Page images
PDF
EPUB

The Hispanic Population in the United States: March 1990

(The estimates in this report do not reflect the results of the 1990 census. See appendix B for the estimation procedure)

INTRODUCTION

This report presents data on the demographic, social, and economic characteristics of the Hispanic population in the United States. The Bureau of the Census collected this information in the March 1990 supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS). In addition, the report highlights changes in selected characteristics of Hispanics since 1982. This year was selected for two reasons. First, the last recessionary period ended in late 1982. Using 1982 as the bench-mark allows to assess how Hispanics have fared during the most recent economic recovery period. Second, 1982 was the first year in which the Census Bureau introduced Hispanic population controls, which improved the reliability of the CPS data on Hispanics. Some of the principal findings are summarized below.

HIGHLIGHTS

Hispanic adults 25 years and over made small, but significant gains in educational attainment since 1983. Hispanic unemployment in March 1990 (8.2 percent ±0.8) was about half of what it was in March 1983 (16.5 percent ± 1.0).

• The poverty rate of Hispanic families in 1989 (23.4 percent±1.5) was lower than it was in 1982 (27.2 percent± 2.0).

Nearly one-half (47.9 percent ± 3.4) of all Hispanic persons living in poverty in 1989 were children under age 18.

• The median income of Hispanic households in 1989 ($21,900 $675) was about 13 percent higher than it was in 1982 ($19,500 $824) after taking into account changes in the cost of living.

• The median income of Hispanic families in 1989 ($23,400 + $994) was about 12 percent higher than it was in 1982 ($20,900 ± $851 in 1989 dollars).

HISPANIC POPULATION COMPOSITION

NOTE: CPS estimates of the Hispanic-origin population shown in this report are inflated to national totals using weights derived from independent post-census estimates. These postcensus estimates of the Hispanic population were used to eliminate fluctuations in the CPS estimates of the size of the

'The population universe in the March 1990 CPS is the civilian noninstitutional population of the United States and members of the Armed Forces in the United States living off post or with their families on post, but excludes all other members of the Armed Forces.

total Hispanic population resulting from sampling variability. In addition, the independent estimates provide a post-census time series of data comparable with the 1980 census information for Hispanics.

Independent estimates were developed only for the size of the total Hispanic population and not for subgroups of the Hispanic population. Consequently, figures on the number of persons in each of the Hispanic subgroups, as well as the social and economic characteristics shown in this report, remain subject to sampling error and random annual fluctuations.

In March 1990, the estimate of the Hispanic-origin population in the United States is about 20.8 million, or about 8.4 percent of the total population. The Hispanic population comprised the following groups:

Mexican 64.0 percent (±.86)

Puerto Rican 10.5 percent (±.55) 2

Cuban 4.9 percent (±.39)

Central and South American 13.7 percent (±.62)
Other Hispanic 6.9 percent (±.46) 3

The size of the Hispanic-origin population and its subgroups will be updated from the 1990 census results, which is a complete count of the population. CHARACTERISTICS OF HOUSEHOLDS

According to the March 1990 CPS, there were about 5.9 million households in which the householder was Hispanic. This number was an increase of 1.9 million or about 68 percent since 1980. In March 1990, Hispanic

2The March 1990 CPS estimate of the Puerto Rican population on the mainland appears to be low, compared with the independent evidence presented in last year's report, The Hispanic Population in the United States: March 1989, Current Population Reports, Series P-20, No. 444, pp. 25-28. Preliminary information from the 1990 census of Puerto Rico indicates, however, that the migration data (based on passenger statistics to and from the mainland) may have overstated the actual population movement out of Puerto Rico. This, in turn, may mean that the mainland independent estimate of Puerto Ricans was overstated by that amount. At this time, it is best to wait for the final 1990 census counts of both the mainland and the island populations in order to get a fix on the size and growth of the Puerto Rican mainland population. In the meantime, the Census Bureau will continue its effort to better understand the reasons for the fluctuations in the Puerto Rican estimates from CPS data.

3 Unless otherwise noted, persons reporting "Other Hispanic" are those whose origins are from Spain, or they are Hispanic persons identifying themselves generally as Hispanic, Spanish, Spanish-American, Hispano, Latino, etc.

"The Census Bureau defines a Hispanic household as one in which the householder is Hispanic. The term householder refers to the person (or one of the persons) in whose name the housing unit is owned or rented (maintained), or if there is no such person, any adult member, excluding roomers, boarders, or paid employees. A household comprises the person or persons who occupy a housing unit. Although a large majority of households contain families, many do not.

households were about 6.4 percent of all U.S. households as compared with 5.0 percent in 1980. The number of Hispanic family households increased about 49 percent while the number of nonfamily households grew about 42 percent.5 Among non-Hispanic households, growth of nonfamily households was stronger than family households (26 percent versus 10 percent).

