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

Population and Electorate in the United States and Missouri, 2012
  • The Hispanic population in Missouri is the 30th largest in the nation. About 218,000 Hispanics reside in Missouri, 0.4% of all Hispanics in the United States.
  • Missouri’s population is 4% Hispanic, the 41st largest Hispanic statewide population share nationally.
  • There are 97,000 Hispanic eligible voters in Missouri—the 28th largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter population nationally. California ranks first with 6.4 million.
  • Some 2% of Missouri eligible voters are Hispanic, the 40th largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 40%.
  • Some 44% of Hispanics in Missouri are eligible to vote, ranking Missouri 23rd nationwide in the share of the Hispanic population that is eligible to vote. By contrast, 78% of the state’s white population is eligible to vote.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Missouri and the United States, 2012
  • Age. About one-third of Hispanic eligible voters in Missouri (36%) 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 Missouri eligible voters and 22% of all U.S. eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
  • Citizenship and Nativity. Among Hispanic eligible voters in Missouri, 15% are naturalized U.S. citizens. This is less than the 25% of Hispanic eligible voters in the U.S., but just 2% of all eligible voters in Missouri and 8% of eligible voters in the U.S. overall are naturalized U.S. citizens.
  • Hispanic Origin. Hispanic eligible voters in Missouri have a different Hispanic origin profile from Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Some 71% of Hispanic eligible voters in Missouri are of Mexican origin, 8% are of Puerto Rican origin, and 21% 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. Some 15% of Latino eligible voters in Missouri have not completed high school, higher than the 12% of all Missouri eligible voters who have not completed high school and a smaller share than the 23% of Hispanics nationwide who have not completed high school.
  • Homeownership. About six-in-ten Hispanic eligible voters in Missouri (59%) live in owner-occupied homes, compared with 56% of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Greater shares of all eligible voters in Missouri (70%) and eligible voters nationwide (67%) live in owner-occupied homes.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Missouri, by Race and Ethnicity

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Missouri and the United States, by Race and Ethnicity, 2012
  • Number of Eligible Voters. White eligible voters outnumber Hispanic eligible voters in Missouri by 39 to 1, and blacks outnumber Hispanics by more than 5 to 1. There are about twice as many Hispanic (97,000) as Asian (43,000) eligible voters.
  • Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than white, black and Asian eligible voters in Missouri. Some 36% of Latinos are ages 18 to 29, compared with 20% of white eligible voters, 27% of black eligible voters and 25% of Asian eligible voters.
  • Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of education than do white eligible voters in Missouri. Some 15% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained a high school diploma: higher than the 11% of white eligible voters but lower than the 18% of black eligible voters. Roughly equal shares of Hispanic and Asian eligible voters (16%) have no high school diploma. A slightly larger share of Hispanics compared with blacks have a bachelor’s degree or more (19% vs. 14%), but Hispanics have a lower rate of bachelor’s degrees than whites (25%) or Asians (40%).
  • Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters (59%) are more likely to live in owner-occupied homes than black eligible voters (44%) in Missouri, but are less likely to live in owner-occupied homes than white or Asian (both 73%) eligible voters.