Latinos in the 2014 Election: Wyoming

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

• The Hispanic population in Wyoming is the 43rd largest in the nation. About 54,000 Hispanics reside in Wyoming, 0.1% of all Hispanics in the United States.
• Wyoming’s population is 9% Hispanic, the 22nd largest Hispanic statewide population share nationally.
• There are 31,000 Hispanic eligible voters in Wyoming—the 40th largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter population nationally. California ranks first with 6.4 million.
• Some 7% of Wyoming eligible voters are Hispanic, the 15th largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 40%.
• Some 57% of Hispanics in Wyoming are eligible to vote, ranking Wyoming sixth nationwide in the share of the Hispanic population that is eligible to vote. By contrast, 78% of the state’s white population is eligible to vote.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters

• Age. About one-third of Hispanic eligible voters in Wyoming (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 22% of all Wyoming eligible voters and of all U.S. eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
• Citizenship and Nativity. Among Hispanic eligible voters in Wyoming, 10% are naturalized U.S. citizens, less than Hispanic eligible voters nationwide (25%). Only 2% of all eligible voters in Wyoming are naturalized citizens, as are 8% of all U.S. eligible voters.
• Hispanic Origin. Hispanic eligible voters in Wyoming have a different Hispanic origin profile from Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. About two-thirds of Hispanic eligible voters (68%) in Wyoming are of Mexican origin, compared to 59% among all U.S. Hispanic eligible voters. About 1% of Hispanic eligible voters in Wyoming are Puerto Rican and 1% are Cuban, while the remaining 31% is of another Hispanic origin. Among all U.S. Hispanic eligible voters, 14% are Puerto Rican and 5% are Cuban.
• Educational Attainment. Some two-in-ten Latino eligible voters in Wyoming have not completed high school, twice the 9% of all Wyoming eligible voters who have not completed high school and about the same as the 23% of Hispanics nationwide who have not completed high school.
• Homeownership. About two-thirds of Hispanic eligible voters (63%) in Wyoming live in owner-occupied homes, greater than the 56% of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Hispanic eligible voters in Wyoming live in owner-occupied homes at about the same rate as all eligible voters nationwide (67%), but greater shares of all eligible voters in Wyoming (70%) live in owner-occupied homes.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Wyoming, by Race and Ethnicity

• Number of Eligible Voters. White eligible voters outnumber Hispanic eligible voters in Wyoming by a margin of 12 to 1 (380,000 vs. 31,000).
• Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than white eligible voters in Wyoming. Some 34% of Latinos are ages 18 to 29, compared with 21% of white eligible voters.
• Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of education than do white eligible voters in Wyoming. Some 20% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained a high school diploma, compared with 7% of white eligible voters.
• Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters (63%) are less likely to live in owner-occupied homes than white eligible voters (72%).