In 2024, the number of people of Latin American and Spanish origin residing in the country reached 68 million, representing 20% of the total population, according to the Pew Research Center. This growth has positioned Latinos as the second-largest ethnic group in the country and the primary driver of its demographic increase since the year 2000. The community stands out for its internal diversity, a marked youthfulness, and an increasingly widespread presence across the United States.
The Pew Research Center report notes that the Latino population nearly doubled between 2000 and 2024, rising from 35.3 million to 68 million. During this period, Latinos contributed 56% of the total population growth in the United States, far surpassing the contributions of other ethnic and racial groups.
Latino growth has accelerated in recent years, with annual increases of nearly two million people in 2023 and 2024, driven by record arrivals of immigrants from Latin America.
People walk toward the pedestrian crossing at the San Luis port of entry in Yuma County, a heavily Hispanic area and Democratic stronghold in the far southwest of Arizona along the border with Mexico, in San Luis, Arizona, U.S. (REUTERS)
Diversity of Origins and Internal Composition
The Latino population is deeply heterogeneous. According to the Pew Research Center, Mexicans are the largest group, with approximately 40 million people (57% of the total Latino population in 2024). They are followed by Puerto Ricans, with 6.1 million in the 50 states and the District of Columbia and 3.2 million in Puerto Rico. Eight other groups exceed one million members: Cubans, Salvadorans, Dominicans, Guatemalans, Colombians, Hondurans, Venezuelans, and Ecuadorians. Nearly one million come from Spain.
Among the fastest-growing groups are Venezuelans, who doubled in number between 2019 and 2024, and Ecuadorians, with a 48% increase. Chileans, Colombians, and Nicaraguans also show notable growth. In contrast, Mexicans and Puerto Ricans exhibited more moderate growth, at 5% over the same period.
Geographic Distribution and Regional Concentration
The distribution of Latinos in the United States combines concentration and dispersion. California has the largest number, with 16.1 million in 2024, followed by Texas (12.6 million). In both states, Latinos are the largest ethnic group, representing 41% and 40% of their respective populations. Florida (6.7 million), New York (4 million), and Illinois (2.5 million) round out the top five states with the largest Latino presence, accounting for 62% of the national Hispanic population. However, this proportion has declined since 2010, reflecting a gradual dispersion toward other regions.
In New Mexico, Latinos make up nearly half of the population (49%). Major metropolitan areas reveal a diversity of origins: in the West, Mexicans predominate in Los Angeles, Riverside, Chicago, and Dallas; in the Northeast, Dominicans and Puerto Ricans lead in New York, while Salvadorans dominate in Washington, D.C. Miami stands out for its Cuban community, which represents 40% of the city’s Latinos.
California and Texas have the largest Latino populations, but dispersion toward other regions is increasing. (REUTERS)
Sociodemographic Characteristics: Youth, Citizenship, and Immigration Status
Youth is a defining trait of the Latino population. In 2024, the median age was 31.2 years, below the median ages of African Americans (36.2), Asians (39), and whites (43.2). U.S.-born Latinos average 21.4 years, compared to 43.6 years for Latino immigrants.
Although the absolute number of immigrants reached a record 22.7 million in 2024, their relative share of the total Latino population declined from 40% in 2000 to 33% in 2024. Seventy-nine percent of Latinos hold U.S. citizenship, either by birth (67%) or naturalization (13%). Among Latino immigrants, 59% reside legally, while 41% lack authorization, representing 14% of the total Latino population.
Language, Education, and Cultural Transformation
Processes of integration and adaptation are reflected in language and education levels. The Pew Research Center reports that 71% of Latinos aged five and older are proficient in English in 2024, up from 59% in 2000, a shift primarily driven by those born in the U.S.
Spanish use at home declined from 78% to 68%. In education, 46% of Latinos over 25 have attended college—up from 36% in 2010—and 21% hold at least a bachelor’s degree. This progress is evident among both women (24%) and men (19%).
Religion and Recent Trends
The Latino religious landscape is transforming. While Catholicism remains the dominant faith, it has declined from 67% in 2010 to 42% in 2024. Meanwhile, 27% identify as religiously unaffiliated, up from 10% in 2010, while 17% identify as evangelical Protestants, a stable proportion.
Immigration and births have alternated as the primary sources of Latino growth, with recent shifts due to immigration policy. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Sources of Growth and Outlook
The sources of Latino growth have shifted over time. During the 1980s and 1990s, immigration was the predominant factor, but births took the lead after 2000, particularly during the 2008 recession and the 2020–2021 pandemic.
Between 2021 and 2024, immigration regained a central role, with over one million annual arrivals from Latin America, both legal and irregular. However, starting in 2025, births are expected to retake the lead as the primary driver of growth, in line with recent changes in immigration policy.
The progress in English proficiency noted by the Pew Research Center highlights the adaptation and transformation of the Latino population within U.S. society, solidifying this group as dynamic and constantly evolving.
Image: Infobae
