---
title: "Latinos in the 2014 Election: Pennsylvania"
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-pennsylvania/"
---

# Latinos in the 2014 Election: Pennsylvania

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 Pennsylvania.[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 Pennsylvania’s Eligible Voter Population

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

- The Hispanic population in Pennsylvania is the 13th largest in the nation. About 777,000 Hispanics reside in Pennsylvania, 1.5% of all Hispanics in the United States.
- Pennsylvania’s population is 6% Hispanic, the 32nd largest Hispanic statewide population share nationally.
- There are 408,000 Hispanic eligible voters in Pennsylvania—the tenth largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter population nationally. California ranks first with 6.4 million.
- Some 4% of Pennsylvania eligible voters are Hispanic, the 27th largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 40%.
- Some 53% of Hispanics in Pennsylvania are eligible to vote, ranking Pennsylvania 10th nationwide in the share of the Hispanic population that is eligible to vote. By contrast, 80% of the state’s white population is eligible to vote.

### Characteristics of Eligible Voters

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

- **Age.** About one-third of Hispanic eligible voters in Pennsylvania (34%) 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 20% of all Pennsylvania eligible voters and 22% of all U.S. eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
- **Citizenship and Nativity.** Among Hispanic eligible voters in Pennsylvania, 12% are naturalized U.S. citizens. This is less than the 25% of Hispanic eligible voters in the U.S., but just 4% of all eligible voters in Pennsylvania and 8% of eligible voters in the U.S. overall are naturalized U.S. citizens.
- **Hispanic Origin.** Unlike in the overall U.S., Hispanic eligible voters in Pennsylvania are most likely of Puerto Rican origin. About two-thirds (64%) of Hispanic eligible voters in the state are Puerto Rican, while Mexicans make up 9% of the total and Dominicans 7%. Among Hispanic eligible voters nationwide, about six-in-ten (59%) are Mexican, 14% are Puerto Rican, and 3% are Dominican.
- **Educational Attainment.** About one-quarter of Latino eligible voters in Pennsylvania (26%) have not completed high school, more than twice the 11% of all Pennsylvania eligible voters who have not completed high school and greater than the 23% of Hispanics nationwide who have not completed high school.
- **Homeownership.** Half of Hispanic eligible voters in Pennsylvania live in owner-occupied homes, a smaller share than the 56% of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Greater shares of all eligible voters in Pennsylvania (71%) and eligible voters nationwide (67%) live in owner-occupied homes.

### Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Pennsylvania, by Race and Ethnicity

[![Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Pennsylvania 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-PA-03.png)](https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/fact-sheets/2014-state-election-fact-sheets/latinos-in-the-2014-election-pennsylvania/ph-2014-10-election-fact-sheet-pa-03/)

- **Number of Eligible Voters.** White eligible voters outnumber Hispanic eligible voters in Pennsylvania by about 20 to 1. Hispanics are outnumbered by blacks by more than 2 to 1 among eligible voters, but the number of Hispanics eligible to vote is about double that of Asians.
- **Age.** Latino eligible voters are younger than white, black and Asian eligible voters in Pennsylvania. Some 34% of Latinos are ages 18 to 29, compared with 19% of white eligible voters, 26% of black eligible voters and 25% of Asian eligible voters.
- **Educational Attainment.** Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of education than do white, black and Asian eligible voters in Pennsylvania. Some 26% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained a high school diploma, compared with 9% of white eligible voters, 16% of black eligible voters and 17% of Asian eligible voters. Some 14% of Hispanic and black eligible voters have a bachelor’s degree or more, compared with 28% of white and 47% of Asian eligible voters.
- **Homeownership.** Hispanic eligible voters (50%) are more likely to live in owner-occupied homes than black eligible voters (46%) in Pennsylvania, but are less likely to live in owner-occupied homes than white (76%) or Asian (71%) eligible voters.