 35.7 43.1

21.4 37.9 40.6

82.1 9.8 

5 and older
The educational attainment

of Hispanics varied 

by group.

• In 2000, over half of the Hispanic

population aged 25 and over 

(52 percent) had at least a high

school diploma, and approximately 1 in 10 had earned a

bachelor’s or higher degree 

(10 percent). Compared with the

total population, Hispanics were

less likely to have completed at

least high school or college. 

• Among Hispanic groups,

Spaniards and South Americans

had the highest proportions with

at least a high school diploma

(77 percent and 76 percent,

respectively), while Mexicans and

Central Americans had the lowest (about 46 percent each).8

• The proportion who had attained

at least a bachelor’s degree varied

considerably: 30 percent of

Spaniards, 25 percent of South

Americans, 21 percent of Cubans,

12 percent of Puerto Ricans, 

11 percent of both Other

Hispanics and Dominicans, 

10 percent of Central Americans,

and 7 percent of Mexicans. 

U.S. Census Bureau We the People: Hispanics in the United States 11

Figure 9.

Educational Attainment: 2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 4.

Other Hispanic

Spaniard

Dominican

South American

Central American

Cuban

Puerto Rican

Mexican

Hispanic

Total population

(Percent of population 25 and older. Data based on sample. For information on 

confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, 

see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

High school graduate or more

Bachelor's degree or more

24.4

80.4

10.4

52.4

7.5 

45.8

12.5 

63.3

21.2 

62.9

10.9 

51.1

9.5 

46.0

25.2 

76.1

29.9 

77.0

11.2 

60.0

25 and older

8 The difference between Spaniards and

South Americans is not statistically significant. 
• Over two-thirds of Hispanic men

(69 percent) and all men (71 percent) participated in the labor

force in 2000. Over half of

Hispanic women (53 percent)

and all women (58 percent) participated in the labor force in the

same year. 

• Among Latino groups, the labor

force participation rate of men

was highest among Central

American and South American

men (76 percent and 75 percent, respectively) and lowest

for Cuban and Other Hispanic

men (about 63 percent each).

South American women had the

highest participation rate among

all the Latino groups (59 percent), while Cuban women had

the lowest (49 percent).

• The gender gap in labor force

participation rates was larger in

the Hispanic population than in

the total population (a 16 percentage-point difference compared with a 13 percentage-point

difference). The largest gender

gaps were observed for Mexicans

and Central Americans (a 19 percentage-point and an 18 percentage-point difference, respectively), while Other Hispanics, Puerto

Ricans, and Dominicans had the

smallest gap (about 11 percentage points each).9

12 We the People: Hispanics in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

Hispanics were slightly less likely to be in the labor force than the total population.

Figure 10.

Labor Force Participation Rate by Sex: 2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 4.

(Percent of population 16 and older in the labor force. Data based on sample. 

For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, 

and definitions, see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Other Hispanic

Spaniard

Dominican

South American

Central American

Cuban

Puerto Rican

Mexican

Hispanic

Total population

Men

Women

53.3

70.7 

57.5

69.4 

53.0

71.1 

52.0

64.3 

53.7

62.7 

49.4

76.0

57.9

74.8 

59.1

64.6 

52.9

69.7 

55.7

63.5 

16 and older

9 The gender gap for Spaniards (14 percentage points) is not statistically different

from the gender gap for Puerto Ricans and

Dominicans. The gender gap for Cubans 

(13 percentage points) is not statistically different from the gender gap for Dominicans.
Proportionately more

Hispanic women than

Hispanic men held

managerial or 

professional jobs.

• The percentage of Hispanic

women employed in management and professional occupations (23 percent) was lower than

that of all women (36 percent).

Among Hispanic men, 15 percent

held management and professional occupations, compared

with 31 percent of all men. 

• In 2000, 26 percent of Hispanic

men 16 years and over worked

in production, transportation,

and material moving occupations, compared with 20 percent

of all men in the country.

• Sales and office occupations

provided employment for 

35 percent of Hispanic women

and 37 percent of all women.

• Service occupations employed 

26 percent of Hispanic women

and 18 percent of all women. 

U.S. Census Bureau We the People: Hispanics in the United States 13

Figure 11.

Occupation by Sex: 2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 4.

Production, transportation,

and material moving

Construction, extraction,

and maintenance

Farming, fishing,

and forestry

Sales and office 

Service 

Management, professional,

and related

(Percent distribution of employed civilian population 16 and older. 

Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality protection, 

sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see 

www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf) All workers

Hispanic Men

Production, transportation,

and material moving

Construction, extraction,

and maintenance

Farming, fishing,

and forestry

Sales and office 

Service 

Management, professional,

and related

Women

31.4

14.6

12.1

19.0

17.9

14.8

1.1

3.6

17.1

21.9

20.5

26.1

14.3

36.2

22.9

18.0

25.6

36.7

34.8

0.3

1.4

0.7

0.9

8.0
In 1999, Spaniard, 

South American, and Cuban

families had higher median

family incomes than other

Hispanic groups.

• In 1999, the median family

income for Hispanics was

$34,400, lower than the median

family income of $50,000 for 

all families.

• Median family income among

Hispanic groups varied from a

high of $53,000 for Spaniards to

a low of $28,700 for

Dominicans. 

14 We the People: Hispanics in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

Figure 12.

Median Family Income: 1999

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 4.

(Families classified by Hispanic origin of householder. Data based on sample. 

For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling 

error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

$34,703

$50,046

$34,397

$33,516

$32,791

$42,642

$28,729

$34,150

$42,824

$53,002

Other Hispanic

Spaniard

Dominican

South American

Central American

Cuban

Puerto Rican

Mexican

Hispanic

All families
The median earnings of

Hispanic men and women

in 1999 varied.

• Median earnings of full-time,

year-round Hispanic male workers in 1999 were $25,400, compared with $37,100 for all male

workers. The corresponding

median earnings of full-time,

year-round female workers were

$21,600 for Hispanics and

$27,200 for all women. 

• Among Hispanic groups,

Spaniard men and women had

the highest median earnings

($39,600 and $30,900, respectively), while Central American

men and women had the lowest

($22,400 and $18,600,

respectively).

U.S. Census Bureau We the People: Hispanics in the United States 15

Figure 13.

Median Earnings by Sex: 1999

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 4.

Other Hispanic

Spaniard

Dominican

South American

Central American

Cuban

Puerto Rican

Mexican

Hispanic

All workers

(For employed, full-time, year-round workers 16 and older. Data based on sample. 

For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, 

nonsampling error, and definitions, see 

www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf) Men

Women

$37,057

$27,194

$25,400

$21,634

$23,496

$20,556

$30,281

$25,582

$31,527

$26,254

$25,106

$20,488

$22,423

$18,588

$30,482

$24,153

$39,628

$30,874

$27,419

$22,106
Poverty rates varied among

the Hispanic groups.

• Among the Hispanic population

in the United States, 22.6 percent were in poverty, compared

with 12.4 percent for the total

population. Among Latino

groups, the poverty rate ranged

from a high of 27.5 percent

among Dominicans to lows of

14.6 percent for Cubans and

12.8 percent for Spaniards. 

• Hispanics under 18 years of age

were more likely to live in

poverty in 1999 than all people

under age 18 in the United

States—over 1 in 4 compared

with 1 in 6. About 1 in 3

Dominicans and Puerto Ricans

under 18 lived below the poverty level in 1999. 

• In addition, 19.6 percent of the

Hispanic older population 

(65 years and over) was in

poverty, compared with 9.9 percent of the total older population. Among the Hispanic

groups, the older population living in poverty ranged from a

high of 28.6 percent for

Dominicans to lows of 16.4 percent for South Americans and

12.0 percent for Spaniards. 

16 We the People: Hispanics in the United States U.S. Census Bureau

Figure 14.

Poverty Rate by Broad Age Group: 1999

Note: Poverty status was determined for everyone except those in institutions, military

group quarters, or college dormitories, and unrelated individuals under 15 years old.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 4.

(Percent in poverty. Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality 

protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see 

www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

All ages

Under 18 

65 and older

18.3

12.4

16.6

9.9

22.6

27.8

19.6

23.5

28.4

19.0

25.8

32.9

24.4

14.6

15.9

19.9

27.5

35.2

28.6

19.9

23.9

19.1

15.0

17.1

16.4

12.8 

16.8 

12.0

21.5

Other Hispanic 26.0

Spaniard

Dominican

South American

Central American

Cuban

Puerto Rican

Mexican

Hispanic

Total population
Over half of all Hispanic

households lived in renteroccupied housing units.

• In 2000, Hispanic householders

were more likely than all householders to rent rather than own

a home. Among all Hispanic

households, 54 percent lived in

renter-occupied housing units,

compared with 34 percent of 

all households.

