Latinos in the 2010 Elections: New Jersey

This statistical profile provides key demographic information of Latino eligible voters in New Jersey.¹ It also contains data on other major groups of eligible voters in New Jersey.² All data are based on Pew Hispanic Center tabulations of the Census Bureau’s 2008 American Community Survey.³

Hispanics in New Jersey’s Eligible Voter Population

• The Hispanic population in New Jersey is the seventh-largest in the nation. More than 1.4 million Hispanics reside in New Jersey, 3% of all Hispanics in the United States.
• The population in New Jersey is 16% Hispanic, the ninth-highest Hispanic population share nationally.
• There are 645,000 eligible Hispanic voters in New Jersey—the seventh-largest Hispanic eligible-voter population nationally. California ranks first with 5.4 million.
• Some 11% of eligible voters in New Jersey are Latinos, the ninth-largest Hispanic eligible voter population share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 38%.
• Less than half (45%) of Latinos in New Jersey are eligible to vote, ranking New Jersey 18th nationwide in the share of the Hispanic population that is eligible to vote. In contrast, 76% of the state’s white population is eligible to vote.

  

Characteristics of Eligible Voters

• Age. One-quarter of Hispanic eligible voters in New Jersey (25%) are ages 18 to 29, a lesser share than all Latino eligible voters nationwide (31%). Fewer eligible voters overall in New Jersey are in that age range (19%) compared with New Jersey Hispanic eligible voters (25%).
• Citizenship. Some 35% of Hispanic eligible voters in New Jersey are naturalized U.S. citizens, compared with 14% of all New Jersey eligible voters. Hispanic eligible voters in New Jersey are less likely to be native-born citizens (65%) than are Hispanic eligible voters nationwide (74%).
• Educational Attainment. Two-in-ten of Latino eligible voters in New Jersey (22%) have not completed high school. That was less than the rate for all Latino eligible voters—26%—but greater than the rate for U.S. eligible voters nationwide—13%.
• Homeownership. A majority of Hispanic eligible voters in New Jersey (53%) live in owner-occupied homes, compared with 60% of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Greater shares of all eligible voters in New Jersey (73%) and all eligible voters nationwide (70%) live in owner-occupied homes.

  

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in New Jersey, by Race and Ethnicity

• Number of Latino Eligible Voters. Black eligible voters in New Jersey outnumber Hispanic eligible voters—768,000 blacks compared with 645,000 Hispanics. Hispanic eligible voters outnumber Asian eligible voters in New Jersey by more than 2 to 1—645,000 to 299,000.
• Age. Latino and black eligible voters are younger than white and Asian eligible voters in New Jersey. Similar shares of Latino and black eligible voters (25%) are ages 18 to 29 compared with 17% of white and Asian eligible voters.
• Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of education than do white and black eligible voters in New Jersey. Some 22% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained at least a high school diploma compared with 16% of black and 8% of white eligible voters.
• Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters in New Jersey are less likely than white eligible voters, but more likely than black eligible voters, to live in owner-occupied homes—53% versus 81% and 48%, respectively.