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Colombian and Honduran Populations Surpassed a Million for First Time; Venezuelan Population Grew the Fastest of all Hispanic Groups Since 2010

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Eight Hispanic groups reached a population of a million or more in the United States in 2020, including the Colombian and Honduran populations that reached that milestone for the first time in census history, according to newly released detailed 2020 Census data.

While the Mexican population was the largest detailed Hispanic group and grew the most during the decade, it experienced the slowest growth (12.7%).

The Venezuelan population experienced the fastest growth among the detailed Hispanic groups, soaring 181.5% since 2010.

The Hispanic or Latino population (referred to as the Hispanic population throughout this article) reached 62.1 million in the 2020 Census, increasing by over 11.6 million since the 2010 Census. The newly released data provides counts for 30 detailed groups, such as Guatemalan, and four regional groups, such as South American, for the Hispanic Population.

Nation’s Largest Hispanic Group: Mexican Population

In 2020, the Mexican population reached 35.9 million, 58% of the nation’s overall Hispanic population, down from 63% in 2010. The Mexican population was three times larger than the Caribbean Hispanic population, the largest regional group at 16.2% (Figure 1). The Caribbean Hispanic regional group includes the Cuban, Puerto Rican, Dominican and Other Caribbean Hispanic responses populations.

Colombian and Honduran Populations Surpass Million Mark For First Time

Eight detailed groups had populations of 1 million or more in 2020: Mexican (35.9 million); Puerto Rican (5.6 million), Salvadoran (2.3 million); Cuban and Dominican (each at 2.2 million); Guatemalan (1.7 million); Colombian (1.3 million); and Honduran (1.1 million) (Table 1).

Fastest Growing Hispanic Group: Venezuelan

Of all detailed Hispanic groups, the Venezuelan population grew the fastest, increasing 181.5% from 2010 to 2020.

The Honduran population was the fastest growing Central American group (67.6%) and the Dominican population grew the fastest (55.2%) among Caribbean Hispanic groups.

While the Mexican population was the largest detailed Hispanic group and grew the most during the decade, it experienced the slowest growth (12.7%).

Mexican Population Largest Hispanic Group in 40 States

The interactive data visualization provides the largest detailed Hispanic or Latino group by state:

  • The Mexican population was the largest detailed Hispanic group in 40 states.

  • In seven states (Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and New York) the Puerto Rican population was the largest detailed Hispanic group.

  • In Maryland and Washington, D.C. (a state equivalent), the Salvadoran population was the largest detailed Hispanic group. In Maryland, the Salvadoran population comprised over a quarter of the Hispanic population at 27.9%.

  • In Florida, the Cuban population was the largest detailed Hispanic group, comprising over a quarter (25.5%) of the state’s Hispanic population.

  • In Rhode Island, the Dominican population was the largest detailed Hispanic group, comprising nearly 30% of the state’s Hispanic population.

To compare these results to the 2010 Census, refer to Figure 4 in The Hispanic Population: 2010 brief.

Meanwhile, Table 2 provides the three states with the largest numeric populations for the detailed Hispanic or Latino groups with a population size of one million or more:

  • California contained the largest Mexican (12.2 million), Salvadoran (731,697) and Guatemalan (454,917) populations.

  • Florida was home to the largest Cuban (1.5 million), Puerto Rican (1.2 million) and Colombian (403,567) populations.

  • New York had the largest Dominican population (867,304).

  • Texas had the largest Honduran population (168,578).

To compare these results to the 2010 Census, refer to Table 4 in The Hispanic Population: 2010 brief.

Mexican Population Largest Hispanic Group in 90% of U.S. Counties

The Mexican population was the largest detailed Hispanic group in 9 out of 10 U.S. counties, with the largest presence in Los Angeles County (3,416,852) where it represented more than 70% of the Hispanic population (Table 3).

Los Angeles County was also home to the largest populations of the following detailed Hispanic groups: Costa Rican, Guatemalan, Salvadoran, Other Central American, Spaniard and Spanish.

Nearly 50% of the Hispanic population in Miami-Dade County, Florida, identified as Cuban. This county was also home to the largest populations of the following groups: Nicaraguan, Argentinean, Chilean, Colombian, Peruvian, Uruguayan, and Venezuelan.

The five counties comprising New York City were home to the largest Panamanian, Ecuadorian, Paraguayan, Other South American, Dominican, Puerto Rican and Other Caribbean Hispanic populations.

The largest Bolivian, Honduran and Spanish American populations were located in Fairfax County, Virginia; Harris County, Texas; and Bernalillo County, New Mexico, respectively.

2020 Census Detailed Demographic and Housing Characteristics File A on America Counts

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All the authors are in the Census Bureau’s Population Division:

Jessica E. Peña is a senior researcher in the Race/Ethnicity Research & Outreach Area.

Ricardo Henrique Lowe, Jr. is a demographic statistician in the Ethnicity and Ancestry Branch.

Merarys Ríos-Vargas is chief of the Ethnicity and Ancestry Branch.

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Page Last Revised - December 6, 2023
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