Key facts about U.S. Latinos for National Hispanic Heritage Month
Here are some key facts about the nation’s Latino population by geography, and by characteristics like language use and origin group.
Who is Hispanic?
The 2020 census used a new approach to identify who is Hispanic and has provided fresh details about how Hispanics view their racial identity.
About 6 million U.S. adults identify as Afro-Latino
In 2020, Afro-Latino Americans made up about 2% of the U.S. adult population and 12% of the adult Latino population.
Majority of Latinos Say Skin Color Impacts Opportunity in America and Shapes Daily Life
Latinos with darker skin color report more discrimination experiences than Latinos with lighter skin color.
The ways Hispanics describe their identity vary across immigrant generations
More than half of foreign-born Latinos describe themselves using the name of their origin country, versus 39% among U.S.-born adult children of immigrants.
Rising share of lawmakers – but few Republicans – are using the term Latinx on social media
One-quarter of United States lawmakers mentioned the term on Facebook or Twitter during the 116th Congress.
About One-in-Four U.S. Hispanics Have Heard of Latinx, but Just 3% Use It
The term Latinx has emerged in recent years as a gender-neutral alternative to the pan-ethnic terms Latino, Latina and Hispanic. However, awareness of Latinx is relatively low among the population it is meant to describe.
Before COVID-19, many Latinos worried about their place in America and had experienced discrimination
About half of U.S. Hispanics said in our December 2019 survey that they had serious concerns about their place in the country.
Key facts about U.S. Hispanics and their diverse heritage
The U.S. Hispanic population is diverse. These nearly 60 million individuals trace their heritage to Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America and to Spain, each with distinct demographic and economic profiles. But as migration patterns from Latin America change, the origins of U.S. Hispanics are beginning to shift.
Hispanics with darker skin are more likely to experience discrimination than those with lighter skin
About six-in-ten Hispanics have experienced discrimination because of their race or ethnicity, though their experiences vary by skin color.
