Latinos in the United States in 2000

Abstract

This population study, based on the 2000 decennial census in the United States, characterizes the Latino population in terms of those sociodemographic variables that have been identified as integral to researchers and practitioners working with diverse populations. A number of dimensions of the Latino experience in the United States are presented, including family and household information, socioeconomic status, educational attainment, health, and disability descriptors. Perhaps the most interesting of the variables examined is the dramatic growth rate of Latinos in the United States, who now represent 13% of the total population. Moreover, Latinos increasingly can be found in states where there have been little or no Latinos in the past, presenting both challenges and opportunities to service delivery systems and to policy makers.