Latinos in the 2012 Election: Connecticut

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

• The Hispanic population in Connecticut is the 17th largest in the nation.⁴ About 482,000 Hispanics reside in Connecticut, 0.9% of all Hispanics in the United States.
• Connecticut’s population is 13% Hispanic, the 11th highest Hispanic population share nationally.
• There are 239,000 Hispanic eligible voters in Connecticut—the 14th largest Hispanic eligible voter population nationally. California ranks first with 5.9 million.
• Less than one-in-ten (9%) Connecticut eligible voters are Hispanic, the 10th largest Hispanic eligible voter share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 39%.
• About half of Hispanics in Connecticut are eligible to vote, ranking Connecticut seventh nationwide in the share of the Hispanic population that is eligible to vote. By contrast, more than three-quarters (78%) of the state’s white population is eligible to vote.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters

• Age. One-third of Hispanic eligible voters in Connecticut (31%) are ages 18 to 29, similar to the share of all Latino eligible voters nationwide (33%) in that age range. By contrast, only 19% of all Connecticut eligible voters and 22% of all U.S. eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
• Citizenship and Nativity. Among Hispanic eligible voters in Connecticut, 16% are naturalized U.S. citizens. This compares with 25% of Hispanic eligible voters in the U.S., but just 8% of all eligible voters in Connecticut and in the U.S overall.
• Hispanic Origin. Hispanic eligible voters in Connecticut have a different Hispanic origin profile from Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Only 5% of Hispanic eligible voters in Connecticut are of Mexican origin, 70% are of Puerto Rican origin, and one-quarter (25%) claim other Hispanic origin. Among all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide, six-in-ten (59%) are Mexican, only 14% are Puerto Rican, and about one-quarter (26%) are of some other Hispanic origin.
• Educational Attainment. Three-in-ten Latino eligible voters in Connecticut (30%) have not completed high school, triple the 10% of all Connecticut eligible voters who have not completed high school.
• Homeownership. More than four-in-ten Hispanic eligible voters in Connecticut (43%) live in owner-occupied homes, compared with 58% of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Greater shares of all eligible voters in Connecticut (71%) and all eligible voters nationwide (69%) live in owner-occupied homes.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Connecticut, by Race and Ethnicity

• Number of Eligible Voters. White eligible voters outnumber Hispanic eligible voters in Colorado by more than 8 to 1. There are a similar number of Hispanic (239,000) and black (218,000) eligible voters in Colorado. Hispanic eligible voters outnumber Asian eligible voters by more than 4 to 1.
• Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than black, Asian and white eligible voters in Connecticut. Some 31% of Latinos are ages 18 to 29, compared with 26% of black eligible voters, 24% of Asian eligible voters and 16% of white eligible voters.
• Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of education than do black, Asian and white eligible voters in Connecticut. Some 30% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained a high school diploma, compared with 16% of black eligible voters, 9% of Asian eligible voters and 7% of white eligible voters.
• Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters (43%) are about as likely to live in owner-occupied homes as black eligible voters (44%) in Connecticut, but they are less likely to do so than Asian (67%) or white (78%) Connecticut eligible voters.