Demographic portrait of Hispanics in the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria Metropolitan Area

Karl Eschbach

University of Houston Department of Sociology

Data Sources 2000 Census Redistricting File

Population Size and Distribution

1998 American Community SurveyHarris and Fort Bend County Only

Social and Economic Characteristics

Population Growth- 8 County Region

Year All Hispanics % Hispanic

2000 4,670,000 1,350,000 29%

1990 3,710,000 770,000 21%

1980 3,120,000 450,000 14%

1970 2,180,000 210,000 10%

1930 530,000 30,000 6%

Hispanic Population & Share

Area 

Hispanics 

Percent Hispanic

Hispanic % of Growth1990-2000

       Texas 6,670,000 32% 60%Houston 730,000 37% 89%

       Brazoria 55,000 23% 43%Chambers 3,000 11% 27%Fort Bend 75,000 21% 24%Galveston 45,000 18% 43%Harris 1,120,000 33% 82%Liberty 8,000 11% 27%Montgomery 37,000 13% 21%Waller 6,000 19% 41%Metro Area 1,350,000 29% 61%

Components of Growth, Harris County,

1990-2000 (Thousands)

220

9070

25

255

-160

3055

-200

-150

-100

-50

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Natural Increase

Net Migration

Components of growth, 7 suburban

counties, 1990-2000 (Thousands)

3348

125

70

150

28 32

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

Natural Increase

Net Migration

Percent Hispanic: Murdock’s 1.0 Projection and Actual

1990 2000 2010 2020 2030

23%

31%

52%

38%

45%

21%

27%

45%

34%

40%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

55%

Metro Area Actual: 29%

Harris Co. Actual: 33%

Percent Hispanic:

Voting Age Adults and Children

Area Voting Age Children

Houston 34% 47%

Harris 30% 41%

Harris+ Fort Bend 29% 39%

Metro Area 26% 36%

Percent Hispanic for Harris and Fort Bend Counties, Citizen Population Only

Y EAR Voting Age Children

1990 14% 27%

1998 20% 37%

Sources: 1990 Census & 1998 American Community Survey

Percent of Hispanics who are Foreign Born—Harris and Fort Bend Counties

Y ear Voting Age Children

1990 55% 17%

1998 58% 12%

Sources: 1990 Census & 1998 American Community Survey

Changes in Hispanic Population, 1990-2000

Changes in Anglo Population, 1990-2000

Black Population Change, 1990-2000

Asian Population Change, 2000

Index of Dissimilarity

Percent of persons who would have to move to create perfect integration of two groups

0 = Complete Integration

100 = Complete Segregation

Index of DissimilarityHispanics and….

Group 2000 1990 Change

Anglos 53 48 5

Blacks 51 57 -6

Asians 58 55 3

Percent of Population is Hispanic, 2000

Percent of Population Is Hispanic, African American or Asian, 2000

Country of Origin of Hispanics: Harris and Fort Bend Counties, 1998

Mexican

78%

Cuban

1%

South

American

3%

Puerto Rican

2%

Not Spec ified

7%

Central

American

9%

Source: American Community Survey

Language Spoken by Hispanics, 1998

29%

2%

48%

5%

50%

66%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

U.S. Born Foreign Born

English only

Bilingual

Spanish only

Source: American Community Survey

Educational Attainment of Adults, 1998

9

35

65

20

26

15

3329

12

38

118

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Anglo U.S. Born Hispanic Foreign-Born Hispanic

No Diploma

High School Diploma

Some College

BA/BS or More

Source: American Community Survey

Income in relation to poverty line, 1998

37 7

3

15 17

10

33

41

85

46

34

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Anglo U.S. Born Hispanic s Foreign Born

Hispanic s

< 50%50-99%100-199%200% +

Source: American Community Survey

Aggregate Household Income, Fort Bend & Harris Counties, 1998

($Billions)

Group Income P ercent of Income

Foreign-born Hispanic 6 9%

U.S.-born Hispanic 6 8%

Anglo 44 64%

African American 9 13%

Asian/Other 4 6%

Total 68 100%

Source: American Community Survey

Political Efficacy in Houston

Professor Tatcho Mindiola, Jr.

Director, Center for Mexican American Studies

University of Houston

Political Efficacy Questions

1) I consider myself to be well qualified to participate in politics.

2) I feel that I have a pretty good understanding of the important issues facing our country.

3) I feel that I could do as good job in public offices as most other people.

Political Efficacy Questions

4) I think that I am better informed aboutpolitics and government than most people.

5) Sometimes politics and government seem so complicated that a person like me can't really understand what is going on.

6) I don't think public officials care much what people like me think.

Political Efficacy Scores in Houston

By Ethnicity and Nativity

Group  

Average Efficacy Scores

African American 3.6U.S. Born Hispanic 3.2

Foreign Born Hispanics 2.9

Party Affiliation of

Foreign Born Hispanics

Party Number Percent

Democrat 101 29

Republican 26 8

Independent 100 29

Don't K now 120 34

Total 347 100

Political Efficacy Scores for

Foreign-Born Hispanics

by Party Affiliation

Party Score

Democrats 3.2

Republican 3.8

Independent 3.2

Don't K now 2.4