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

Hispanics in Massachusetts’ Eligible Voter Population

• The Hispanic population in Massachusetts is the 15th-largest in the nation. Some 557,000 Hispanics reside in Massachusetts.
• The population in Massachusetts is 9% Hispanic, the 19th-highest Hispanic population share nationally.
• There are 256,000 eligible Hispanic voters in Massachusetts—the 11th-largest Hispanic eligible-voter population nationally. California ranks first with 5.4 million.
• Some 6% of eligible voters in Massachusetts are Latinos, the 17th-largest Hispanic eligible voter population share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 38%.
• Less than half (46%) of Latinos in Massachusetts are eligible to vote, ranking Massachusetts 17th nationwide in the share of the Hispanic population that is eligible to vote. In contrast, 77% of the state’s white population is eligible to vote.

  

Characteristics of Eligible Voters

• Age. One-third of Hispanic eligible voters in Massachusetts (34%) are ages 18 to 29, similar to the share of all Latino eligible voters nationwide (31%) in that age range. By contrast, only 21% of all Massachusetts eligible voters and 22% of all U.S. eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
• Citizenship. One-quarter of Hispanic eligible voters in Massachusetts (24%) are naturalized U.S. citizens, compared with 9% of all Massachusetts eligible voters. A similar share of Hispanic eligible voters in Massachusetts (76%) and Hispanic eligible voters nationwide (74%) are native-born citizens.
• Educational Attainment. Three-in-ten of Latino eligible voters in Massachusetts (30%) have not completed high school. That was greater than the rate for all Latino eligible voters—26%—and the rate for U.S. eligible voters nationwide—13%.
• Homeownership. Only 36% of Hispanic eligible voters in Massachusetts live in owner-occupied homes. This is nearly half the homeownership rate of all eligible voters in Massachusetts (69%) and eligible voters nationwide (70%).

  

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Massachusetts, by Race and Ethnicity

• Number of Latino Eligible Voters. Latino eligible voters outnumber black and Asian eligible voters in Massachusetts—256,000 versus 215,000 and 147,000.
• Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than other major racial groups in Massachusetts. One-third of Latino eligible voters in Massachusetts (34%) are ages 18 to 29 compared with 29% of black eligible voters, 26% of Asian eligible voters and 19% of white eligible voters.
• Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of education than do white and black eligible voters in Massachusetts. Some 30% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained at least a high school diploma compared with 16% of black eligible voters and 8% of white eligible voters.
• Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters in Massachusetts are less likely than white and black eligible voters to live in owner-occupied homes—36% versus 73% and 47%, respectively.