This profile provides key demographic information on Latino eligible voters1 and other major groups of eligible voters in Minnesota.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 Minnesota’s Eligible Voter Population
- The Hispanic population in Minnesota ranks 28th in the nation.4 About 248,000 Hispanics reside in Minnesota, 0.5% of all Hispanics in the United States.
- Minnesota’s population is 5% Hispanic, ranking 36th in Hispanic population share nationally.
- There are 81,000 Hispanic eligible voters in Minnesota—ranking 29th in Hispanic eligible voter population nationally. California ranks first with 5.9 million.
- Only 2% of Minnesota eligible voters are Hispanic, ranking 38th in Hispanic eligible voter share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 39%.
- One-third of Hispanics in Minnesota (33%) are eligible to vote, ranking Minnesota 38th 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-third of Hispanic eligible voters in Minnesota (38%) are ages 18 to 29, greater than the share of all Latino eligible voters nationwide (33%) in that age range. By contrast, only 21% of all Minnesota eligible voters and 22% of all U.S. eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
- Citizenship and Nativity. Among Hispanic eligible voters in Minnesota, 22% are naturalized U.S. citizens. This compares with 25% of Hispanic eligible voters in the U.S., but just 4% of all eligible voters in Minnesota and 8% of eligible voters in the U.S overall.
- Hispanic Origin. Hispanic eligible voters in Minnesota have a different Hispanic origin profile from Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. About two-thirds (67%) of Hispanic eligible voters in Minnesota are of Mexican origin, 9% of Puerto Rican origin and about one-quarter (24%) claim other Hispanic origin. Among all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide, six-in-ten (59%) are Mexican, 14% are Puerto Rican and about one-quarter (26%) are of some other Hispanic origin.
- Educational Attainment. Two-in-ten Latino eligible voters in Minnesota (20%) have not completed high school, more than double the 8% of all Minnesota eligible voters who have not completed high school.
- Homeownership. About six-in-ten Hispanic eligible voters in Minnesota (61%) live in owner-occupied homes, compared with 58% of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Greater shares of all eligible voters in Minnesota (76%) and all eligible voters nationwide (69%) live in owner-occupied homes.
Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Minnesota, by Race and Ethnicity
- Number of Eligible Voters. White eligible voters outnumber Hispanic eligible voters in Minnesota by more than 42 to 1. There are slightly more black (128,000) and Asian (91,000) eligible voters than Hispanic eligible voters (81,000) in Minnesota.
- Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than Asian, black and white eligible voters in Minnesota. Some 38% of Latinos are ages 18 to 29, compared with 33% of Asian eligible voters, 30% of black eligible voters and 20% of white eligible voters.
- Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of education than do Asian and white eligible voters in Minnesota. Some 20% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained a high school diploma compared with 15% of Asian eligible voters and 6% of white eligible voters. A slightly larger share of black eligible voters (22%) than Hispanic eligible voters have not graduated from high school.
- Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters (61%) are more likely to live in owner-occupied homes than black eligible voters (30%) in Minnesota, but they are less likely to do so than white (79%) or Asian (72%) Minnesota eligible voters.
