US Latino Population Rises to 19.5%

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Latinos continue to be one of the fastest growing populations in the US.  

Between 2022 and 2023, Latinos accounted for 71% of the population growth in the US, according to new data from the US Census Bureau.  

Latinos now make up 19.5% of the country’s population.  

The rise, occurring at an annual growth of 1.8% and attributed to a large number of births, makes Latinos the second largest racial/ethnic group in the US.   

Let’s unpack some of the statistics and what they mean for the future of Latinos. 

US Latino Population Growth 

In 2023, the Latino population grew by 1.16 million for a total of 65 million.  

Latinos contributed significantly to the overall population growth in the US, which increased by 1.64 million. 

“The Hispanic population is expanding at a substantially faster rate than the non-Hispanic population, primarily due to natural increase, that is, more births than deaths,” said Kristie Wilder, a demographer in the Census Bureau’s Population Division. “The annual increase of 1.8% was in sharp contrast to the 0.2% increase in the non-Hispanic population, whose growth was tempered by a decline among non-Hispanic Whites, the largest demographic within the non-Hispanic category and the only one to experience a population loss.” 

The US Census Bureau is attributing the growth to the increase in Latino births compared to Latino deaths (approximately 722,000 more births than deaths). 

In addition to the Latino birthrate, international migration also played a role in the population gain.  

Over 437,000 Latino immigrants arrived in the US, accounting for one-third of the total Latino population growth in 2023.  

Despite the rise, the growth from 2022 to 2023 was one of the slowest in recent history.  

The biggest Latino population spikes occurred between 2012 and 2013 with 2%, preceded by 3.7% growth between 2002 and 2003.  

What’s more, Latinos grew faster than the non-Latino (white) population, which increased by .2% (just under half a million) from 2022 to 269.7 million in 2023.  

US Latino Population Growth by State 

Of the 43 states that experienced an increase in Latino residents between 2022 and 2023, all reported to have a higher growth than non-Latinos, the report stated.  

Of those states, 13, including Alaska, Connecticut, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, and more, added to their Latino populations while experiencing a decline in the non-Latino population. 

By the end of 2023, California (15,760,437), Texas (12,135,690), Florida (6,197,465), and New York (3,873,130) had the largest Hispanic populations. 

Texas had the largest Latino population increase at 242,306 followed by Florida at 191,373 and California with 83,036. 

US Latino Growth by County  

In examining the population growth in the nation’s 3,144 counties, 59% (1,864) experienced a rise in Latino residents, according to the report.  

Of those 1,864 counties, 716 (38%) gained more Latinos than non-Latinos. 

Broward County, Florida; Dallas County, Texas; Miami-Dade County, Florida; Riverside County, California; and San Bernardino County, California, experienced the largest Latino population growth between 2022 and 2023.  

The state growth was concentrated in Los Angeles County, which experienced a Latino population growth of 4,695,902, Harris County, Texas, at 2,130,515, and Miami-Dade County, Florida, at 1,857,682. 

73% of US metropolitan areas experienced heavy Latino population growth, compared to non-Latino.  

11 metropolitan areas with overall growth of 1 million between 2022 and 2023 did so because of the Latino population growth.  

The Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, experienced the largest Latino population growth of any US metro areas when it added 74,310 Latino residents, bringing its total Latino population to 2,878,417 in 2023. 

In accordance with the Latino population growth in 2023, Latinos still comprise at least 50% of the population in the following locations: Fresno, CA (55.8%), San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX (54.8%), and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA (53.7%). 

Effects of Latino Population Growth 

In the coming years the Latino population is anticipated to rise by more than 84 million by 2030, which would account for nearly one-quarter of the total US population.  

As the Latino population in the US continues to rise, so does the increasing need for equitable living, which can have a significant impact on quality of life and overall health. 

Latinos have been affected by years of structural, institutional, and individual racism leading to drastic differences in housing, transportation, education, and jobs and wages.  

Where someone lives can also have an impact on their health. 

Lack of green spaces in rural or urban communities can limit exercise while distance can prevent families from getting nutritious foods and healthcare, which includes clinical trials. 

Latinos also often face health discrimination, making getting treated for diseases such as cancer , which is expected to rise by 142% in the coming years, and Alzheimer’s. 

Check Latino Health Equity Statistics Where You Live  

Explore inequities where you live by downloading a free Salud America! Health Equity Report Card. 

The Health Equity Report Card can give you an idea on where your community stands on issues like pollution, access to transportation, internet access, and more.  

Downloading the Health Equity Report Card also grants you an inside look on how these issues affect Latinos.  

You can use the information contained in the Health Equity Report Card and compare it with your state and the rest of the country.  

The maps, graphs, and charts make it easy to see where your community ranks so you can include it in your next presentation to local organizations and leaders to initiate change where you live!   

GET YOUR HEALTH EQUITY REPORT CARD!