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Latinos in the 2014 Election: New Jersey

This profile provides key demographic information on Latino eligible voters1 and other major groups of eligible voters in New Jersey.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 New Jersey’s Eligible Voter Population

Population and Electorate in the United States and New Jersey, 2012
  • The Hispanic population in New Jersey is the seventh largest in the nation. About 1.6 million Hispanics reside in New Jersey, 3.1% of all Hispanics in the United States.
  • New Jersey’s population is 19% Hispanic, the eighth largest Hispanic statewide population share nationally.
  • There are 770,000 Hispanic eligible voters in New Jersey—the seventh largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter population nationally. California ranks first with 6.4 million.
  • Some 13% of New Jersey eligible voters are Hispanic, the ninth largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 40%.
  • Some 47% of Hispanics in New Jersey are eligible to vote, ranking New Jersey 19th nationwide in the share of the Hispanic population that is eligible to vote. By contrast, 78% of the state’s white population is eligible to vote.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in New Jersey and the United States, 2012
  • Age. About three-in-ten Hispanic eligible voters in New Jersey (28%) are ages 18 to 29, somewhat lower than the share of all Latino eligible voters nationwide (33%) in that age range. By contrast, only 19% of all New Jersey eligible voters and 22% of all U.S. eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
  • Citizenship and Nativity. Among Hispanic eligible voters in New Jersey, 34% are naturalized U.S. citizens. This is greater than the 25% of Hispanic eligible voters in the U.S. Just 16% of all eligible voters in New Jersey and 8% of eligible voters in the U.S. overall are naturalized U.S. citizens.
  • Hispanic Origin. Hispanic eligible voters in New Jersey have a different Hispanic origin profile from Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Some four-in-ten Hispanic eligible voters in New Jersey are of Puerto Rican origin, 12% are of Dominican origin, 9% are of Cuban origin, 5% are of Mexican origin, and 34% claim other Hispanic origin. Among all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide, only 14% are Puerto Rican, 3% are Dominican, 5% are Cuban, 59% are Mexican, and 19% are of some other Hispanic origin.
  • Educational Attainment. Some two-in-ten Latino eligible voters in New Jersey have not completed high school, twice the 10% of all New Jersey eligible voters who have not completed high school and less than the 23% of Hispanics nationwide who have not completed high school.
  • Homeownership. About half of Hispanic eligible voters in New Jersey (51%) live in owner-occupied homes, lower than the 56% of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Greater shares of all eligible voters in New Jersey (72%) and eligible voters nationwide (67%) live in owner-occupied homes.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in New Jersey, by Race and Ethnicity

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in New Jersey and the United States, by Race and Ethnicity, 2012
  • Number of Eligible Voters. White eligible voters outnumber Hispanic eligible voters in New Jersey by 5 to 1. Hispanics eligible voters outnumber Asian eligible voters by 2 to 1. There are about the same number of black (789,000) than Hispanic (770,000) eligible voters in New Jersey.
  • Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than white, black and Asian eligible voters in New Jersey. Some 28% of Latinos are ages 18 to 29, compared with 16% 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 New Jersey. Some 20% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained a high school diploma, compared with 7% of white eligible voters, 14% of black eligible voters and 7% of Asian eligible voters. Hispanics and blacks are less likely to have a bachelor’s degree or more (19% of each) than whites (38%) or Asians (62%).
  • Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters (51%) are more likely to live in owner-occupied homes than black eligible voters (47%) in New Jersey, but are less likely to live in owner-occupied homes than white (81%) or Asian (79%) eligible voters.

© 2024 Pew Research Center