• Among Latino groups, Cuban

and Spaniard households were

more likely to live in owneroccupied housing units than any

other group (about 57 percent

each). Dominicans (80 percent),

Central Americans (68 percent),

and Puerto Ricans (66 percent)

were more likely to live in

renter-occupied housing units

than other groups.

U.S. Census Bureau We the People: Hispanics in the United States 17

Figure 15.

Housing Tenure: 2000

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 4.

(Percent distribution of occupied housing units. Housing tenure of the detailed group 

is shown by the origin of the householder. Data based on sample. For information 

on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, 

see www.census.gov/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf)

Owner

Renter

Other Hispanic

Spaniard

Dominican

South American

Central American

Cuban

Puerto Rican

Mexican

Hispanic

All

occupied units

66.2

33.8

45.7

54.3

48.4

51.6

34.4

65.6

57.6

42.4

31.7

68.3

41.2

58.8

20.2

79.8

56.8

43.2

50.8

49.2
ACCURACY OF THE

ESTIMATES

The data contained in this report

are based on the sample of households that responded to the

Census 2000 long form.

Nationally, approximately 1 out of

every 6 housing units was included

in this sample. As a result, the

sample estimates may differ somewhat from the 100-percent figures

that would have been obtained if

all housing units, people within

those housing units, and people

living in group quarters had been

enumerated using the same questionnaires, instructions, enumerators, and so forth. The sample

estimates also differ from the values that would have been obtained

from different samples of housing

units, and hence of people living in

those housing units, and people

living in group quarters. The deviation of a sample estimate from

the average of all possible samples

is called the sampling error. 

In addition to the variability that

arises from sampling, both sample

data and 100-percent data, are

subject to nonsampling error.

Nonsampling error may be introduced during any of the various

complex operations used to collect

and process data. Such errors may

include not enumerating every

household or every person in the

population, failing to obtain all

required information from the

respondents, obtaining incorrect or

inconsistent information, and

recording information incorrectly.

In addition, errors can occur during

the field review of the enumerators’ work, during clerical handling

of the census questionnaires, or

during the electronic processing of

the questionnaires.

While it is impossible to completely

eliminate error from an operation

as large and complex as the decennial census, the Census Bureau

attempts to control the sources of

such error during the data collection and processing operations.

The primary sources of error and

the programs instituted to control

error in Census 2000 are described

in detail in Summary File 4

Technical Documentation under

Chapter 8, Accuracy of the Data,

located at <www.census.gov

/prod/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf>. 

Nonsampling error may affect the

data in two ways: first, errors that

are introduced randomly will

increase the variability of the data

and, therefore, should be reflected

in the standard errors; and second,

errors that tend to be consistent in

one direction will bias both sample

and 100-percent data in that direction. For example, if respondents

consistently tend to underreport

their incomes, then the resulting

estimates of households or families by income category will tend

to be understated for the higherincome categories and overstated

for the lower-income categories.

Such biases are not reflected in the

standard errors.

All statements in this Census 2000

Special Report have undergone statistical testing and all comparisons

are significant at the 90-percent

confidence level unless otherwise

noted. The estimates in the table

and figures may vary from actual

values due to sampling and nonsampling errors. As a result, the

estimates used to summarize statistics for one population group

may not be statistically different

from estimates for another population group. Further information on

the accuracy of the data is located

at <www.census.gov/prod

/cen2000/doc/sf4.pdf>. For

further information on the computation and use of standard errors,

contact the Decennial Statistical

Studies Division at 301-763-4242.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Census 2000 Summary File 3 and

Summary File 4 data are available

from the American FactFinder on

the Census Bureau’s Web site

<factfinder.census.gov>. For information on confidentiality protection, nonsampling error, sampling

error, and definitions, also see

<www.census.gov/prod/cen2000

/doc/sf4.pdf> or contact the

Customer Services Center at 

301-763-INFO (4636).

Information on population and

housing topics is presented in the

Census 2000 Brief series and the

Census 2000 Special Report series,

located on the Census Bureau’s

Web site at <www.census.gov

/population/www/cen2000

/briefs.html>. These series

present information on race,

Hispanic origin, age, sex, household type, housing tenure, and

social, economic, and housing

characteristics such as ancestry,

income, and housing costs.

For more information on Hispanic

origin, visit <www.census.gov

/population/www/socdemo

/hispanic.html>.

To find information about the availability of data products, including

reports, CD-ROMs, and DVDs, call

the Customer Services Center at

301-763-INFO (4636).

18 We the People: Hispanics in the United States U.S. Census Bureau