Latinos in the 2014 Election: Maryland

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 Research Center tabulations of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2012 American Community Survey.³

Hispanics in Maryland’s Eligible Voter Population

• The Hispanic population in Maryland is the 18th largest in the nation. About 510,000 Hispanics reside in Maryland, 1% of all Hispanics in the United States.
• Maryland’s population is 9% Hispanic, the 25th largest Hispanic statewide population share nationally.
• There are 165,000 Hispanic eligible voters in Maryland—the 21st largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter population nationally. California ranks first with 6.4 million.
• Some 4% of Maryland eligible voters are Hispanic, the 28th largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 40%.
• Some 32% of Hispanics in Maryland are eligible to vote, ranking Maryland 45th nationwide in the share of the Hispanic population that is eligible to vote. By contrast, 79% of the state’s white population is eligible to vote.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters

• Age. About three-in-ten Hispanic eligible voters in Maryland (32%) are ages 18 to 29, about the same as 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, 39% are naturalized U.S. citizens. This is higher than the 25% of Hispanic eligible voters in the U.S. Just 9% of all eligible voters in Maryland and 8% of eligible voters in the U.S. overall are naturalized U.S. citizens.
• Hispanic Origin. Hispanic eligible voters in Maryland have a different Hispanic origin profile from Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Some two-in-ten Hispanic eligible voters in Maryland are of Salvadoran origin, 19% are of Mexican origin, 16% are of Puerto Rican origin, and 44% claim other Hispanic origin. Among all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide, only 3% are Salvadoran, 59% are Mexican, 14% are Puerto Rican and 25% are of some other Hispanic origin.
• Educational Attainment. Some 15% of Latino eligible voters in Maryland have not completed high school, more than the 9% of all Maryland eligible voters who have not completed high school and less than the 23% of Hispanics nationwide who have not completed high school.
• Homeownership. About two-thirds of Hispanic eligible voters in Maryland (66%) live in owner-occupied homes, compared with 56% of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Greater shares of all eligible voters in Maryland (71%) and roughly equal shares of eligible voters nationwide (67%) 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 about 15 to 1, and black eligible voters outnumber Hispanics by 7 to 1. There are similar numbers of Hispanic (165,000) and Asian (174,000) eligible voters in Maryland.
• Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than white, black and Asian eligible voters in Maryland. Some 32% of Latinos are ages 18 to 29, compared with 19% of white eligible voters, 23% of black eligible voters and 19% of Asian eligible voters.
• Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of high school education than do white, black and Asian eligible voters in Maryland. Some 15% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained a high school diploma, compared with 7% of white eligible voters, 12% of black eligible voters and 8% of Asian eligible voters. A higher share of Hispanic eligible voters (30%) has a bachelor’s degree or more compared with black eligible voters (23%), but white (39%) and Asian (57%) eligible voters are more likely to hold at least a bachelor’s degree.
• Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters (66%) are more likely to live in owner-occupied homes than black eligible voters (56%) in Maryland, but are less likely to live in owner-occupied homes than white (78%) or Asian (82%) eligible voters.