Hispanic/Latino Health
This profile offers an overview of the social, economic, and environmental factors that shape the health of the Hispanic/Latino population in the United States. Considering the unique environments, cultures, histories, and circumstances of Hispanic/Latino populations is fundamental to improving their health outcomes and reducing longstanding disparities and inequities. These factors, known as social determinants of health (SDOH), affect various health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks. Non-medical factors like poverty, limited access to healthcare, and lack of education are all examples of individual SDOH that contribute to health disparities and inequities.
Visit Healthy People 2030 to learn more about SDOH.
HISPANIC/LATINO POPULATION INFORMATION
The U.S. Census Bureau defines “Hispanic or Latino” as a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) population estimates, in 2022 almost 63.6 million Hispanics/Latinos (of any race) lived in the United States, representing 19.1% of the total U.S. population. In 2022, the five states with the largest percentage of Hispanics/Latinos were New Mexico (50.2%), California (40.3%), Texas (40.2%), Arizona (32.5%), and Nevada (30.3%). In Puerto Rico, 98.7% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.
Hispanics/Latinos are the nation’s second-largest racial or ethnic group after non-Hispanic whites. ACS estimates show that among Hispanic/Latino subgroups, Mexican Americans rank as the largest at 58.9% of those who identify as Hispanic or Latino, followed by Other Hispanic/Latino (23.5%) Central Americans (10.3%), Puerto Ricans (9.3%), South Americans (7.3%), Cubans (3.8%), and Dominicans (3.8%).
According to 2022 ACS estimates, 68.2% of Hispanics/Latinos (of any race) age 5 years and older speak a language other than English at home, with 28.0% reporting they speak English “less than very well.”
According to ACS estimates, in 2022, 73.1% of Hispanics/Latinos (of any race) aged 25 years and older had at least a high school diploma, compared to 94.2% of non-Hispanic whites. 20.4% of Hispanics/Latinos had a bachelor's degree or higher, and 6.8% held a graduate or advanced professional degree, compared to 39.5% and 15.5% of non-Hispanic whites, respectively.
According to 2022 ACS estimates, the median 12-month household income of Hispanic/Latino (of any race) households was $65,882 compared to $80,404 for non-Hispanic white households. 2022 estimates from the U.S. Department of Labor show the unemployment rate for Hispanic/Latino adults (4.3%) was higher than that of whites (3.2%).
Hispanics/Latinos have the highest uninsured rate of any racial or ethnic group in the United States. According to 2022 ACS estimates, 16.8% of Hispanics/Latinos (of any race) had no health insurance coverage compared to 5.3% of non-Hispanic whites. 51.5% of Hispanics/Latinos (of any race) had private health insurance coverage, compared to 74.1% of non-Hispanic whites. 37.9% of Hispanics/Latinos had public health insurance, compared to 36.1% of non-Hispanic whites.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the average estimated life expectancy at birth for Hispanics/Latinos (of any race) is 80.0 years (82.8 years for females and 77.0 years for males), compared to 77.5 years (80.1 for females and 75.1 for males) for non-Hispanic whites. Although they tend to have higher life expectancies than some other racial and ethnic groups, Hispanic/Latino health is often influenced by factors such as language/cultural barriers, lack of access to preventive care, and lack of health insurance.
In 2021, the five leading causes of death among Hispanics/Latinos (of any race) were COVID-19, heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries, and stroke.
Last Edited: 07/11/2024