This profile provides key demographic information on Latino eligible voters¹ and other major groups of eligible voters in Virginia.² All demographic data are based on Pew Hispanic Center tabulations of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2010 American Community Survey.³

Hispanics in Virginia’s Eligible Voter Population

• The Hispanic population in Virginia is the 16th largest in the nation.⁴ About 630,000 Hispanics reside in Virginia, 1.2% of all Hispanics in the United States.
• Virginia’s population is 8% Hispanic, which ranks 28th nationally in Hispanic population share.
• There are 214,000 Hispanic eligible voters in Virginia—the 16th largest Hispanic eligible voter population nationally. California ranks first with 5.9 million.
• Some 4% of Virginia eligible voters are Hispanic, ranking the state 26th in Hispanic eligible voter share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 39%.
• About one-third (34%) of Hispanics in Virginia are eligible to vote, ranking Virginia 36th nationwide in the share of the Hispanic population that is eligible to vote. By contrast, more than three-quarters (78%) of the state’s white population is eligible to vote.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters

• Age. More than one-in-three Hispanic eligible voters in Virginia (34%) are ages 18 to 29, just above the share of all Latino eligible voters nationwide (33%) in that age range. By contrast, only 22% of all Virginia eligible voters and those nationwide are ages 18 to 29.
• Citizenship and Nativity. Among Hispanic eligible voters in Virginia, 33% are naturalized U.S. citizens, more than Hispanic eligible voters nationwide (25%). Only 7% of all eligible voters in Virginia are naturalized citizens, as are 8% of all U.S. eligible voters.
• Hispanic Origin. Hispanic eligible voters in Virginia have a different Hispanic origin profile from Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. About one-in-four (26%) are of Mexican origin. More than two-in-ten (21%) are Puerto Rican, 13% are Salvadoran, and 40% are of another Hispanic origin. By contrast, Hispanic eligible voters nationwide are 59% Mexican, 14% Puerto Rican, 2% Salvadoran, and 24% of another Hispanic origin.
• Educational Attainment. Fully 17% of Hispanic eligible voters in Virginia have not completed high school, more than the 12% of all Virginia eligible voters who have not completed high school.
• Homeownership. Fully 60% of Hispanic eligible voters in Virginia live in owner-occupied homes, just above the share of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide (58%). Greater shares of all eligible voters in Virginia (70%) and all eligible voters nationwide (69%) live in owner-occupied homes.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Virginia, by Race and Ethnicity

• Number of Eligible Voters. White eligible voters outnumber Hispanic eligible voters in Virginia by a margin of 19 to 1. Hispanic eligible voters are outnumbered by black eligible voters by about 5 to 1, but Hispanics are about the same size as Asians among eligible voters.
• Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than black, Asian and white eligible voters in Virginia. Some 34% of Latinos are ages 18 to 29, compared with 25% of black eligible voters, 22% of Asian eligible voters and 20% of white eligible voters.
• Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of education than do white and Asian eligible voters in Virginia, but higher levels than black eligible voters. Some 17% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained a high school diploma, compared with 19% of black eligible voters, 10% of white eligible voters and 9% of Asian eligible voters.
• Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters (60%) are more likely to live in owner-occupied homes than black (52%) eligible voters in Virginia, but they are less likely to do so than Asian (80%) or white (75%) eligible voters in Virginia.