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

Population and Electorate in the United States and Utah, 2012
  • The Hispanic population in Utah is the 22nd largest in the nation. About 379,000 Hispanics reside in Utah, 0.7% of all Hispanics in the United States.
  • Utah’s population is 13% Hispanic, the 12th largest Hispanic statewide population share nationally.
  • There are 139,000 Hispanic eligible voters in Utah—the 23rd largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter population nationally. California ranks first with 6.4 million.
  • Some 8% of Utah eligible voters are Hispanic, the 14th largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 40%.
  • Some 37% of Hispanics in Utah are eligible to vote, ranking Utah 40th nationwide in the share of the Hispanic population that is eligible to vote. By comparison, 70% of the state’s white population is eligible to vote.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Utah and the United States, 2012
  • Age. Some four-in-ten Hispanic eligible voters in Utah are ages 18 to 29, higher than the share of all Latino eligible voters nationwide (33%) in that age range. Some 28% of all Utah eligible voters and 22% of all U.S. eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
  • Citizenship and Nativity. Among Hispanic eligible voters in Utah, 23% are naturalized U.S. citizens. This compares with 25% of Hispanic eligible voters in the U.S., but just 4% of all eligible voters in Utah and 8% of eligible voters in the U.S. overall.
  • Hispanic Origin. Like Hispanic eligible voters nationwide, a majority of Hispanic eligible voters in Utah are Mexican. About two-thirds (67%) of Hispanic eligible voters in Utah are of Mexican origin, compared to 59% in the total U.S. Puerto Ricans compose 4% of the Hispanic eligible voter population in Utah, compared to 14% in the nation as a whole. Fully 29% of Hispanics in Utah are of another Hispanic origin, compared to 27% of Hispanics nationwide.
  • Educational Attainment. About two-in-ten Latino eligible voters in Utah (21%) have not completed high school, three times the 7% of all Utah 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 two-thirds of Hispanic eligible voters in Utah (67%) live in owner-occupied homes, higher than the 56% of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Greater shares of all eligible voters in Utah (73%) live in owner-occupied homes, while some 67% of eligible voters nationwide live in owner-occupied homes.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Utah, by Race and Ethnicity

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Utah and the United States, by Race and Ethnicity, 2012
  • Number of Eligible Voters. White eligible voters outnumber Hispanic eligible voters in Utah by more than 11 to 1. There are about five times as many Hispanic eligible voters as Asian eligible voters in the state and about eight times as many Hispanic eligible voters as Native American eligible voters.
  • Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than white and Asian eligible voters in Utah. Some 40% of Latinos are ages 18 to 29, compared with 26% of white eligible voters and 25% of Asian eligible voters. About a third of Native American eligible voters (36%) are ages 18 to 29.
  • Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of education than do white and Asian eligible voters in Utah. Some 21% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained a high school diploma, compared with 6% of white eligible voters and 12% of Asian eligible voters. Some 21% of Native American eligible voters also have not obtained a high school diploma, but Hispanic eligible voters (13%) are more likely than Native Americans (8%) to have at least a bachelor’s degree. A higher share of white (29%) and black (33%) eligible voters have a bachelor’s degree or more.
  • Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters (67%) are more likely to live in owner-occupied homes than Native American eligible voters (60%) in Utah, but are less likely to live in owner-occupied homes than white (74%) or Asian (80%) eligible voters.