Latinos in the 2014 Election: Pennsylvania

This profile provides key demographic information on Latino eligible voters¹ and other major groups of eligible voters in Pennsylvania.² All demographic data are based on Pew Research Center tabulations of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2012 American Community Survey.³

Hispanics in Pennsylvania’s Eligible Voter Population

• 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

• 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

• 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.