The Hispanic population continues to grow in the U.S. Immigrants with roots in Mexico, Central America and other Spanish-speaking countries travel to the U.S. seeking employment and a new way of life.

Following are some facts from the U.S. Census Bureau regarding the Hispanic population in the U.S.:

• As of July 1, 2005, the 10 states with the highest Hispanic population were New Mexico (where 43.4 percent of the state's population is Hispanic); California (35.2 percent); Texas (35.1 percent); Arizona (28.5 percent); Nevada (23.5 percent); Colorado (19.5 percent); Florida (19.5 percent); New York (16.1 percent); New Jersey (15.2 percent); and Illinois (14.3 percent).
• As of July 1, 2005, the 10 states with the lowest Hispanic population were West Virginia (where 0.9 percent of the state's population is Hispanic); Maine (1 percent); Vermont (1.1 percent); North Dakota (1.6 percent); Mississippi (1.7 percent); Kentucky (2 percent); South Dakota (2.1 percent); New Hampshire (2.2 percent); Alabama (2.3 percent); and Ohio (2.3 percent).
• As of July 1, 2006, the estimated Hispanic population in the U.S. was 44.3 million compared with 42.7 million in 2005.
• About one of every two people added to the U.S. population between July 1, 2005, and July 1, 2006, was Hispanic; 1.4 million Hispanic people were added to the population during that time.
• Hispanic people are the fastest-growing minority group; between July 1, 2005, and July 1, 2006, the percentage increase in the Hispanic population was 3.4 percent compared with 3.3 percent during the previous year.
• The projected Hispanic population in the U.S. by July 1, 2050, is 102.6 million (or 24 percent of the total U.S. population).
• The Hispanic population of the U.S. during the 1990 census was 22.4 million, a little more than half the current total.
• As of 2005, the U.S. is ranked third in the world regarding the size of its Hispanic population; Mexico is ranked first, and Colombia is ranked second.
• The median age of the Hispanic population in 2006 was 27.4 years compared with 36.4 years for the U.S. population as a whole.
• There are 107 Hispanic males per every 100 Hispanic females in the U.S. as of 2006. The total U.S. population has 97 males per every 100 females.
• Forty-eight percent of the Hispanic population in the U.S. lives in California or Texas.
• The Hispanic population of Los Angeles County, Calif., is 4.7 million.
• The Hispanic population of Texas increased by 305,000 (the highest in the U.S.) between July 1, 2005, and July 1, 2006.
• There were 1.6 million Hispanic-owned businesses in the U.S. in 2002; the growth rate of Hispanic-owned businesses tripled between 1997 and 2002.
• $222 billion of revenue was generated by Hispanic-owned businesses in 2002.
• There were 9.9 million Hispanic family households in the U.S. in 2006.
• The median income for Hispanic households was $37,800 in 2006.
• The poverty rate for the Hispanic population was 20.6 percent in 2006, a decrease from 21.8 percent in 2005.
• There are 77,700 Hispanic chief executives in the U.S.
• Forty-seven percent of Hispanic citizens, or 7.6 million, reported voting in the 2004 presidential election.
• There are 1.1 million Hispanic veterans of the U.S armed forces.

This Web exclusive information is a supplement to Working with diversity.