Demographic Makeup of the West: Latino population

"Indians, Hispanics, and Blacks in the West, though grasping for themselves stronger rights and respect during the civil rights movement, still suffer several vexing problems compared to whites: lower incomes, higher unemployment, lower education, and continued discrimination of all sorts. Yet the future prospect seems clear: the New American West will enter the twenty-first century with its ethnic groups displaying stronger identities and growing political and economic power" (Atlas of the New West 101).

Demographic Makeup of the West
While much of the West remains predominantly White, Hispanics and Latinos are a growing percentage of the population and are thus gaining recognition and power in local cultural and political environments. Explore the demographic makeup of the West, below, and see how your local county stacks up against other counties and states.

IDAHO

Percentage of Persons who are Hispanic
or Latino, Idaho by County
Census 2000

Idaho population: 1,293,953
7.9% Hispanic or Latino (101,690)
County with highest percentage of Hispanic or Latino: Clark (34.2% of county population)

Source: Idaho Data Center, Census 2000 in Idaho

WYOMING

Percentage of Persons who are Hispanic or Latino, Wyoming by County
Census 2000

Wyoming population: 493,782
6.4% Hispanic or Latino (31,669)
County with highest percentage of Hispanic or Latino: Carbon (13.8% of county population)

Source: American FactFinder

NEVADA

Percentage of Persons who are Hispanic
or Latino, Nevada by County
Census 2000

Nevada population: 1,9667,650
17.3% Hispanic or Latino (339,658)
County with highest percentage of Hispanic or Latino: Clark (22.0% of county population)

Source: State of Nevada Demographer

UNITED STATES (Continental)

Percentage of Persons who are Hispanic or Latino, United States by State
Census 2000

Total population: 281,421,906
12.5% Hispanic or Latino (35,305,818 )
State with highest percentage of Hispanic or Latino: New Mexico (42.1%)

Source: American FactFinder

"Ethnic diversity in the West grows stronger: some political power wrested from Whites in municipal, state, and federal elections; more formal recognition in many Western cities and states . . . . Burgeoning Indian and Hispanic media illustrate one aspect of this ethnic florescence, though also hint at the debates over whether an 'American' culture can emerge where ethnic groups hold on dearly to their identity, especially through language" (Atlas of the New West 101).