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 Hispanic (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 "Two 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. 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. 3 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 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. 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 1oLabor 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. The family income distribution of Hispanics varied by Hispanic subgroup. The proportion of Puerto Rican origin families earning less than $10,000 in 1989 (28 percent) was the highest of any Hispanic subgroup. Proportionately more Cuban families had incomes of $50,000 or more than did the Mexican families (table 4). Earnings of Persons. Hispanics, 15 years of age and older with earnings in 1989, tend to have lower earnings than do non-Hispanics. The median earnings of Hispanic men in 1989 ($14,000) was about 64 percent that of non-Hispanic men ($22,100), while the median earnings of Hispanic women ($9,900) was about 83 percent that of non-Hispanic women ($11,900). The differences in earnings between Hispanics and non-Hispanics can be further examined by comparing the distribution of the earnings. In March 1990, about 78 percent of Hispanic males earned less than $25,000 a year, compared with 55 percent for non-Hispanic males. About 4 percent of Hispanic males had earnings of $50,000 or more as compared with about 12 percent of non-Hispanic males. Among women with earnings, 51 percent of Hispanic and about 43 percent of nonHispanic women had earnings of less than $10,000. About 12 percent of Hispanic women reported earnings of $25,000 or more in 1989, compared with 18 percent of non-Hispanic women (table 2). POVERTY Family poverty. More than double the proportion of Hispanic families lived in poverty based in 1989 (23.4 percent) than non-Hispanic families (9.2 percent). Poverty among Hispanic families, however, was down about 4 percentage points compared to 1982 when the poverty rate was 27.2 percent (table A). Among subgroups, families of Puerto Rican and Mexican origin were the most likely to be in poverty (30.4 and 25.7 percent, respectively).16 The high poverty rate among Hispanic subgroups may be related, at least in part, to a high proportion of families maintained by females without a spouse present. In 1989, 47.5 percent of Hispanic families in poverty were maintained by women, compared with 30.4 percent of non-Hispanic families in poverty (table 4). Persons below poverty. About 26.2 percent of Hispanic persons in the United States were living in poverty in 1989. In comparison, about 11.6 percent of nonHispanics were living in poverty. Nearly one in every six persons (17.2 percent) living in poverty were of Hispanic origin. Nearly 48 percent of all Hispanic persons in poverty were children under 18 years; about 48 percent were between the ages of 18 to 64 years, and about 4 percent 65 years old and over. Hispanic children represented 21 percent of all children living in poverty, but only 11 percent of all children in the United States. 16The difference between the poverty rates of Mexican and Puerto Rican families is not statistically significant. |