Latinos in the 2016 Election: California

This profile provides key demographic information on Latino eligible voters¹ and other major groups of eligible voters in California.² All demographic data are based on Pew Research Center tabulations of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2014 American Community Survey.³

Hispanics in California’s Eligible Voter Population

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  The Hispanic population in California is the largest in the nation. About 15 million Hispanics reside in California, 27.1% of all Hispanics in the United States.

• California’s population is 39% Hispanic, the second highest Hispanic statewide population share nationally.
• There are 6.9 million Hispanic eligible voters in California—the largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter population nationally. Texas ranks second with 4.8 million.
• Some 28% of California eligible voters are Hispanic, the third largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 40%.
• Some 46% of Hispanics in California are eligible to vote, ranking California 24th nationwide in the share of the Hispanic population that is eligible to vote. By contrast, 81% of the state’s white population is eligible to vote.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters

• Age. About one-third of Hispanic eligible voters in California (36%) are ages 18 to 29, slightly higher than the share of all Latino eligible voters nationwide (33%) and the share of all California eligible voters (24%) and of all U.S. eligible voters (22%) in that age range.
• Citizenship and Nativity. Among Hispanic eligible voters in California, 26% are naturalized U.S. citizens, close to the 25% of Hispanic eligible voters in the U.S. Some 20% of all eligible voters in California—but just 9% of eligible voters in the U.S. overall—are naturalized U.S. citizens.
• Hispanic Origin. Hispanic eligible voters in California have a different Hispanic origin profile from Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. About eight-in-ten (82%) of Hispanic eligible voters in California are of Mexican origin, 2% are of Puerto Rican origin, and 16% claim other Hispanic origin. Among all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide, 59% are Mexican, 14% are Puerto Rican, and 27% are of some other Hispanic origin.
• Educational Attainment. About one-quarter of Latino eligible voters in California (23%) have not completed high school, about double the 12% of all California eligible voters who have not completed high school and similar to the 22% of Latinos nationwide who have not completed high school.
• Homeownership. Over half of Hispanic eligible voters in California (53%) live in owner-occupied homes, a little lower than the share of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide (55%). Greater shares of all eligible voters in California (59%) and all eligible voters nationwide (67%) live in owner-occupied homes.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in California, by Race and Ethnicity

• Number of Eligible Voters. White eligible voters outnumber Hispanic eligible voters in California by about 2 to 1. Hispanic eligible voters outnumber Asian eligible voters by about 2 to 1 and black eligible voters by about 4 to 1.
• Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than white, Asian and black eligible voters in California. Some 36% of Latinos are ages 18 to 29, compared with 18% of white eligible voters, 20% of Asian eligible voters and 25% of black eligible voters.
• Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of education than do white, black and Asian eligible voters in California. Some 23% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained a high school diploma, compared with 6% of white eligible voters and 11% of both Asian and black eligible voters.
• Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters (53%) are more likely to live in owner-occupied homes than black eligible voters (38%) in California, but are less likely to live in owner-occupied homes than white (65%) or Asian (66%) eligible voters.