There are possible alternative definitions of Hispanic households. For example, there were 6.6 million households in which either the householder or the spouse was Hispanic. There were about 6.8 million households with at least one Hispanic member age 14 and over. Household composition. In March 1990, the householder was of Mexican origin in about 58 percent of the 5.9 million Hispanic households. In about 14 percent of Hispanic households, the householder was Central and South American, 13 percent Puerto Rican, 7 percent Cuban, and 9 percent other Hispanics (table 3 and figure 1).

Hispanic households were more likely to contain families than were non-Hispanic households. In March 1990, 82 percent of Hispanic households were family households, compared with 70 percent of non-Hispanic households. Conversely, 18 percent of Hispanic households were maintained by a person living alone or with nonrelatives only, compared with 30 percent of nonHispanic households (table 3).

Urban and rural residence. Hispanic households were more likely to live in urban areas in 1990 than were non-Hispanic households. About 92 percent of Hispanic households were in urban areas, about 8 percent were nonfarm households in rural areas, and about 1 percent were on farms in rural areas. In contrast, 73 percent of non-Hispanic households were in urban areas, 25 percent were in rural nonfarm areas, and about 2 percent were in rural farm areas (table 3).

Tenure. In March 1990, Hispanics were less likely to own or to be purchasing their home (owners) than were non-Hispanics (41 and 66 percent respectively). Among the Hispanic subgroups, other Hispanic householders were the most likely to own or to be purchasing their

5Two major categories of households are identified by the Census Bureau: family and nonfamily. A family household requires the presence of at least two related persons: the householder and one or more additional family members related to the householder through birth, marriage, or adoption. Family households can also contain persons who are not family members. A nonfamily household is composed of a householder who either lives alone or exclusively with persons who are not related to the householder. See Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Current Population Reports, Series P-20, No. 432, Households, Families, Marital Status and Living Arrangements: March 1988 (Advance Report). Finally, the difference between the percent increase in Hispanic family and nonfamily households is not statistically significant.

The difference in the proportion of Hispanic householders of Puerto Rican and Central and South American origin is not statistically significant.

[blocks in formation]

homes (54 percent), while householders of Puerto Rican and Central and South American origin were the least likely to own their home (28 percent and 25 percent, respectively, see table 3).7

Household size. The average size of Hispanic households (3.48 persons) in March 1990, was larger than that of non-Hispanic households (2.58 persons). About 12 percent of Hispanic households had six or more members, compared with 3 percent of non-Hispanic households. Among the subgroups, Mexican households had the highest proportion of large households (16 percent).

CHARACTERISTICS OF FAMILIES

Family composition. In March 1990, there were 66 million families in the United States, of which 7 percent were Hispanic and 93 percent were non-Hispanic. Nationwide, 79 percent of all families were maintained by married couples, about 17 percent by female householders with no spouse present, and 4 percent by male householders with no spouse present. Hispanic families differ from non-Hispanic families in composition and size.

About 7 of 10 Hispanic families were married-couple families, compared with about 8 of 10 non-Hispanic families. Families maintained by a female householder with no husband present were 23 percent of all Hispanic families, compared with 16 percent of non-Hispanic families. Families maintained by a male with no wife present were about 7 percent of Hispanic and about 4 percent of non-Hispanic families.

"The difference between the homeownership rates of Hispanics of Puerto Rican and Central and South American origin is not statistically significant.

Among the Hispanic subgroups, families of Puerto Rican origin were the least likely to be maintained by a married couple (57 percent) and the most likely to be maintained by a woman with no husband present (39 percent) (table 4).

Family size. In March 1990, Hispanic families on the average were larger than non-Hispanic families (3.82 persons and 3.12 persons, respectively). About 28 percent of Hispanic families had five or more members, compared with about half of this proportion (13 percent) of non-Hispanic families. Among the subgroups, Mexican families had the highest proportion of families with five or more members (33 percent). About one of every six Mexican families had six or more members (table 4).

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF PERSONS

Age. The age data from the March 1990 CPS shows the Hispanic-origin population to be younger than the non-Hispanic population. About 30 percent of Hispanics were under 15 years of age, compared with 21 percent of non-Hispanics. Conversely, about twice as many non-Hispanics (22 percent) were 55 years of age or older, compared with Hispanics (11 percent, see table 1 and figure 2).

The median age of Hispanics (26.0 years) in 1990 was about 8 years lower than the median age of the non-Hispanic population (33.5 years). The median age among the Hispanic subgroups varied from the high of 39.1 years for the Cuban population (about 6 years older Figure 2.

Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Population
Age Distribution: March 1990

Age

than that of non-Hispanics) to the low of 24.1 years for the Mexican subgroup. The Puerto Rican, Central and South American, and other Hispanic populations recorded median ages of 27.0, 28.0 and 31.1 years of age, respectively (table 1).

Educational attainment. Hispanics made modest gains in educational attainment in the 1980's. However, the rate of progress slowed from that seen during the 1970's. In March 1983, almost 16 percent of Hispanics age 25 and over, had completed less than 5 years of schooling, while in March 1990 that percentage was about 12 percent. The proportion of Hispanics who had completed 4 years of high school or more was almost 46 percent in 1983 and about 51 percent in 1990. In 1983, 8 percent of Hispanics had completed 4 or more years of college, compared with about 9 percent in 1990 (table A).

Occupation. In March 1990, the occupational distribution of employed Hispanics and non-Hispanics differed. For example, the largest share of Hispanic men in March 1990 were employed as operators, fabricators or laborers (30 percent). Non-Hispanic men, on the other hand, were more likely to have occupations that were

The difference between the median age of Hispanics of Puerto Rican and Central and South American origin is not statistically significant. Also, the difference between Hispanics and Puerto Ricans is not statistically significant.

9Occupation data shown in this report refer to March 1990, and may not necessarily agree with data from other survey months, or with other data produced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

[graphic][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][subsumed][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]
[blocks in formation]

managerial or professional (27 percent). The difference in the proportion of Hispanic and non-Hispanic men (21 percent and 19 percent, respectively) employed in the precision productions, craft and repair industries however was not statistically significant.

Among employed women, the single largest occupational grouping for both Hispanic and non-Hispanic women was technical, sales, and administrative support occupations (38 percent and 45 percent, respectively). Other differences exist, however, between the occupational distribution of Hispanic and non-Hispanic women. About 16 percent of Hispanic women were employed in managerial and professional specialty occupations, compared with 27 percent of non-Hispanic women. About 25 percent of Hispanic-origin women were employed in service occupations, compared with 17 percent of nonHispanic women. Finally, about twice as many Hispanic women held positions as operators, fabricators and laborers than did non-Hispanic women (17 and 8 percent, respectively, see table 2).

Unemployment. 10 In March 1990, the unemployment rate of Hispanics, 16 years of age and older, was higher than that of non-Hispanics (8.2 percent and 5.3 percent, respectively). However, the 1990 rate for Hispanics was much lower than it was in March 1983 near the bottom of the last recessionary period (16.5 percent)(table A).

The unemployment rate of Hispanic males in March of 1990 was also higher than that of non-Hispanic males (8.0 percent and 5.7 percent, respectively), but also lower than the comparable March 1983 rate (16.6 percent). A similar pattern is evident among females. About 8.5 percent of Hispanic females were unemployed in March 1990, compared with 4.9 percent of non-Hispanic females. The unemployment rate of Hispanic females was 16.3 percent in March of 1983.11

Among Hispanic subgroups, there is no statistically significant difference in the unemployment rate for males. Among Hispanic females however, Mexican females had a higher unemployment rate (9.8 percent) than did Cuban, Central and South American, or other Hispanic females (5.1, 6.3 and 5.9 percent, respectively, see table 2).12

INCOME AND EARNINGS

Household income. Hispanic households tend to have lower incomes than non-Hispanic households. In 1989, the median money income of Hispanic households was $21,900, compared with $29,500 for non-Hispanic households. Nevertheless, Hispanic household income was higher in 1989 than in 1982 after adjusting for the increase in the cost of living during the period (table A). 13 Among the Hispanic subgroups, Puerto Ricans had the lowest median household income of $18,900 in 1989.

The disparity in household income between the Hispanic and non-Hispanic populations is also apparent in the income distribution for each group. For example, about 22 percent of Hispanic households had incomes below $10,000 in 1989, compared with 15 percent of non-Hispanic households (figure 3). Conversely, about 14 percent of Hispanic households and 24 percent of non-Hispanic households had incomes of $50,000 or more in 1989 (table 3 and figure 4).

Family income. The median income of Hispanic families in 1989 was less than that of non-Hispanic families. The median income of Hispanic families ($23,400) was about 67 percent of the median of non-Hispanic families ($35,200). Hispanic family income, however, was higher

1o Labor force status data shown in this report refer to March 1990, and may not necessarily agree with data from other survey months, or with average annual rates produced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

11The differences between the unemployment rates of Hispanic males and females in 1983 and 1990 are not statistically significant. 12The differences between the unemployment rates of Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central and South American, and other Hispanic females are not statistically significant.

13In 1982, Hispanic household median income was $19,503 +$824, expressed in 1989 dollars.

« PreviousContinue »