Hispanic Americans are not just the largest ethnic group in the United States ­ they may well be the most dynamic, vital force shaping Americas future. So write the editors of Hispanic Trends magazine (March/April 2005).

Consider the following statistics, drawn from various sources: As of March 2004, US Hispanics numbered 40.4 million (14% of the total US population). That number is expected to reach 47.7 million by 2010, and 60.4 million by 2020. Average Hispanic family size is 3.87 people; the national average for all families is 3.19.

Hispanic economic clout is growing at an annual compound rate of 8.2%, nearly twice the 4.9% rate for non-Hispanics, and is projected to reach $1 trillion annually by 2010.

In 2004, 31% of all US Hispanic households ­ nearly a third ­ had incomes over $50,000. Hispanics made up 4% of the 7.7 million US business owners with paid employees in the 2002 Economic Census.
Self-employment by Latinos grew 41% between 2000 and 2003 (while overall self-employment grew 6.2%). The number of Latina-owned businesses surged 62.4% for the seven years ending in 2004 (vs. 9% for all businesses).

Of the 3.4 million immigrants aged 25 or older who arrived in the US from 2000 to 2004, 34.3% had a bachelor¹s degree or higher, compared with 32.5% in the 1990s. Of foreign-born Hispanics in that category, 13% had college degrees, compared with 9% in the 1990s.
According to the US Census Bureau, 49.7% of US Hispanics are homeowners, up from 47.3% a year ago. (The homeownership rate for non-Hispanic whites increased from 75.5% to 76% over the same period.)

Source: comScore Media Metrix (US Only) May 2006

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