Latinos in the 2012 Election: Oregon

This profile provides key demographic information on Latino eligible voters¹ and other major groups of eligible voters in Oregon.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 Oregon’s Eligible Voter Population

• The Hispanic population in Oregon is the 19th largest in the nation.⁴ About 452,000 Hispanics reside in Oregon, 0.9% of all Hispanics in the United States.
• Oregon’s population is 12% Hispanic, the 14th largest Hispanic population share nationally.
• There are 146,000 Hispanic eligible voters in Oregon—ranking 21st in Hispanic eligible voter population nationally. California ranks first with 5.9 million.
• Some 5% of Oregon eligible voters are Hispanic, the 20th largest Hispanic eligible voter share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 39%.
• Less than one-in-three (32%) Hispanics in Oregon are eligible to vote, ranking Oregon 39th 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

• Age. Nearly four-in-ten Hispanic eligible voters in Oregon (38%) are ages 18 to 29, above the share of all Latino eligible voters nationwide (33%) in that age range. By contrast, only 20% of all Oregon eligible voters and 22% of all U.S. eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
• Citizenship and Nativity. Two-in-ten (20%) Hispanic eligible voters in Oregon are naturalized U.S. citizens, compared with 25% of Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. This rate is much higher than that of all eligible voters in the state (5%) and in the U.S. (8%).
• Hispanic Origin. Hispanic eligible voters in Oregon have a different Hispanic origin profile from Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. More than three-quarters (76%) of Hispanic eligible voters in Oregon are of Mexican origin; another 5% are of Puerto Rican origin and 2% are Cuban. Among all Hispanic eligible voters in the U.S., 59% are Mexican, 14% are Puerto Rican, and 5% are Cuban.
• Educational Attainment. Nearly one-quarter of Latino eligible voters in Oregon (23%) have not completed high school, slightly less than Hispanic eligible voters in the U.S. (25%) but more than double the 9% rate of all Oregon eligible voters.
• Homeownership. About half of Hispanic eligible voters in Oregon (51%) live in owner-occupied homes, below the share of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide (58%). Greater shares of all eligible voters in Oregon (66%) and all eligible voters nationwide (69%) live in owner-occupied homes. 

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Oregon, by Race and Ethnicity

• Number of Eligible Voters. White eligible voters outnumber Hispanic eligible voters in Oregon by more than 16 to 1. Hispanic eligible voters outnumber Asian eligible voters by about 2 to 1 and black eligible voters by about 3 to 1.
• Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than black, Asian and white eligible voters in Oregon. Some 38% of Latinos are ages 18 to 29, compared with 28% of black eligible voters, 22% of Asian eligible voters and 19% of white eligible voters.
• Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of education than do Asian, black and white eligible voters in Oregon. Some 23% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained a high school diploma, compared with 14% of Asian eligible voters, 13% of black eligible voters and 8% of white eligible voters.
• Homeownership.Hispanic eligible voters (51%) are more likely to live in owner-occupied homes than black (38%) eligible voters in Oregon, but they are less likely to do so than Asian (70%) or white (67%) eligible voters in Oregon.