This statistical profile provides key demographic information of Latino eligible voters in Colorado.1 It also contains data on other major groups of eligible voters in Colorado.2 All data are based on Pew Hispanic Center tabulations of the Census Bureau’s 2008 American Community Survey.3

Hispanics in Colorado’s Eligible Voter Population

  • The Hispanic population in Colorado is the eighth-largest in the nation. Nearly 1 million Hispanics reside in Colorado, 2% of all Hispanics in the United States.
  • The population in Colorado is 20% Hispanic, the seventh-highest Hispanic population share nationally.
  • There are 434,000 eligible Hispanic voters in Colorado—the ninth-largest Hispanic eligible-voter population nationally. California ranks first with 5.4 million.
  • One-in-eight (13%) of eligible voters in Colorado are Latinos, the seventh-largest Hispanic eligible voter population share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 38%.
  • Some 44% of Latinos in Colorado are eligible to vote, ranking Colorado 20th nationwide in the share of the Hispanic population that is eligible to vote. In contrast, 78% of the state’s white population is eligible to vote.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters

  • Age. Three-in-ten of Hispanic eligible voters in Colorado (30%) are ages 18 to 29, similar to the share for all Latino eligible voters nationwide (31%). By contrast, only 22% of all Colorado eligible voters and 22% of all U.S. eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
  • Citizenship. One-in-ten of Hispanic eligible voters in Colorado (10%) are naturalized U.S. citizens compared, with 5% of all Colorado eligible voters. Hispanic eligible voters in Colorado are more likely to be native-born citizens (90%) than are Hispanic eligible voters nationwide (74%).
  • Educational Attainment. One-quarter of Latino eligible voters in Colorado (23%) have not completed high school. That was less than the rate for all Latino eligible voters—26%—but greater than the rate for U.S. eligible voters nationwide—13%.
  • Homeownership. Six-in-ten of Hispanic eligible voters in Colorado (60%) live in owner-occupied homes, a similar share as Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. By contrast, 70% of U.S. eligible voters live in owner-occupied homes.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Colorado, by Race and Ethnicity

  • Number of Latino Eligible Voters. White eligible voters outnumber Hispanic eligible voters in Colorado by more than 6 to 1.
  • Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than white eligible voters in Colorado. Among Latino eligible voters, 30% are ages 18 to 29 compared with 21% of white eligible voters.
  • Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of education than do white eligible voters in Colorado. Some 23% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained at least a high school diploma compared with 6% of white eligible voters.
  • Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters are less likely than white eligible voters in Colorado to live in owner-occupied homes—60% versus 74%.