Latinos in the 2012 Election: Colorado

This profile provides key demographic information on Latino eligible voters¹ and other major groups of eligible voters in Colorado.² All demographic data are based on Pew Hispanic Center tabulations of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2010 American Community Survey.³

Hispanics in Colorado’s Eligible Voter Population

• The Hispanic population in Colorado is the eighth largest in the nation.⁴ About 1 million Hispanics reside in Colorado, 2.1% of all Hispanics in the United States.
• Colorado’s population is 21% Hispanic, the seventh largest Hispanic population share nationally.
• There are 484,000 Hispanic eligible voters in Colorado—the ninth largest Hispanic eligible voter population nationally. California ranks first with 5.9 million.
• Some 14% of Colorado eligible voters are Hispanic, the seventh largest Hispanic eligible voter share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 39%.
• About 46% of Hispanics in Colorado are eligible to vote, ranking Colorado 14th 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

• Age. One-third of Hispanic eligible voters in Colorado (31%) are ages 18 to 29, similar to the share of all Latino eligible voters nationwide (33%) in that age range. By contrast, only 22% of all Colorado eligible voters and of all U.S. eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
• Citizenship and Nativity. Among Hispanic eligible voters in Colorado, 12% are naturalized U.S. citizens. This compares with 25% of Hispanic eligible voters in the U.S., but just 5% of all eligible voters in Colorado and 8% of eligible voters in the U.S overall.
• Hispanic Origin. Hispanic eligible voters in Colorado have a different Hispanic origin profile from Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Seven-in-ten Hispanic eligible voters in Colorado are of Mexican origin, 3% are of Puerto Rican origin, and 27% claim other Hispanic origin. Among all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide, only six-in-ten (59%) are Mexican, 14% are Puerto Rican, and about a quarter (26%) are of some other Hispanic origin.
• Educational Attainment. One-quarter of Latino eligible voters in Colorado (23%) have not completed high school, almost triple the 8% of all Colorado eligible voters who have not completed high school.
• Homeownership. Nearly six-in-ten Hispanic eligible voters in Colorado live in owner-occupied homes, similar to the share of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide (both 58%). Greater shares of all eligible voters in Colorado and all eligible voters nationwide (both 69%) live in owner-occupied homes.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Colorado, by Race and Ethnicity

• Number of Eligible Voters. White eligible voters outnumber Hispanic eligible voters in Colorado by more than 5 to 1; Hispanic eligible voters outnumber black eligible voters by almost 4 to 1 and Asian eligible voters by about 7 to 1.
• Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than black, Asian and white eligible voters in Colorado. Some 31% of Latinos are ages 18 to 29, compared with 24% of black eligible voters, 23% of Asian eligible voters and 20% of white eligible voters.
• Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of education than do black, Asian and white eligible voters in Colorado. Some 23% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained a high school diploma, compared with 12% of black eligible voters, 10% of Asian eligible voters and 5% of white eligible voters.
• Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters (58%) are more likely to live in owner-occupied homes than black (44%) eligible voters in Colorado, but they are less likely to do so than Asian (75%) or white (72%) eligible voters in Colorado.