This profile provides key demographic information on Latino eligible voters1 and other major groups of eligible voters in Hawaii.2 All demographic data are based on Pew Research Center tabulations of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2012 American Community Survey.3
Hispanics in Hawaii’s Eligible Voter Population
- The Hispanic population in Hawaii is the 39th largest in the nation. About 131,000 Hispanics reside in Hawaii, 0.2% of all Hispanics in the United States.
- Hawaii’s population is 9% Hispanic, the 21st largest Hispanic statewide population share nationally.
- There are 78,000 Hispanic eligible voters in Hawaii—the 32nd largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter population nationally. California ranks first with 6.4 million.
- Some 8% of Hawaii eligible voters are Hispanic, the 12th largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 40%.
- Some 60% of Hispanics in Hawaii are eligible to vote, ranking Hawaii third nationwide in the share of the Hispanic population that is eligible to vote. By contrast, 84% of the state’s white population and 73% of the state’s Asian population is eligible to vote.
Characteristics of Eligible Voters
- Age. About one-third of Hispanic eligible voters in Hawaii (35%) are ages 18 to 29, roughly the same as the share of all Latino eligible voters nationwide (33%) in that age range. By contrast, only 22% of all Hawaii eligible voters and all U.S. eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
- Citizenship and Nativity. Among Hispanic eligible voters in Hawaii, 11% are naturalized U.S. citizens. This is a smaller share than the 25% of Hispanic eligible voters in the U.S. who are naturalized U.S. citizens, slightly lower than the 13% of all eligible voters in Hawaii and greater than 8% of eligible voters in the U.S. overall.
- Hispanic Origin. Hispanic eligible voters in Hawaii have a different Hispanic origin profile from Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Only about three-in-ten (31%) Hispanic eligible voters in Hawaii are of Mexican origin, 33% are of Puerto Rican origin, and 35% claim other Hispanic origin. Among all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide, 59% are Mexican, 14% are Puerto Rican, and 27% are of some other Hispanic origin.
- Educational Attainment. Some one-in-ten Latino eligible voters in Hawaii have not completed high school, about the same as the 8% of all Hawaii eligible voters who have not completed high school and lower than the 23% of Hispanics nationwide who have not completed high school. Some 20% of Hispanic eligible voters have a bachelor’s degree or more—higher than the 15% of Hispanics nationwide, but lower than the 28% of all Hawaiian eligible voters who have at least a bachelor’s degree.
- Homeownership. About four-in-ten Hispanic eligible voters in Hawaii (42%) live in owner-occupied homes, compared with 56% of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Greater shares of all eligible voters in Hawaii (62%) and all eligible voters nationwide (67%) live in owner-occupied homes.
Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Hawaii, by Race and Ethnicity
- Number of Eligible Voters. Asian eligible voters outnumber Hispanic eligible voters in Hawaii by about 5 to 1 and white eligible voters outnumber Hispanics by more than 3 to 1.
- Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than Asian and white eligible voters in Hawaii. Some 35% of Latinos are ages 18 to 29, compared with 14% of Asian eligible voters and 22% of white eligible voters.
- Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of education than do white eligible voters in Hawaii. Some 10% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained a high school diploma, compared with 4% of white eligible voters. A similar share of Asian eligible voters (11%) has not completed high school. But both Asians (30%) and whites (38%) are more likely to have obtained at least a bachelor’s degree than Hispanics (20%).
- Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters (42%) are less likely to live in owner-occupied homes than white (53%) or Asian (76%) eligible voters in Hawaii.