This profile provides key demographic information on Latino eligible voters¹ and other major groups of eligible voters in Kentucky.² All demographic data are based on Pew Hispanic Center tabulations of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2010 American Community Survey.³

Hispanics in Kentucky’s Eligible Voter Population

• The Hispanic population in Kentucky ranks 38th in the nation.⁴ About 130,000 Hispanics reside in Kentucky, 0.3% of all Hispanics in the United States.
• Kentucky’s population is 3% Hispanic, ranking 43rd in Hispanic population share nationally.
• There are 41,000 Hispanic eligible voters in Kentucky—ranking 39th in Hispanic eligible voter population nationally. California ranks first with 5.9 million.
• Some 1% of Kentucky eligible voters are Hispanic, ranking 47th in Hispanic eligible voter share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 39%.
• Fewer than one-third of Hispanics in Kentucky (31%) are eligible to vote, ranking Kentucky 41st nationwide in the share of the Hispanic population that is eligible to vote. By contrast, more than three-quarters (77%) of the state’s white population is eligible to vote.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters

• Age. Nearly four-in-ten Hispanic eligible voters in Kentucky (39%) are ages 18 to 29, greater than the share of Latino eligible voters nationwide (33%) in that age range. By contrast, only 21% of all Kentucky eligible voters and 22% of all U.S. eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
• Citizenship and Nativity. Among Hispanic eligible voters in Kentucky, 24% are naturalized U.S. citizens. This compares with 25% of Hispanic eligible voters in the U.S., but just 1% of all eligible voters in Kentucky and 8% of eligible voters in the U.S overall.
• Hispanic Origin. Hispanic eligible voters in Kentucky have a similar Hispanic origin profile to Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. More than half (54%) of Hispanic eligible voters in Kentucky are of Mexican origin, 17% of Puerto Rican origin and 29% claim other Hispanic origin. Among all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide, 59% are Mexican, 14% are Puerto Rican and 26% are of some other Hispanic origin.
• Educational Attainment. Two-in-ten Latino eligible voters in Kentucky (20%) have not completed high school, slightly more than the 17% of all Kentucky eligible voters who have not completed high school.
• Homeownership. Half of Hispanic eligible voters in Kentucky (50%) live in owner-occupied homes, compared with 58% of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Greater shares of all eligible voters in Kentucky (70%) and all eligible voters nationwide (69%) live in owner-occupied homes.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Kentucky, by Race and Ethnicity

• Number of Eligible Voters. White eligible voters outnumber Hispanic eligible voters in Kentucky by more than 71 to 1, and black eligible voters outnumber Hispanics by almost 6 to 1.
• Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than black and white eligible voters in Kentucky. Some 39% of Latinos are ages 18 to 29, compared with 27% of black eligible voters and 20% of white eligible voters.
• Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of high school education than do black and white eligible voters in Kentucky. Some 20% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained a high school diploma compared with 17% of black and white eligible voters. However, the share of Hispanics in Kentucky with a bachelor’s degree or more (17%) is higher than that of blacks (13%). A slightly larger share of white eligible voters (19%) have at least a bachelor’s degree.
• Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters (50%) are more likely to live in owner-occupied homes than black eligible voters (42%) in Kentucky, but they are less likely to do so than white Kentucky eligible voters (73%).