This profile provides key demographic information on Latino eligible voters1 and other major groups of eligible voters in Colorado.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 Colorado’s Eligible Voter Population

Population and Electorate in the United States and Colorado, 2012
  • The Hispanic population in Colorado is the eighth largest in the nation. About 1.1 million Hispanics reside in Colorado, 2.1% of all Hispanics in the United States.
  • Colorado’s population is 21% Hispanic, the seventh largest Hispanic statewide population share nationally.
  • There are 524,000 Hispanic eligible voters in Colorado—the ninth largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter population nationally. California ranks first with 6.4 million.
  • Some 14% of Colorado eligible voters are Hispanic, the seventh largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 40%.
  • Some 48% of Hispanics in Colorado are eligible to vote, ranking Colorado 17th 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

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Colorado and the United States, 2012
  • Age. About one-third of Hispanic eligible voters in Colorado (32%) 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 22% of all Colorado eligible voters and all U.S. eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
  • Citizenship and Nativity. Among Hispanic eligible voters in Colorado, 11% 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 Colorado and 8% of eligible voters in the U.S. overall are naturalized U.S. citizens.
  • Hispanic Origin. Hispanic eligible voters in Colorado have a different Hispanic origin profile from Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. About seven-in-ten (68%) Hispanic eligible voters in Colorado are of Mexican origin, 4% are of Puerto Rican origin, and 28% 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 Colorado (22%) have not completed high school, almost triple the 8% of all Colorado 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. Over half of Hispanic eligible voters in Colorado (55%) live in owner-occupied homes, similar to the share of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide (56%). Greater shares of all eligible voters in Colorado and all eligible voters nationwide (both 67%) live in owner-occupied homes.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Colorado, by Race and Ethnicity

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Colorado and the United States, by Race and Ethnicity, 2012
  • Number of Eligible Voters. White eligible voters outnumber Hispanic eligible voters in Colorado by more than 5 to 1. Hispanic eligible voters outnumber black eligible voters by almost 4 to 1 and Asian eligible voters by about 7 to 1.
  • Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than white, Asian and black eligible voters in Colorado. Some 32% of Latinos are ages 18 to 29, compared with 20% of white eligible voters, 27% of black eligible voters and 17% of Asian eligible voters.
  • Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of education than do white, black and Asian eligible voters in Colorado. Some 22% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained a high school diploma, compared with 5% of white eligible voters and 11% of both Asian and black eligible voters.
  • Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters (55%) are more likely to live in owner-occupied homes than black eligible voters (39%) in Colorado, but are less likely to live in owner-occupied homes than white (70%) or Asian (79%) eligible voters.