Latinos in the 2014 Election: Colorado

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

• The Hispanic population in Colorado is the eighth largest in the nation. About 1.1 million Hispanics reside in Colorado, 2.1% of all Hispanics in the United States.
• Colorado’s population is 21% Hispanic, the seventh largest Hispanic statewide population share nationally.
• There are 524,000 Hispanic eligible voters in Colorado—the ninth largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter population nationally. California ranks first with 6.4 million.
• Some 14% of Colorado eligible voters are Hispanic, the seventh largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 40%.
• Some 48% of Hispanics in Colorado are eligible to vote, ranking Colorado 17th nationwide in the share of the Hispanic population that is eligible to vote. By contrast, 79% of the state’s white population is eligible to vote.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters

• Age. About one-third of Hispanic eligible voters in Colorado (32%) 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 Colorado eligible voters and all U.S. eligible voters are ages 18 to 29.
• Citizenship and Nativity. Among Hispanic eligible voters in Colorado, 11% are naturalized U.S. citizens. This is less than the 25% of Hispanic eligible voters in the U.S., but just 5% of all eligible voters in Colorado and 8% of eligible voters in the U.S. overall are naturalized U.S. citizens.
• Hispanic Origin. Hispanic eligible voters in Colorado have a different Hispanic origin profile from Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. About seven-in-ten (68%) Hispanic eligible voters in Colorado are of Mexican origin, 4% are of Puerto Rican origin, and 28% 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. About two-in-ten Latino eligible voters in Colorado (22%) have not completed high school, almost triple the 8% of all Colorado 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. Over half of Hispanic eligible voters in Colorado (55%) live in owner-occupied homes, similar to the share of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide (56%). Greater shares of all eligible voters in Colorado and all eligible voters nationwide (both 67%) live in owner-occupied homes.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Colorado, by Race and Ethnicity

• Number of Eligible Voters. White eligible voters outnumber Hispanic eligible voters in Colorado by more than 5 to 1. Hispanic eligible voters outnumber black eligible voters by almost 4 to 1 and Asian eligible voters by about 7 to 1.
• Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than white, Asian and black eligible voters in Colorado. Some 32% of Latinos are ages 18 to 29, compared with 20% of white eligible voters, 27% of black eligible voters and 17% of Asian eligible voters.
• Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of education than do white, black and Asian eligible voters in Colorado. Some 22% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained a high school diploma, compared with 5% of white eligible voters and 11% of both Asian and black eligible voters.
• Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters (55%) are more likely to live in owner-occupied homes than black eligible voters (39%) in Colorado, but are less likely to live in owner-occupied homes than white (70%) or Asian (79%) eligible voters.