This statistical profile provides key demographic information of Latino eligible voters in Maryland.¹ It also contains data on other major groups of eligible voters in Maryland.² All data are based on Pew Hispanic Center tabulations of the Census Bureau’s 2008 American Community Survey.³

Hispanics in Maryland’s Eligible Voter Population

• The Hispanic population in Maryland is the 20th-largest in the nation. Some 373,000 Hispanics reside in Maryland.
• The population in Maryland is 7% Hispanic, the 28th-highest Hispanic population share nationally.
• There are 113,000 eligible Hispanic voters in Maryland—the 22nd-largest Hispanic eligible-voter population nationally. California ranks first with 5.4 million.
• Some 3% of eligible voters in Maryland are Latinos, the 28th-largest Hispanic eligible voter population share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 38%.
• Three-in-ten (30%) of Latinos in Maryland are eligible to vote, ranking Maryland 42nd nationwide in the share of the Hispanic population that is eligible to vote. In contrast, 78% of the state’s white population is eligible to vote.

  

Characteristics of Eligible Voters

• Age. One-third of Hispanic eligible voters in Maryland (33%) are ages 18 to 29, greater than the share of all Latino eligible voters nationwide (31%) in that age range. By contrast, only 23% of all Maryland eligible voters and 22% of all U.S. eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
• Citizenship. Some 43% of Hispanic eligible voters in Maryland are naturalized U.S. citizens, compared with 8% of all Maryland eligible voters. Hispanic eligible voters in Maryland are less likely to be native-born citizens (57%) than are Hispanic eligible voters nationwide (74%).
• Educational Attainment. Two-in-ten of Latino eligible voters in Maryland (18%) have not completed high school. That was less than to the rate for all Latino eligible voters—26%—but greater than the rate for U.S. eligible voters nationwide—13%.
• Homeownership. Seven-in-ten of Hispanic eligible voters in Maryland (70%) live in owner-occupied homes, compared with 60% of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Similar shares of all eligible voters in Maryland (72%) and eligible voters nationwide (70%) live in owner-occupied homes.

  

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Maryland, by Race and Ethnicity

• Number of Latino Eligible Voters. Latino eligible voters are outnumbered by white eligible voters in Maryland by more than 22 to 1—113,000 Latinos to 2.5 million whites.
• Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than other major racial groups in Maryland. One-in-four Latino eligible voters in Maryland (26%) are ages 18 to 29 compared with 24% of black eligible voters, 20% of Asian eligible voters and 19% of white eligible voters.
• Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of education than do white and black eligible voters in Maryland. Some 18% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained at least a high school diploma compared with 15% of black eligible voters and 9% of white eligible voters.
• Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters in Maryland are less likely than white eligible voters, but more likely than black eligible voters, to live in owner-occupied homes—70% versus 78% and 58%, respectively.