Latinos in the 2012 Election: Ohio

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

• The Hispanic population in Ohio ranks 23rd in the nation.⁴ About 355,000 Hispanics reside in Ohio, 0.7% of all Hispanics in the United States.
• Ohio’s population is 3% Hispanic, the 42nd ranked Hispanic population share nationally.
• There are 166,000 Hispanic eligible voters in Ohio—the 19th largest Hispanic eligible voter population nationally. California ranks first with 5.9 million.
• Some 2% of Ohio eligible voters are Hispanic, ranking 40th in Hispanic eligible voter share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 39%.
• Fully 47% of Hispanics in Ohio are eligible to vote, ranking 13th 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. More than three-in-ten Hispanic eligible voters in Ohio (32%) are ages 18 to 29, just below the share of all Latino eligible voters nationwide (33%) in that age range. By contrast, only 20% of all Ohio eligible voters and 22% of all U.S. eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
• Citizenship and Nativity. Among Hispanic eligible voters in Ohio, 13% are naturalized U.S. citizens. This compares with 25% of Hispanic eligible voters in the U.S., but just 3% of all Ohio eligible voters and 8% nationwide.
• Hispanic Origin. Hispanic eligible voters in Ohio have a different Hispanic origin profile from Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. More than four-in-ten (44%) Hispanic eligible voters in Ohio are of Mexican origin, while another 33% are of Puerto Rican origin and 23% are of another Hispanic origin. Among Hispanic eligible voters nationwide, nearly six-in-ten (59%) are Mexican, 14% are Puerto Rican, and 26% are of some other Hispanic origin.
• Educational Attainment. Nearly one-in-four Latino eligible voters in Ohio (23%) have not completed high school, about double the 12% of all Ohio eligible voters who have not completed high school.
• Homeownership. More than half of Hispanic eligible voters in Ohio (54%) live in owner-occupied homes, just below the share of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide (58%). Greater shares of all eligible voters in Ohio (71%) and all eligible voters nationwide (69%) live in owner-occupied homes. 

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Ohio, by Race and Ethnicity

• Number of Eligible Voters. White eligible voters outnumber Hispanic eligible voters in Ohio by nearly 44 to 1. Black eligible voters outnumber Hispanics by about 6 to 1, but there are about twice as many Hispanic eligible voters as Asian eligible voters in Ohio.
• Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than black, white and Asian eligible voters in Ohio. Some 32% of Latinos are ages 18 to 29, compared with 24% of black eligible voters and 19% of both Asian and white eligible voters.
• Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of high school education than do black, Asian and white eligible voters in Ohio. Some 23% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained a high school diploma, compared with 19% of black eligible voters, 12% of eligible Asian eligible voters and 11% of white eligible voters. However, a larger share of Hispanic eligible voters (16%) than black eligible voters (12%) in Ohio have bachelor’s degrees.
• Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters (54%) are more likely to live in owner-occupied homes than black (42%) eligible voters in Ohio, but they are less likely to do so than Asian (77%) or white (75%) eligible voters in Ohio.