This profile provides key demographic information on Latino eligible voters1 and other major groups of eligible voters in Maryland.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 Maryland’s Eligible Voter Population
- The Hispanic population in Maryland is the 18th largest in the nation.4 About 474,000 Hispanics reside in Maryland, 0.9% of all Hispanics in the United States.
- Maryland’s population is 8% Hispanic, ranking 27th in Hispanic population share nationally.
- There are 150,000 Hispanic eligible voters in Maryland—the 20th largest Hispanic eligible voter population nationally. California ranks first with 5.9 million.
- Some 4% of Maryland eligible voters are Hispanic, ranking 27th in Hispanic eligible voter share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 39%.
- About one-third (32%) of Hispanics in Maryland are eligible to vote, ranking Maryland 40th nationwide in the share of the Hispanic population that is eligible to vote. By contrast, nearly eight-in-ten (79%) of the state’s white population is eligible to vote.
Characteristics of Eligible Voters
- Age. More than one-third of Hispanic eligible voters in Maryland (36%) are ages 18 to 29, slightly more than the share of all Latino eligible voters nationwide (33%) in that age range. By contrast, only 21% of all Maryland eligible voters and 22% of all U.S. eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
- Citizenship and Nativity. Among Hispanic eligible voters in Maryland, 42% are naturalized U.S. citizens. This compares with 25% of Hispanic eligible voters in the U.S. and just 9% of all eligible voters in Maryland and 8% of eligible voters in the U.S overall.
- Hispanic Origin. Hispanic eligible voters in Maryland have a different Hispanic origin profile from Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. More than two-in-ten (22%) Hispanic eligible voters in Maryland are of Salvadoran origin, 19% are of Puerto Rican origin, 15% are of Mexican origin, and 45% claim other Hispanic origin. Among all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide, only 2% are Salvadoran, 14% are Puerto Rican, 59% are Mexican, and 24% are of some other Hispanic origin.
- Educational Attainment. Nearly two-in-ten Latino eligible voters in Maryland (19%) have not completed high school, more than the 11% of all Maryland eligible voters who have not completed high school.
- Homeownership. More than six-in-ten Hispanic eligible voters in Maryland (65%) live in owner-occupied homes, more than the share of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide (58%). Slightly greater shares of all eligible voters in Maryland (71%) and all eligible voters nationwide (69%) live in owner-occupied homes.
Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Maryland, by Race and Ethnicity
- Number of Eligible Voters. White eligible voters outnumber Hispanic eligible voters in Maryland by nearly 17 to 1, and black eligible voters outnumber Hispanics by almost 8 to 1. There is a similar number of Hispanic (150,000) and Asian (153,000) eligible voters in Maryland.
- Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than black, Asian and white eligible voters in Maryland. Some 36% of Latinos are ages 18 to 29, compared with 24% of black eligible voters, 21% of Asian eligible voters and 18% of white eligible voters.
- Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of high school education than do black, white and Asian eligible voters in Maryland. Some 19% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained a high school diploma, compared with 14% of black eligible voters and 9% of both white and Asian eligible voters. A similar share of Hispanic (23%) and black (22%) eligible voters have a bachelor’s degree or more, compared with 58% of Asians and 38% of whites.
- Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters (65%) are more likely to live in owner-occupied homes than black (55%) eligible voters in Maryland, but they are less likely to do so than Asian (79%) or white (78%) eligible voters in Maryland.
