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

Hispanics in Utah’s Eligible Voter Population

• The Hispanic population in Utah is the 21st-largest in the nation. Some 324,000 Hispanics reside in Utah.
• The population in Utah is 12% Hispanic, the 12th-highest Hispanic population share nationally.
• There are 104,000 eligible Hispanic voters in Utah—the 24th-largest Hispanic eligible-voter population nationally. California ranks first with 5.4 million.
• Some 6% of eligible voters in Utah are Latinos, the 14th-largest Hispanic eligible voter population share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 38%.
• Three-in-ten (32%) of Latinos in Utah are eligible to vote, ranking Utah 40th nationwide in the share of the Hispanic population that is eligible to vote. In contrast, 70% of the state’s white population is eligible to vote.

  

Characteristics of Eligible Voters

• Age. Three-in-ten of Hispanic eligible voters in Utah (31%) are ages 18 to 29, equal to the share of all Latino eligible voters nationwide and the share of all eligible voters in Utah in that age range. By contrast, only 22% of all U.S. eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
• Citizenship. One-quarter of Hispanic eligible voters in Utah (23%) are naturalized U.S. citizens, compared with 4% of all Utah eligible voters. Similar shares of Utah’s Hispanic eligible voters and Hispanic eligible voters nationwide are native-born citizens—77% versus 74%.
• Educational Attainment. One-quarter of Latino eligible voters in Utah (24%) 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. Some 63% of Hispanic eligible voters in Utah live in owner-occupied homes, compared with 60% of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Somewhat greater shares of all eligible voters in Utah (74%) and all eligible voters nationwide (70%) live in owner-occupied homes.

  

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Utah, by Race and Ethnicity

• Number of Latino Eligible Voters. White eligible voters in Utah outnumber Hispanic eligible voters by a margin of more than 15-to-1—1.6 million whites compared with 104,000 Hispanics.
• Age. Three-in-ten of Latino eligible voters in Utah (31%) are ages 18 to 29 and 9% are ages 65 and older. Among white eligible voters an equal share (31%) are ages 18 to 29 and 14% are ages 65 and older.
• Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of education than do white eligible voters in Utah. One-in-four (24%) of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained at least a high school diploma compared with 7% of white eligible voters.
• Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters are less likely than white eligible voters in Utah to live in owner-occupied homes—63% versus 75%.