Latinos in the 2010 Elections: Rhode Island

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

Hispanics in Rhode Island’s Eligible Voter Population

• The Hispanic population in Rhode Island is the 37th-largest in the nation. Some 121,000 Hispanics reside in Rhode Island.
• The population in Rhode Island is 11% Hispanic, the 13th-highest Hispanic population share nationally.
• There are 46,000 eligible Hispanic voters in Rhode Island—the 34th-largest Hispanic eligible-voter population nationally. California ranks first with 5.4 million.
• Some 6% of eligible voters in Rhode Island are Latinos, the 13th-largest Hispanic eligible voter population share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 38%.
• Four-in-ten (38%) of Latinos in Rhode Island are eligible to vote, ranking Rhode Island 27th nationwide in the share of the Hispanic population that is eligible to vote. In contrast, 80% of the state’s white population is eligible to vote.

  

Characteristics of Eligible Voters

• Age. Some 36% of Hispanic eligible voters in Rhode Island are ages 18 to 29, greater than the share of all Latino eligible voters nationwide (31%) in that age range. By contrast, only 22% of all Rhode Island eligible voters and 22% of all U.S. eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
• Citizenship. Four-in-ten of Hispanic eligible voters in Rhode Island (40%) are naturalized U.S. citizens, compared with 8% of all Rhode Island eligible voters. Hispanic eligible voters in Rhode Island are less likely to be native-born citizens (60%) than are Hispanic eligible voters nationwide (74%).
• Educational Attainment. One-third of Latino eligible voters in Rhode Island (33%) have not completed high school. That was greater than the rate for all Latino eligible voters—26%—and the rate for U.S. eligible voters nationwide—13%.
• Homeownership. Less than half of Hispanic eligible voters in Rhode Island (46%) live in owner-occupied homes, compared with 60% of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Somewhat greater shares of all eligible voters in Rhode Island (68%) and all eligible voters nationwide (70%) live in owner-occupied homes.

  

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Rhode Island, by Race and Ethnicity

• Number of Latino Eligible Voters. Among the total population in Rhode Island, whites outnumber Hispanics by a margin of nearly 7 to 1. However, white eligible voters outnumber Hispanic eligible voters in Rhode Island by more than 14 to 1.
• Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than white eligible voters in Rhode Island. Among Latino eligible voters, 36% are ages 18 to 29 compared with 20% of white eligible voters.
• Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of education than do white eligible voters in Rhode Island. One-third of Hispanic eligible voters (33%) have not obtained at least a high school diploma compared with only 12% of white eligible voters.
• Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters are less likely than white eligible voters in Rhode Island to live in owner-occupied homes—46% versus 71%.