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

Population and Electorate in the United States and Mississippi, 2012
  • The Hispanic population in Mississippi is the 41st largest in the nation. About 76,000 Hispanics reside in Mississippi, 0.1% of all Hispanics in the United States.
  • Mississippi’s population is 3% Hispanic, the 47th largest Hispanic statewide population share nationally.
  • There are 31,000 Hispanic eligible voters in Mississippi—the 40th largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter population nationally. California ranks first with 6.4 million.
  • Some 1% of Mississippi eligible voters are Hispanic, the 49th largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 40%.
  • Some 41% of Hispanics in Mississippi are eligible to vote, ranking Mississippi 28th 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 Mississippi and the United States, 2012
  • Age. Some 36% of Hispanic eligible voters in Mississippi 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 Mississippi eligible voters and of all U.S. eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
  • Citizenship and Nativity. Among Hispanic eligible voters in Mississippi, 14% are naturalized U.S. citizens. This is less than the 25% of Hispanic eligible voters in the U.S., but just 1% of all eligible voters in Mississippi and 8% of eligible voters in the U.S. overall are naturalized U.S. citizens.
  • Hispanic Origin. Hispanic eligible voters in Mississippi have a similar Hispanic origin profile to Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Six-in-ten Hispanic eligible voters in Mississippi are of Mexican origin, 21% of Puerto Rican origin and 20% 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. Two-in-ten Latino eligible voters in Mississippi have not completed high school, about the same as the 17% of all Mississippi eligible voters and the 23% of Hispanics nationwide who have not completed high school. Hispanic eligible voters in Mississippi (10%) are less likely than U.S. Hispanic eligible voters (15%) and less likely than all eligible voters in Mississippi (18%) to have a bachelor’s degree or more.
  • Homeownership. About six-in-ten Hispanic eligible voters in Mississippi (57%) live in owner-occupied homes, compared with 56% of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Greater shares of all eligible voters in Mississippi (69%) and eligible voters nationwide (67%) live in owner-occupied homes.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Mississippi, by Race and Ethnicity

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Mississippi and the United States, by Race and Ethnicity, 2012
  • Number of Eligible Voters. White eligible voters outnumber Hispanic eligible voters in Mississippi by about 43 to 1, and blacks outnumber Hispanics by 25 to 1.
  • Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than white and black eligible voters in Mississippi. Some 36% of Latinos are ages 18 to 29, compared with 19% of white eligible voters and 27% of black eligible voters.
  • Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of high school education than do white eligible voters in Mississippi. Some 20% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained a high school diploma, compared with 14% of white eligible voters. About one-quarter (23%) of black eligible voters do not have a high school diploma. Hispanic eligible voters (10%) are about equally as likely as black (13%) and less likely than white eligible voters (22%) to have a bachelor’s degree or more.
  • Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters (57%) are less likely to live in owner-occupied homes than white (77%) eligible voters. They are about equally as likely to live in owner-occupied homes as black eligible voters (56%).