---
title: "Latinos in the 2014 Election: Virginia"
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-virginia/"
---

# Latinos in the 2014 Election: Virginia

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 Virginia.[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 Virginia’s Eligible Voter Population

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

- The Hispanic population in Virginia is the 15th largest in the nation. About 687,000 Hispanics reside in Virginia, 1.3% of all Hispanics in the United States.
- Virginia’s population is 8% Hispanic, the 28th largest Hispanic statewide population share nationally.
- There are 271,000 Hispanic eligible voters in Virginia—the 15th largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter population nationally. California ranks first with 6.4 million.
- Some 5% of Virginia eligible voters are Hispanic, the 24th largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 40%.
- Some 39% of Hispanics in Virginia are eligible to vote, ranking Virginia 31st 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

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

- **Age.** About one-third of Hispanic eligible voters in Virginia (37%) are ages 18 to 29, higher than the share of all Latino eligible voters nationwide (33%) and the share of all Virginia eligible voters and of all U.S. eligible voters (both 22%) in that age range.
- **Citizenship and Nativity.** Among Hispanic eligible voters in Virginia, 34% are naturalized U.S. citizens. This is a larger share than the 25% of Hispanic eligible voters in the U.S., but just 7% of all eligible voters in Virginia and 8% of eligible voters in the U.S. overall are naturalized U.S. citizens.
- **Hispanic Origin.** Hispanic eligible voters in Virginia have a different Hispanic origin profile from Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. About one-quarter (24%) are of Mexican origin. Two-in-ten (22%) are Puerto Rican, 12% are Salvadoran, and 42% are of another Hispanic origin. By contrast, Hispanic eligible voters nationwide are 59% Mexican, 14% Puerto Rican, 3% Salvadoran, and 25% of another Hispanic origin.
- **Educational Attainment.** Some 14% of Latino eligible voters in Virginia have not completed high school, higher than the 11% of all Virginia eligible voters who have not completed high school but lower than the 23% of Hispanics nationwide who have not completed high school.
- **Homeownership.** More than half of Hispanic eligible voters (57%) in Virginia live in owner-occupied homes, compared with 56% of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Greater shares of all eligible voters in Virginia (68%) and eligible voters nationwide (67%) live in owner-occupied homes.

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

[![Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Virginia 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-VA-03.png)](https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/fact-sheets/2014-state-election-fact-sheets/latinos-in-the-2014-election-virginia/ph-2014-10-election-fact-sheet-va-03/)

- **Number of Eligible Voters.** White eligible voters outnumber Hispanic eligible voters in Virginia by a margin of 15 to 1. Hispanic eligible voters are outnumbered by black eligible voters by about 4 to 1, but Hispanics are about the same size as Asians among eligible voters.
- **Age.** Latino eligible voters are younger than white, black and Asian eligible voters in Virginia. Some 37% of Latinos are ages 18 to 29, compared with 20% of white eligible voters, 25% of black eligible voters and 20% of Asian eligible voters.
- **Educational Attainment.** Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of education than do white and Asian eligible voters in Virginia, but higher levels than black eligible voters. Some 14% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained a high school diploma, compared with 9% of white eligible voters, 16% of black eligible voters and 8% of Asian eligible voters.
- **Homeownership.** Hispanic eligible voters (57%) are more likely to live in owner-occupied homes than black eligible voters (52%) in Virginia, but are less likely to live in owner-occupied homes than white (74%) or Asian (76%) eligible voters.