--Direct Marketing, Mail Order, E-commerce News

Direct Marketing, Mail Order, and E-commerce News from the National Mail Order Association

----------------------------------------------------

Hispanic Heritage Month 2005: September 15-October 15

In 1968, Congress authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to proclaim a week
in September as National Hispanic Heritage Week. The observance was
expanded in 1988 to a monthlong celebration (Sept. 15-Oct. 15). During this
month, America celebrates the culture and traditions of U.S. residents who
trace their roots to Spain, Mexico and the Spanish-speaking nations of
Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Sept. 15 was chosen as
the starting point for the celebration because it is the anniversary of
independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate
their independence days on Sept. 16 and Sept. 18, respectively.

Population
41.3 million
The estimated Hispanic population of the United States as of July 1, 2004,
making people of Hispanic origin the nation’s largest race or ethnic
minority. Hispanics constitute 14 percent of the nation’s total population.
(This estimate does not include the 3.9 million residents of Puerto Rico.)
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/005164.html
and
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/003153.html

1
Of every two people added to the nation’s population between July 1, 2003
and July 1, 2004, were Hispanic.
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/005164.html

102.6 million
The projected Hispanic population of the United States as of July 1, 2050.
According to this projection, Hispanics will constitute 24 percent of the
nation’s total population on that date.
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/001720.html

22.4 million
The nation’s Hispanic population during the 1990 census — just slightly
over half the current total.
http://www.census.gov/prod/2001pubs/c2kbr01-3.pdf

65%
The proportion of Hispanic-origin people who are of Mexican background.
Another approximately 9 percent are of Puerto Rican background, with about
3 percent each of Cuban, Salvadoran and Dominican origins. The remainder
are of either some other Central American, South American or other Hispanic
or Latino origins.
<http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DatasetMainPageServlet?_program=ACS&_lang=en&
_ts=134300672263>

Roughly half of the nation’s Dominicans live in New York City, with about
half of the nation’s Cubans residing in Miami-Dade County, Fla.
http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DatasetMainPageServlet?_program=ACS&_lang=en&_ts=134300672263

States and Counties
49%
The percentage of the Hispanic-origin population that lives in California
and Texas. California is home to 12.2 million Hispanics, and Texas is home to 7.6 million.
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/002897.html

11
The number of states with at least half a million Hispanic residents. These
states are: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New
Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Texas and Washington. Three more states —
Massachusetts, Nevada and North Carolina — fall just short of this
threshold.
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/002897.html

43%
The proportion of New Mexico’s population that is Hispanic, highest of any
state. Hispanics also made up more than one-third of the population in
California and Texas, at 34 percent each.
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/002897.html

4.6 million
The Hispanic population of Los Angeles County, Calif. — the largest of any
county in the nation.
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/002897.html

Families and Children
9.1 million
The number of Hispanic families who reside in the United States. Of these
families, 63 percent include their own children under 18 years old.
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/families_households/003118.html

68%
The percentage of Hispanic families consisting of a married couple.
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/families_households/003118.html

44%
The percentage of Hispanic families consisting of a married couple with
children under 18.
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/families_households/003118.html

65%
Percentage of Hispanic children who live with both parents.
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/families_households/003118.html

11%
Percentage of Hispanic population under age 5, as of July 1, 2004.
Hispanics have a higher concentration of preschoolers among their
population than any other race or ethnic group.
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/005164.html

Spanish Language
30 million
The number of U.S. residents age 5 and older who speak Spanish at home.
Spanish speakers constitute a ratio of more than 1-in-10 U.S. household
residents. Among all those who speak Spanish at home, more than one-half
say they speak English “very well.”
http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DatasetMainPageServlet?_program=ACS&_lang=en&_ts=134303235020

Coming to America
53%
Percentage of the foreign-born population from Latin America. This amounts
to 18.3 million people.
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/foreignborn_population/003969.html

10 million
The number of foreign-born people who were born in Mexico, by far more than
any other Latin American country or any other country in the world for that
matter. Other Latin American countries of origin with a large number of
foreign-born are Cuba (882,000), El Salvador (871,000), the Dominican
Republic (680,000), Colombia (539,000) and Guatemala (532,000).
http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DatasetMainPageServlet?_program=ACS&_lang=en&_ts=134303235020

Income and Poverty
$32,997
The real median income of Hispanic households in 2003, down 2.6 percent
from the previous year.
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/income_wealth/002484.html

22.5%
The poverty rate among Hispanics in 2003, unchanged from 2002.
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/income_wealth/002484.html

Education
18%
Percentage of the nation’s elementary and high school students who are
Hispanic, triple the proportion in 1970, when the crest of the baby-boom
was enrolled at this level of school.
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/005157.html

58%
The percentage of Hispanics age 25 and older who had at least a high school
education in 2004.
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/004214.html

12%
The percentage of the Hispanic population age 25 and older with a
bachelor’s degree or higher in 2004.
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/004214.html

10%
Proportion of college students in 2003 who were Hispanic, up from 4 percent
two decades earlier.
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/005157.html

2.7 million
The number of Hispanics age 18 and older who had at least a bachelor’s
degree in 2004. This was about double the number only a decade earlier (1.3
million).
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/004214.html
and
http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/education/cps94data.html

714,000
Number of Hispanics 25 years and older with advanced degrees in 2004 (e.g.,
master’s, professional, doctorate).
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/education/004214.html

Businesses and Jobs
4%
Among business owners in 2002 with paid employees, the percentage who were
Hispanic. There were approximately 7.7 million owners of employer
businesses in the United States.
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/business_ownership/003913.html

38,500
The number of Hispanic physicians and surgeons. Latinos are represented in
a wide variety of occupations. For instance, there are about 50,400
Hispanic postsecondary teachers; 53,400 chief executives of businesses;
38,100 lawyers; and 5,000 news analysts, reporters and correspondents.
See Table 597, 2004-2005 edition,
http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract-04.html

18%
The percentage of Hispanics who work in managerial, professional and
related occupations. Another approximately 24 percent work in service
occupations, 22 percent in sales and office jobs, 15 percent in
construction, extraction and maintenance jobs and 19 percent in production,
transportation and material moving occupations.
http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DatasetMainPageServlet?_program=ACS&_lang=en&_ts=134384799667

The Latino Vote
7.6 million
The number of Hispanic citizens who reported voting in the 2004
presidential election, up from 5.9 million four years earlier. The
percentage of Hispanic citizens voting — about 47 percent — did not change.
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/voting/004986.html
and
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/voting/000505.html

Serving our Country
1.1 million
The number of Latino veterans of the U.S. armed forces. About 53,000
Hispanic-origin people were on active duty in 2003 in the United States.
http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DatasetMainPageServlet?_program=ACS&_lang=en&_ts=134384799667