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Hispanic Americans

U.S. Latino Population Reaches Historic Milestone, a Quarter of the Country is Now Latino

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The U.S. Latino population has reached a historic milestone, with one in five people in the country identifying as Latino. A new data analysis by the Latino GDP Project, a joint effort from UCLA and Cal Lutheran, found that the total U.S. Latino population is estimated to be over 68 million, a 2 million increase from the previous year. This growth is significant, considering the population was projected to be 58.8 million in 1988. The Latino labor force has also seen remarkable growth, increasing 5.5% last year, the strongest growth recorded, and 4.2 percentage points stronger than the non-Latino labor force.

Key Takeaways:

  • The U.S. Latino population has reached a historic milestone, with one in five people identifying as Latino.
  • The total U.S. Latino population is estimated to be over 68 million, a 2 million increase from the previous year.
  • The Latino labor force grew 5.5% last year, the strongest growth recorded, and 4.2 percentage points stronger than the non-Latino labor force.
  • From 2010 to 2024, the Latino labor force grew 7.2 times faster than the non-Latino labor force and now sits at 35.1 million workers.
  • The Latino labor force participation rate reached an all-time high of 69%.
  • The Latino labor force participation premium, the difference between Latino and non-Latino participation rates, hit a record of 6.2 percentage points in 2024.
  • The U.S. Latino GDP hit $4.1 trillion, making it the world's fifth-largest GDP, larger than the entire economy of India.
  • The Latino GDP is also the single fastest-growing among major economies, growing faster than China's GDP since 2019.

Statistics:

  • 68 million: estimated total U.S. Latino population
  • 2 million: increase in the U.S. Latino population from the previous year
  • 5.5%: growth of the Latino labor force last year
  • 4.2 percentage points: difference in growth between the Latino and non-Latino labor forces
  • 35.1 million: number of Latino workers in the U.S. labor force
  • 69%: Latino labor force participation rate
  • 6.2 percentage points: Latino labor force participation premium
  • $4.1 trillion: U.S. Latino GDP
  • 2019: year in which the Latino GDP began growing faster than China's GDP

Sources:

  • "Latino GDP Project from UCLA and Cal Lutheran"
  • "U.S. Census Bureau"
  • "American Community Survey"
  • "Center for Economic Research & Forecasting at Cal Lutheran"
  • "David Hayes-Bautista, distinguished professor of medicine at UCLA"
  • "Matthew Fienup, executive director of the Center for Economic Research & Forecasting at Cal Lutheran"

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