Coming From the Americas: A Profile of the Nation’s Foreign-Born Population From Latin America (2000 Update) Issued January 2002 Census Brief:

Current Population Survey CENBR/01-2

One-half of foreign-born America.1 In addition to Mexico, three population is from Latin other Latin American nations (Cuba, the America. Dominican Republic and El Salvador) were In 2000, 14.5 million, or about half, of among the nation’s top 10 countries of 2 the nation’s 28.4 million foreign-born foreign birth. (See Figure 1.) residents were born in Latin America. Latin American-born residents The size of the foreign-born population are concentrated in few areas. from Latin America has grown rapidly. In Although residents born in Latin America 1960, about 900,000 (or 9 percent of the can be found across the country, most are total foreign-born population) came from concentrated in only a few areas. These Latin America. By 1990, this population areas differ in the place of birth of their numbered 8.4 million, or 44 percent of Latin American-born residents. For the total.

1The U.S. Census Bureau classifies Mexico as part of Central Mexico accounts for largest America. There is no statistical difference between the 1.9 mil- lion from other Central American countries and the 1.9 million share of Latin American and from South America. Also, Caribbean countries include the foreign-born population. Bahamas, Barbados, Cuba, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago. In 2000, Mexico accounted for more than 2Due to sample size, the foreign-born populations from Cuba, one-quarter of the foreign-born popula- the Dominican Republic and El Salvador are not ranked by size. tion and more than half of the foreign born from Latin America. The popu- Figure 1. lation from Mexico was Top Countries of Birth of the Foreign-Born nearly six times as large Population From Latin America: as the foreign-born popu- 1990 and 2000 lation from the next high- (Numbers in thousands) 1990 est country, China. 2000 Of the remaining 737 Cuba migrants from Latin 952 America, 1.9 million were Dominican 348 born in Central American Republic 692 countries (other than 465 Mexico); 2.8 million in El Salvador Caribbean countries; and 765

1.9 million in South 4,298 Mexico 7,841

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, P23-206, Figure 3-1.

U.S. Department of Commerce U S C E N S U S B U R E A U Economics and Statistics Administration U.S. CENSUS BUREAU Helping You Make Informed Decisions Figure 2. Percent of the Foreign-Born Population From Latin America by Subregion for Selected Metropolitan Areas: 2000

Caribbean Mexico Other South America Central America

San Francisco- 1 24 6 3 34 Oakland-San Jose, Calif. New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, 24 4 5 16 49 N.Y.-N.J.-Conn.-Pa. Miami-Fort 55 1 13 18 87 Lauderdale, Fla.

Los Angeles-Riverside- 1 45 12 3 61 Orange County, Calif.

Chicago-Gary- 1 40 4 2 47 Kenosha, Ill.-Ind.-Wis.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, PPL-145, Table 5-2D.

example, about 3 of 4 people Figure 3. born in the Caribbean live either High School or Higher Education by Nativity in the New York or the Miami and Region of Birth of the Foreign-Born Population: 2000 metro areas. (Percent of the population 25 years and older) Those born in Mexico, on the More than high 87 other hand, are found largely in school education 80 the Los Angeles area and in the High school graduate only state of Texas. Combined, these 52 67 68 two areas account for almost half 48 of the Mexican-born population 38 (3.6 million). 42 50 51 A considerable share of both the 25 23 Central and South American-born 34 populations live in the New York 14 and Los Angeles metro areas. 34 32 Specifically, about 560,000 of 30 28 25 25 the nation’s 1.9 million Central 20 American-born people reside in the Los Angeles metro area. Likewise, about 750,000 of the Native Foreign Latin Caribbean Mexico Other South nation’s 1.9 million South Born America Central America American-born residents are in America Source: U.S. Census Bureau, P23-206, Figures 14-1 and 14-2, Table 13-1D. the New York metro area.

As a result of this settlement pattern, in 2 of the 5 leading people from Latin America com- they made up the overwhelming metropolitan destinations of the prised at least half of the foreign- majority. (See Figure 2.)3 nation’s foreign born — the Los born population. In the Miami area, Angeles and the Miami areas — 3Figures 2 through 4 present rounded percent- ages in bar charts.

