Latinos in the 2014 Election: Minnesota

This profile provides key demographic information on Latino eligible voters¹ and other major groups of eligible voters in Minnesota.² All demographic data are based on Pew Research Center tabulations of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2012 American Community Survey.³

Hispanics in Minnesota’s Eligible Voter Population

• The Hispanic population in Minnesota is the 28th largest in the nation. About 263,000 Hispanics reside in Minnesota, 0.5% of all Hispanics in the United States.
• Minnesota’s population is 5% Hispanic, the 36th largest Hispanic statewide population share nationally.
• There are 84,000 Hispanic eligible voters in Minnesota—the 30th largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter population nationally. California ranks first with 6.4 million.
• Some 2% of Minnesota eligible voters are Hispanic, the 41st largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 40%.
• Some 32% of Hispanics in Minnesota are eligible to vote, ranking Minnesota 48th nationwide in the share of the Hispanic population that is eligible to vote. By contrast, 79% of the state’s white population is eligible to vote.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters

• Age. About three-in-ten Hispanic eligible voters in Minnesota (31%) are ages 18 to 29, about the same as the share of all Latino eligible voters nationwide (33%) in that age range. By contrast, only 21% of all Minnesota eligible voters and 22% of all U.S. eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
• Citizenship and Nativity. Among Hispanic eligible voters in Minnesota, 20% are naturalized U.S. citizens. This is less than the 25% of Hispanic eligible voters in the U.S., but just 5% of all eligible voters in Minnesota and 8% of eligible voters in the U.S. overall are naturalized U.S. citizens.
• Hispanic Origin. Hispanic eligible voters in Minnesota have a different Hispanic origin profile from Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Some 64% of Hispanic eligible voters in Minnesota are of Mexican origin, 10% are of Puerto Rican origin, and 26% claim other Hispanic origin. Among all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide, 59% are Mexican, 14% are Puerto Rican, and 27% are of some other Hispanic origin.
• Educational Attainment. About two-in-ten Latino eligible voters in Minnesota (21%) have not completed high school, triple the 7% of all Minnesota eligible voters who have not completed high school and about the same as the 23% of Hispanics nationwide who have not completed high school.
• Homeownership. About six-in-ten Hispanic eligible voters in Minnesota (59%) live in owner-occupied homes, compared with 56% of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Greater shares of all eligible voters in Minnesota (74%) and eligible voters nationwide (67%) live in owner-occupied homes.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Minnesota, by Race and Ethnicity

• Number of Eligible Voters. White eligible voters outnumber Hispanic eligible voters in Minnesota by 42 to 1. There are about twice as many black eligible voters (163,000) as Hispanic eligible voters. Asian eligible voters (104,000) also outnumber Hispanic eligible voters (84,000) in Minnesota.
• Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than white eligible voters in Minnesota. Some 31% of Latinos are ages 18 to 29, compared with 19% of white eligible voters. Black and Asian eligible voters are about equally as young as Latino eligible voters—30% of black eligible voters and 31% of Asian eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
• Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of high school education than do white eligible voters in Minnesota. Some 21% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained a high school diploma, compared with 6% of white eligible voters. Comparable shares of black and Asian eligible voters—22% and 18%, respectively—have not obtained a high school diploma. Asian (33%) and white (31%) eligible voters are more likely than Hispanic (20%) and black (17%) eligible voters to have at least a bachelor’s degree.
• Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters (59%) are more likely to live in owner-occupied homes than black eligible voters (25%) in Minnesota, but are less likely to live in owner-occupied homes than white (78%) or Asian (71%) eligible voters.