Hispanics were less likely than nonHispanic Whites to be married (54.6 percent compared with

59.3 percent), widowed (3.5 percent compared with 7.0 percent), or divorced (7.2 percent compared with 9.5 percent).

Latinos lag behind
non-Hispanic Whites in
educational attainment.

The proportion of Hispanics 25
years of age and older with less
than a 9th grade education contin-
ues to decline from about
35.1 percent in March 1990 to
28.6 percent in March 1998. De-
spite this improvement, however,
the educational attainment of His-
panics in the United States remains
well below that of the rest of the
population. In March 1998, for ex-
ample, Hispanics 25 years of age
and older were six times more
likely than Non-Hispanic Whites to
have less than a 9th grade educa-
tion (28.6 percent compared with
4.7 percent).

The proportion of Hispanics with a high school diploma or more has steadily increased since the beginning of the decade from 50.8 percent in March 1990 to 55.5 percent in March 1998. In addition, the proportion of Hispanics with a bachelor's degree or more has risen modestly from 9.2 percent in 1990 to 11.0 percent in 1998 (see Figure 2).

Hispanics are more likely to be unemployed than non-Hispanic Whites.

In March 1998, the unemployment rate for Hispanics 16 years and over in the civilian labor force was 7.6 percent compared with 4.0 percent for non-Hispanic

Whites. The unemployment rates for both men and women were higher for Hispanics than for nonHispanic Whites. For example, the unemployment rate of Hispanic men was 7.4 percent compared with 4.4 percent for non-Hispanic White men. Hispanic women had an unemployment rate of 8.0 percent compared with

3.6 percent for non-Hispanic White

women.

Hispanics are more likely to be employed in low paying occupations than non-Hispanic Whites.

In March 1998, Hispanic men 15 years of age and older in the civilian labor force continued to be over-represented in low paying, less-stable, and more hazardous occupations.8 Over one-fourth (27.0 percent) of Hispanic men were employed as machine operators, transportation workers, or handlers, compared with only 16.9 percent of non-Hispanic White men. In contrast, Hispanic men were less likely to be employed as executives or professionals than non-Hispanic White men (12.9 percent compared with 31.1 percent).

Among employed women, the proportion of Hispanics who held positions as machine operators, transportation workers, or handlers. was about twice that of nonHispanic Whites (14.2 percent com

7Civilian labor force data shown in this report reflect characteristics of the civilian noninstitutionalized population for March 1998 and are not adjusted for seasonal changes. Data released by the Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, may not agree entirely with data shown in this report due to differences in methodological procedures and seasonal adjustment of the data.

Occupation data shown in this report reflect characteristics of the civilian noninstitutionalized population for March 1998 and are not adjusted for seasonal changes. Data released by the Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, may not agree entirely with data shown in this report due to difference in methodological procedures and seasonal adjustment of the data.

pared with 5.9 percent). Additionally, only about 18.3 percent of Hispanic women 15 years of age and older in the civilian labor force were employed in executive or professional occupations compared with 34.2 percent of non-Hispanic White women.

Hispanics earn less than non-Hispanic Whites.

The income distribution in 1997 for Hispanics ages 15 and over differed from the income distribution for non-Hispanic Whites. For instance, 26.7 percent of Hispanic men earned less than $10,000 in 1997 compared with 16.8 percent of non-Hispanic White men. Moreover, only 7.7 percent of Hispanic men earned $50,000 or more, compared with 22.5 percent of non-Hispanic White men.

Among women, 48.9 percent of Hispanics and 37.1 percent of non-Hispanic Whites had incomes of less than $10,000. In addition, 2.6 percent of Hispanic women earned $50,000 or more, compared

Figure 3.

with 7.1 percent of non-Hispanic White women.

The poverty rate of
Hispanics is more than
three times that of non-
Hispanic Whites.

Poverty continues to affect a sub-
stantial portion of the total His-
panic population in the United
States. Based on 1997 income fig-
ures, for example, people of His-
panic origin were more than three
times as likely as non-Hispanic
Whites to be living below the pov-
erty level (27.1 percent compared
with 8.6 percent, respectively, see
Figure 3). People of Hispanic origin
represented about 11.4 percent of
the total population but constituted
23.4 percent of all people living in
poverty.

Among Latino subgroups, the poverty rate ranged from 34.2 percent among Puerto Ricans to 19.6 percent among Cubans. Although the Cubans and Central and South Americans had the lowest poverty rates among all the