2 U.S. Census Bureau rate for Caribbean women). Figure 4. Among men, on the other hand, Occupational Distribution by Nativity and Selected participation rates varied little Regions of Birth of the Foreign-Born Workers: 2000 from group to group. (Percent distribution) • Occupation — Twelve percent of 6 Latin American-born workers 12 9 Managers, were employed in managerial 25 23 11 23 31 18 professionals and professional specialty occu- 17 pations. Within this group, the range was from 23 percent for 21 25 24 Technicians, sales, South Americans and those born 31 administrative in Caribbean countries to 6 per- 83 support cent for Mexicans. The corre- 71 73 sponding rate for the nation’s 5 54 native workers was 31 percent. 52 53 Service and skilled workers, 38 Conversely, 71 percent of all farm and manual laborers workers born in Latin America were service or skilled workers Native Foreign Latin Caribbean Mexico Other South or farm or manual laborers. Fifty- Born America Central America two percent of people born in America Caribbean countries, 53 percent Source: U.S. Census Bureau, P23-206, Figures 16-1 and 16-2. of those born in South America (not statistically different from the rate for the Caribbean), 83 Citizenship rates for the The Mexican born especially tend to percent of Mexican workers and Latin American foreign differ from other groups. Unless 38 percent of the nation’s native born are relatively low. otherwise indicated, the data in the population were in this category. following examples are for 2000: In 2000, 28 percent of the foreign- (See Figure 4.) born population from Latin America • Education — The proportion of • Earnings — The 1999 median were naturalized citizens. To put the population 25 years and earnings of full-time, year-round this percentage in perspective, the older with a high school educa- workers born in Latin America citizenship rates for those from tion or higher stood at 50 per- were $21,000 for men and Europe (52 percent) and Asia cent among the Latin American- $17,200 for women. Median (47 percent) were much higher. The born population as a whole. earnings for workers born in the Latin American-born population’s Within this group, the percentage Caribbean ($27,000 for men and low rate is attributable primarily to ranged greatly, from 80 percent $21,300 for women) and from even lower citizenship rates for for those born in South America South America ($27,500 for men foreign-born residents from Mexico to 34 percent for those born in and $23,100 for women) were (20 percent). Those from the Mexico. The nation’s native popu- not statistically different from Caribbean, in contrast, have a lation had a rate of 87 percent. each other. The median for citizenship rate of 47 percent.4 (See Figure 3.) Mexican-born male workers Place of birth is key • Labor force participation — ($19,200) was not statistically indicator of Latin Among those ages 25 to 54, different from that of female American-born population’s Latin American women had a workers from the Caribbean or well-being. labor force participation rate of South America. 63 percent, ranging from 74 per- The socioeconomic characteristics The median earnings of Mexican- cent for Caribbean-born people of the nation’s Latin American-born born female workers ($15,100) to 55 percent for those born in population vary by region of birth. were below the respective medi- Mexico. The rate for all native

4The rates for those from Asia and those from women was 79 percent (not 5Rates for foreign born from South America and the the Caribbean are not statistically different from significantly different from the Caribbean are not statistically different. one another.

U.S. Census Bureau 3 ans for both male and female to 47 percent for the population More information: workers from the Caribbean and from Mexico. For the native pop- The information in this Census Brief South America and Mexican-born ulation, the rate was 87 percent. is based on findings from Profile of men but not statistically different • Homeownership — In 2000, the Foreign-Born Population in the from earnings for female workers 41 percent of Latin American- United States: 2000, Current from Central American countries born householders owned the Population Reports, Special Studies ($15,900). The medians for home in which they lived. There P23-206. The report may be found native workers were $37,500 for was little variation in the home- on the Internet at . Paper income in 1999 of households homeownership rate was 70 per- copies also may be ordered with a householder born in Latin cent for households with a native from the Census Bureau (Tel. America was $29,400. The householder. 301-457-2422; e-mail: ). Funding for the report Other differences among the Latin in South America ($40,500) was was provided by the Immigration American-born population: higher than for those born and Naturalization Service of the elsewhere in Latin America. For • Median age — The median age of U.S. Department of Justice. all households with a native Latin American-born residents householder, the corresponding was 35 years old. There was Contacts: median was $41,400.6 some variation within this group, Foreign-Born Population: however, as medians ranged • Poverty — The poverty rate in from 33 years for those born in Dianne Schmidley or 1999 was 22 percent for U.S. Mexico to 42 years for people Lisa Lollock residents born in Latin America. born in the Caribbean.7 301-457-2403 Poverty rates ranged from 12 percent for South Americans • Number of children — Seventy- to 26 percent for those born three percent of the married- Hispanic Population: in Mexico. The rate was couple households with a Roberto Ramirez 11 percent for the nation’s foreign-born householder from 301-457-2403 native population.6 Latin America lived with one or more related children under 18. • Program participation — In By comparison, 46 percent of 1999, 30 percent of households Census Briefs: married-couple householders with Latin American-born house- with a native householder had at Robert Bernstein holders participated in one or least one related child. Among 301-457-3030 more means-tested, noncash married-couple householders programs, such as Medicaid. The with a foreign-born householder The data in the report are from the March participation rate for all house- from Mexico, the proportion was 2000 Current Population Survey. Data from holds with native householders 1990 and earlier censuses are included for 80 percent. was 15 percent. comparison. Statistics from sample surveys are subject to sampling and nonsampling • Household size — The average error. The Census Bureau’s Population • Health insurance — For the pop- size of households with Latin Estimates Program uses different methods ulation from Latin America, 54 to estimate population by nativity and may American householders, percent had health insurance for show slightly different estimates of foreign- 3.72 persons, was larger than born and native populations from those all or part of the year. Within this that of native households, which presented here. Census 2000 data on group, the rates varied consider- nativity are scheduled to be released averaged 2.54 persons. Among ably, from 69 percent and 67 during 2002. Latin American households, percent, respectively, for the those with a Mexican-born populations from the Caribbean householder averaged and South America (not signifi- 4.21 persons. cantly different from each other)

7 Medians for Latin American and native residents 6 Not statistically different from South America. were not statistically different from one another.

4 U.S. Census Bureau