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

Population and Electorate in the United States and Idaho, 2012
  • The Hispanic population in Idaho ranks 34th in the nation. About 184,000 Hispanics reside in Idaho, 0.3% of all Hispanics in the United States.
  • Idaho’s population is 12% Hispanic, the 16th largest Hispanic statewide population share nationally.
  • There are 73,000 Hispanic eligible voters in Idaho—ranking 33rd in Hispanic statewide eligible voter population nationally. California ranks first with 6.4 million.
  • Some 6% of Idaho eligible voters are Hispanic, the 17th largest Hispanic statewide eligible voter share nationally. New Mexico ranks first with 40%.
  • Some 39% of Hispanics in Idaho are eligible to vote, ranking Idaho 30th nationwide in the share of the Hispanic population that is eligible to vote. By contrast, three-quarters of the state’s white population and 77% of the state’s Native American population is eligible to vote.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Idaho and the United States, 2012
  • Age. Some four-in-ten Hispanic eligible voters in Idaho are ages 18 to 29, higher than the share of all Latino eligible voters nationwide (33%) and the share of all Idaho eligible voters and of all U.S. eligible voters (both 22%) in that age range.
  • Citizenship and Nativity. Among Hispanic eligible voters in Idaho, 22% are naturalized U.S. citizens. This compares with 25% of Hispanic eligible voters in the U.S., but just 3% of all eligible voters in Idaho and 8% of eligible voters in the U.S. overall.
  • Hispanic Origin. Hispanic eligible voters in Idaho have a different Hispanic origin profile from Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. More than eight-in-ten (83%) Hispanic eligible voters in Idaho are of Mexican origin, 1% of Puerto Rican origin and 16% 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 one-quarter of Latino eligible voters in Idaho (24%) have not completed high school, about triple the 9% of all Idaho eligible voters who have not completed high school and about the same as the 23% of Hispanics nationwide who have not completed high school. Just one-in-ten Hispanic eligible voters in Idaho have at least a bachelor’s degree, compared with 15% of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide and 24% of all Idaho eligible voters.
  • Homeownership. About six-in-ten Hispanic eligible voters in Idaho (59%) live in owner-occupied homes, compared with 56% of all Hispanic eligible voters nationwide. Greater shares of all eligible voters in Idaho (71%) and all eligible voters nationwide (67%) live in owner-occupied homes.

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Idaho, by Race and Ethnicity

Characteristics of Eligible Voters in Idaho and the United States, by Race and Ethnicity, 2012
  • Number of Eligible Voters. White eligible voters outnumber Hispanic eligible voters in Idaho by about 14 to 1. There are about six times as many Hispanic eligible voters (73,000) than Native American eligible voters (12,000) in Idaho.
  • Age. Latino eligible voters are younger than white and Native American eligible voters in Idaho. Some 40% of Latinos are ages 18 to 29, compared with 20% of white eligible voters and 32% of Native American eligible voters.
  • Educational Attainment. Hispanic eligible voters have lower levels of high school education than do white and Native American eligible voters in Idaho. Some 24% of Hispanic eligible voters have not obtained a high school diploma, compared with 8% of white eligible voters and 12% of Native American eligible voters. But similar shares of Hispanic (10%) and Native American (12%) eligible voters have a bachelor’s degree or more, compared with a higher share (25%) among white eligible voters.
  • Homeownership. Hispanic eligible voters (59%) are similarly likely live in owner-occupied homes as Native American eligible voters (53%) in Idaho, but are less likely to live in owner-occupied homes than white eligible voters (72%).