WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Hispanics in
the United States rose by 1.4 million over a year's time
to 45.5 million as of last July, continuing rapid growth
that could increase their influence.
This election year has focused more attention on how
much it is increasing.
Nine of the top 10 states with the highest growth rates
in their populations were in the South, according to
new census data released Thursday.
South Carolina topped the list with an 8.7 percent
increase, gaining 13,569 Hispanics, according to an
analysis of the Census data by William Frey, a
demographer at the Brookings Institution. The state's
total Hispanic population was 168,920 last July 1, a
76 percent increase from July 2000.
Other Southern states that saw increases are
Tennessee, with 8.1 percent growth; North Carolina,
7.8 percent; Georgia, 7.1 percent; Alabama,
Mississippi and Kentucky, 7 percent; Arkansas, 6.8;
Louisiana, 6.5 percent. Florida had a 3.6 percent gain,
which ranked 37th among states.
Utah ranked eighth with a 6.9 percent growth rate.
For the second consecutive year, Texas accounted for
more of the gains in the numbers of Hispanics than
California. Texas' share was about 21.2 percent of the
additional Hispanics in 2007, while California's share
was 18.5., according to Frey's analysis. But California
still leads in total number of Hispanics with 13.2
million, compared to Texas' 8.6 million.
With those increases boosting Hispanics to 15.1
percent of the U.S. population, voting booths are being
watched closely this year for Hispanic turnout.
