CHARACTERISTICS OF FAMILIES Family size. On the average, families maintained by a person of Spanish origin were larger than non-Spanish families. About 31 percent of Spanish families had 5 or more members compared to 18 percent of non-Spanish families. But families of Spanish origin may be getting smaller, following the trend for all families in the Nation. For example, the average size of a Spanish family in 1970 was 4.26 persons per family compared to an average of 3.88 persons per family in 1978. Differences in size of family existed by type of Spanish origin: about 19 percent of Mexican-origin families had 6 or more persons in the family compared with 12 percent of Puerto Rican families, and 11 percent of Cuban families. And although about 1 of every 3 Cuban families had 2 persons per family, only 1 of every 5 Mexican-origin families were two-person families. Besides being larger, families of Spanish origin were also relatively young, with an average of 1.66 persons under 18 years old in the family. About 40 percent of Spanish-origin household members were under 18 years old, but only 4 percent of Spanish household members were 65 years old and over (tables I, 18, and 21). Residence. The number of Spanish families in the Nation totalled 2.8 million in March 1978, and 85 percent of these families were primarily metropolitan dwellers. Furthermore, 1 of every 2 Spanish-origin families were residents of the central cities of these metropolitan areas. And among the categories of Spanish origin, there were noticeable differences in residential choice: Mexican families (the majority of whom live in Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas) were more likely than far Puerto Rican or Cuban origin to have their residence: of metropolitan areas. About 19 percent of all M. origin families in the Nation lived in nonmetropolita compared to only 5 percent of Puerto Rican and 3 pers Cuban families (tables H and 18). Family Income. Family income in 1977 was 'oe Spanish-origin families than for families not of origin. Specifically, median income of Spanish-origin f-was $11,400, as compared with $16,300 for rons, families. And a substantial proportion of Spanish were in the lower part of the income distribution; percent of all Spanish-origin families had incomes $5,000, but for non-Spanish families the proport incomes below $5,000 was 9 percent. Many Spanish in 1977, however, had incomes between $5,000 and $15 1° One of every 2 Spanish families had incomes with-range, yet only 1 of every 10 Spanish families had m of $25,000 or more. Size of family, to the extent that it is related number of earners in the family, tends to affect tota income. In 1977, Spanish-origin families of only two pen had a median income of $8,600. Spanish-origin fam five persons, however, had a higher median income, $122 Many of these latter families have young adults or bet husband and the wife in the paid labor force. The educational attainment level of the householder -has a direct effect on family income. For example, in 15the median income of Spanish-origin families in wh householder reported only 8 years of school was £ $10,800, but the median income of Spanish families in the householder had completed exactly 4 years of Table H. Residence of Spanish-Origin Families, by Type of Spanish Origin (For the United States, March 1978. Numbers in thousands) I. Spanish-Origin Families, by Type of Spanish Origin and Size of Family Includes Central or South American origin and other Spanish origin. e J. Income in 1977 of Spanish-Origin Families, by Type of Spanish Origin the United States, March 1978) Not of Spanish origin1. 1Includes families maintained by persons who did not know or did not report on origin. 16,284 6.1 54.9 L. Number of Persons of Spanish Origin: 1970 Census and March 1978 Current Population Decrease in the number of persons designated as of Central or South American origin between O and 1978 may have occurred because of: (1) a shift to one of the four Mexican origin egories included in the March 1978 CPS, and (2) the replacement of self-reporting with direct erview. PARABILITY OF DATA WITH THE 1970 SUS stimate of 9.1 million persons of Spanish origin was ned from the 1970 Census of Population, compared an estimated 12.0 million persons of Spanish origin ned from the March 1978 CPS. This difference between 1970 census and the March 1978 CPS estimates of ons of Spanish origin occurred mostly because of: urvey procedures. Although the 1970 census used both elf-enumeration and direct interviews to collect data on ersons of Spanish origin, the March 1978 CPS was done ntirely by direct interviews (much by telephone). Mexican origin categories. The 1970 census question on Spanish origin had only one category denoting Mexican origin, whereas the March 1978 CPS had four categories or Mexican origin. Determining origin of children under 14 years old. In the 1970 census, the respondents themselves determined whether their children under 14 years old were or were hot of Spanish origin. In the March 1978 CPS, children under 14 years old in a household were classified as of Spanish origin if either the household head or his wife was of Spanish origin. 4. Sample size and variability. The 1970 census information on persons of Spanish origin was based on a sample of about 1 in 20 persons; the March 1978 CPS information was based on a sample of about 1 in 800 persons. Sampling variability, therefore, also affected comparability of data for persons of Spanish origin between the 1970 census and the March 1978 CPS. 5. Population growth. Growth of the Spanish population is another reason why the 1970 census estimate of the number of persons of Spanish origin differs from that of the March 1978 CPS. Although birth, death, and migration data on persons of Spanish origin are not available nationally, nor can these data be, at present, precisely estimated, rough computations indicate an approximate rate of natural increase (excess of births over deaths) of about 1.8 percent per year or 14.4 percent for the period between 1970 and 1978. Furthermore, net immigration from abroad could also have contributed significant growth. For example, in the 8-year period ending June. 30, 1978, an estimated 860,000 immigrants were admitted to the United States from all Spanish-speaking countries as permanent residents. Thus, all told, population growth for the period from April 1970 to March 1978 may account for most of the difference between the 1970 census and the March 1978 figures; the balance in the difference can be accounted for by the other reasons noted above. |