The Hispanic poverty rate in the United States stood at 16.8% in 2022, well below the 25% recorded in 2012, but still significantly above the national average, which was 11.5%, according to a report from the United States Census Bureau.
The Hispanic poverty rate in the U.S. declines. In 2022, 16.8% of Latinos (10 million) nationwide were living in poverty, with Alabama having the highest percentage of Latinos in that state (25%), according to the federal agency.
Montana follows (24.2%), and in third place, Pennsylvania (23.9%).
Wyoming showed the lowest percentage of Latinos living in poverty (10.2%), likely due to the large number of well-paying jobs in the oil and gas sector.
The percentage of Latinos in poverty hovered around 22% for much of the 1970s but surged to 29% in the 1980s as the Hispanic population continued to grow.
North Dakota, which generates many jobs in the oil and gas sector, experienced the fastest Hispanic population growth of any state over the past decade and recorded a Latino poverty rate of 12.5%.
The growth of the Hispanic population of any racial background reflects that it accounted for one-fifth (19.5%) of the U.S. population in 2023, making Latinos the second-largest group after the non-Hispanic white population, according to the U.S. Census.
The Hispanic population surpassed 65 million after gaining nearly 1.2 million residents since 2022, a 1.8% increase, for a total population of 65,219,145, the Census notes.
Among the states, California (15,760,437), Texas (12,135,690), Florida (6,197,465), and New York (3,873,130) have the largest Hispanic populations.
“The Hispanic population is expanding at a substantially faster rate than the non-Hispanic population, primarily due to natural increase—that is, more births than deaths,” said Kristie Wilder, a demographer in the Population Division of the Census Bureau.
Over the past decade, the Latino labor force participation rate in the U.S. has increased significantly, along with rising college graduation rates, factors that helped drive the decline in the Hispanic poverty rate.
The official U.S. poverty rate in 2022 was 11.5%, with 37.9 million people in poverty. Neither the rate nor the number of poor people showed a significant difference from 2021, according to the Census.
Hispanic Poverty Rate in the U.S.:
Recent Trend:
According to the United States Census Bureau, the Hispanic poverty rate in the U.S. declined in 2022 for the second consecutive year.
In 2022, the Hispanic poverty rate was 8.6%, representing a slight decrease compared to 9.2% in 2021.
This positive trend is attributed to several factors, including increased Hispanic labor force participation, rising education levels, and the recent expansion of social assistance programs.
Key Figures:
8.6%: Hispanic poverty rate in the U.S. in 2022 (down from 9.2% in 2021)
10.5 million: Number of Hispanics living in poverty in 2022
Decline: The Hispanic poverty rate has steadily decreased in recent years.
Comparison with Other Groups:
1. Overall U.S. poverty rate: 11.8% in 2022
2. Non-Hispanic white poverty rate: 5.9% in 2022
3. Black poverty rate: 19.2% in 2022
Factors Affecting Hispanic Poverty:
Discrimination: Hispanics may face discrimination in the labor market and in access to housing, making economic progress difficult.
Lack of access to education: High school dropout rates among Hispanics are higher than the national average, limiting job opportunities.
Language barriers: Hispanics who do not master English may struggle to find employment and access social services.
Additional Resources:
U.S. Census Bureau Poverty Statistics: https://www.census.gov/topics/income-poverty/poverty.html
Pew Research Center Report on Hispanic Poverty: https://www.pewresearch.org/chart/us-hispanics-poverty/
National Urban League Coalition (NULC): https://nul.org/
Image: CiberCuba
