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April 2002
Diversity in the Marketplace: Growth of the Hispanic Population in the U.S.
Growth of the Hispanic Population in the U.S.
¿Se habla espanol? Bueno! Then you’ll have a definite marketing advantage as a result of Hispanics growth.
Over the past few years, the population of Hispanics and Latinos in the United States has grown dramatically,
with a 58% increase from 22.4 million in 1990 to 35.3 million in 2000.
In addition, comparing the 2000 Census figures to 1990 levels indicates the growth of Hispanics outpaces
other races. These Census numbers show non-Hispanic whites increased 3% while the population of Blacks,
American Indians, and Asians increased 16%, 15%, and 52%, respectively.
State Concentration
Census 2000 figures also indicate most Hispanics continue to reside in the Southern and Western areas of
the United States, with the largest proportion of Hispanics concentrated in California, Texas, New Mexico
and Arizona. In these states, Hispanics comprise between 25% to 42% of the total population.
Other states have shown Hispanic population growth as well. Although most Hispanics continue to reside
in the Southwestern States, ten to twenty percent of the population in Nevada, Colorado, Illinois,
New York, New Jersey and Florida are Hispanic or Latino.
High Levels of Bilingual Media Consumption
What does this mean for newspaper readership? Capturing even a part of this market would be enormously
worthwhile! The phrase Hispanic or Latino is often a catchall including people from a number of different
origins - Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuban, Central American, and South American. Even with these disparate
origins, there are still a number of commonalities with this ethnic group, including language.
The latest results of the National Association of Hispanic Publications (NAHP) U.S.
Consumer and Media Study show Hispanics have a high level of persistent bilingual media consumption.
In other words, Hispanics generally use multiple media forms, such as radio, television, and print,
in both Spanish and English. Results of the recent study show that more than seven of ten Hispanics
in the U.S. read a daily or weekly newspaper. Of these, nearly one-third read in both Spanish and English,
almost one-third in only Spanish, and more than a third only in English.
Key Demographics Differentiate Hispanics
Other key characteristics, such as age, education, occupation, and income, also differentiate Hispanics
from other racial or ethnic groups. Traditional marketing strategies are just not as effective
in reaching this group. For instance:
- The Hispanic population has a higher percentage of young adults and children
and fewer elderly than non-Hispanic populations.
- Educational attainment varies among different Hispanic groups, with Spaniards,
South Americans and Cubans much more likely to hold a bachelor’s degree than Mexicans,
Puerto Ricans, Dominicans or Central Americans.
- Compared to the non-Hispanic population, fewer Hispanics held positions as managers
or professionals.
- Median household income for Hispanics was lower than that for the total U.S. population.
Tools for Understanding
The 2002 NAHP US Hispanic Consumer & Media Study is available by subscription for $750 in advance and at
the annual NAHP convention in Dallas, March 13-16. After April 30, it will be $995 per copy.
The preliminary list of topics includes:
- Weekday and Sunday newspaper readership
- Source of weekday and Sunday copy read
- Information sources for news
- Magazines regularly read: weekly, bi-weekly or monthly
- Radio listening over the past 7 days
- Internet access and usage
- Television viewing over the past 7 days
- Lifestyle issues, such as financial investments and instruments, credit cards,
exercise, entertainment activities, hobbies, travel (work and pleasure),
types of transportation used, dining out, etc.
- Assessments of language and culture
- Segmentation: analysis of study results yield nine distinct segments of the Hispanic
population, which had to behave similarly – real marketing insights!
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