---
title: "Latinos in the 2014 Election: New Mexico"
description: "This profile provides key demographic information on Latino eligible voters[1. Eligible voters are defined as U.S. citizens ages 18 and older. Eligible voters are not the same as registered voters. To cast a vote, in all states except North Dakota, an eligible voter must first register to vote.] and other major groups of eligible voters […]"
date: "2014-10-16"
authors:
  - name: "Anna Brown"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/fact-sheet/latinos-in-the-2014-election-new-mexico/"
---

# Latinos in the 2014 Election: New Mexico

This profile provides key demographic information on Latino eligible voters[1. Eligible voters are defined as U.S. citizens ages 18 and older. Eligible voters are not the same as registered voters. To cast a vote, in all states except North Dakota, an eligible voter must first register to vote.] and other major groups of eligible voters in New Mexico.[2. The terms “Hispanic” and “Latino” are used interchangeably. References to other races and ethnicities are to the non-Hispanic components of those populations.] All demographic data are based on Pew Research Center tabulations of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2012 American Community Survey.[3. This statistical profile of eligible voters is based on the Census Bureau's 2012 [American Community Survey](http://www.census.gov/acs/www) (ACS). The ACS is the largest household survey in the United States, with a sample of about 3 million addresses. The data used for this statistical profile come from the 2012 ACS Integrated Public Use Microdata Series ([IPUMS](http://usa.ipums.org/usa/)), representing a 1% sample of the U.S. population. Like any survey, estimates from the ACS are subject to sampling error and (potentially) measurement error. More information is available on [ACS sampling strategy](http://usa.ipums.org/usa/design.shtml) and [associated error](http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Downloads/data_documentation/pums/Accuracy/2012AccuracyPUMS.pdf).]

### Hispanics in New Mexico’s Eligible Voter Population

[![Population and Electorate in the United States and New Mexico, 2012](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2014/10/PH-2014-10-election-fact-sheet-NM-01.png)](https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/fact-sheets/2014-state-election-fact-sheets/latinos-in-the-2014-election-new-mexico/ph-2014-10-election-fact-sheet-nm-01/)

- The Hispanic population in New Mexico is the ninth largest in the nation. About 980,000 Hispanics reside in New Mexico, 1.9% of all Hispanics in the United States.
- New Mexico’s population is 47% Hispanic, the largest Hispanic statewide population share nationally. The state with the second largest Hispanic population share is California, which is 38% Hispanic.
- There are 585,000 Hispanic eligible voters in New Mexico—the eighth largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter population nationally. California ranks first with 6.4 million.
- Some 40% of New Mexico eligible voters are Hispanic, the largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter share nationally. Texas ranks second with 27%.
- Some 60% of Hispanics in New Mexico are eligible to vote, ranking New Mexico fourth nationwide in the share of the Hispanic population that is eligible to vote. By contrast, 83% of the state’s white population is eligible to vote.

### Characteristics of Eligible Voters

[![Characteristics of Eligible Voters in New Mexico and the United States, 2012](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2014/10/PH-2014-10-election-fact-sheet-NM-02.png)](https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/fact-sheets/2014-state-election-fact-sheets/latinos-in-the-2014-election-new-mexico/ph-2014-10-election-fact-sheet-nm-02/)

- **Age.** About three-in-ten Hispanic eligible voters in New Mexico (28%) are ages 18 to 29, somewhat lower than the share of all Latino eligible voters nationwide (33%) in that age range. Only 22% of all New Mexico eligible voters and of all U.S. eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
- **Citizenship and Nativity.** Among Hispanic eligible voters in New Mexico, 7% are naturalized U.S. citizens. This is less than the 25% of Hispanic eligible voters in the U.S. and the 8% of eligible voters in the U.S. overall, but greater than the 4% of all eligible voters in New Mexico who are naturalized U.S. citizens.
- **Hispanic Origin.** Hispanic eligible voters in New Mexico have a different Hispanic origin profile from Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Some 55% of Hispanic eligible voters in New Mexico are of Mexican origin, 1% are of Puerto Rican origin, and 44% 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 two-in-ten Latino eligible voters in New Mexico have not completed high school, higher than the 13% of all New Mexico eligible voters who have not completed high school and lower than the 23% of Hispanics nationwide who have not completed high school.
- **Homeownership.** Some seven-in-ten Hispanic eligible voters in New Mexico live in owner-occupied homes, greater than the 56% of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. About seven-in-ten (71%) of all eligible voters in New Mexico and 67% of all eligible voters nationwide live in owner-occupied homes.

### Characteristics of Eligible Voters in New Mexico, by Race and Ethnicity

[![Characteristics of Eligible Voters in New Mexico and the United States, by Race and Ethnicity, 2012](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2014/10/PH-2014-10-election-fact-sheet-NM-03.png)](https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/fact-sheets/2014-state-election-fact-sheets/latinos-in-the-2014-election-new-mexico/ph-2014-10-election-fact-sheet-nm-03/)

- **Number of Eligible Voters.** Although there are more Hispanics than whites in New Mexico, white eligible voters (686,000) outnumber Hispanic eligible voters (585,000). Hispanic eligible voters outnumber Native American eligible voters by almost 5 to 1 and black voters by about 24 to 1.
- **Age.** More than one-quarter of Latino eligible voters (28%) are ages 18 to 29. This is a higher percentage of young eligible voters than the rate for whites (16%) and similar to the rate for Native Americans (29%) and blacks (33%).
- **Educational Attainment.** Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of high school education than do white eligible voters in New Mexico. Some 20% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained a high school diploma, compared with 6% of white eligible voters. Some 21% of Native Americans and 19% of blacks lack a high school diploma. Hispanic eligible voters are less likely to have at least a bachelor’s degree (13%) than whites (36%) or blacks (20%). Hispanic eligible voters are more likely to have a bachelor’s degree or more than Native Americans (10%).
- **Homeownership.** Hispanic eligible voters (70%) are more likely to live in owner-occupied homes than black eligible voters (48%) in New Mexico, but are about as likely to live in owner-occupied homes as Native American (69%) eligible voters and slightly less likely than white eligible voters (72%).