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 Salvadorans Outnumber Dominicans for First Time in the U.S.
By the National Institute for Latino Policy (NiLP) (March 29, 2010)
While the latest Census estimate of the Latino population in the United States puts the number at close to 46.9 million in 2008 (or 51 million if you include Puerto Rico), these estimates do not include a breakdown of the Latino subgroups. The American Community Survey (ACS), which is a separate program from the one that does the population estimates, put the Latino population in 2008 at 45.4 million (or 49.3 million if you include Puerto Rico), and they do provide a breakdown of Latino nationalities.
Based on the 2000 Census, there were 35.2 million Latinos in the United States (or 39.0 million if you include Puerto Rico). The largest Latino subgroups in 2000 were:
1. Mexicans 20.9 million
2. Puerto Ricans 3.4 million (7.2 million if you include Puerto Rico)
3. Cubans 1.2 million
4. Dominicans 0.8 million
5. Salvadorans 0.8 million
According to the American Community Survey, in 2008, the Latino subgroup breakdown was as follows (see table at end of article):
1. Mexican 29.3 million
2. Puerto Rican 4.1 million (7.9 million if you include Puerto Rico)
3. Cuban 1.6 million
4. Salvadoran 1.5 million
5. Dominican 1.2 million
While there was no change in the rank order of the top three Latino subgroups, Salvadorans have topped Dominicans as the 4th largest subgroup.
The Census projects that there are currently 49.7 million Latinos in the United States (50.9 million if you include Puerto Rico). However, we will have to wait for the results of the 2010 Census itself to get the Latino subgroup figures for this year. Let's see how they compare to these ACS figures.
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