Venezuelans, the Fastest Growing Hispanic Population in the U.S.

The Latin American diaspora continues to embed itself in the U.S., with Mexicans alone making up 37.2 million of the U.S. population in 2020 but with relevant growth of Venezuelans, data from the U.S. Census Bureau reveal.

According to the the data provided by the Census Bureau, Venezuelans are the fastest-growing Hispanic population, nearly tripling in a decade. In 2010, there were 215,023 Venezuelans in the U.S., but in 2020, the U.S. Census Bureau counted 605,381.

The Census Bureau provided detailed data on hundreds of race and ethnicity groups, including information on 1,187 tribes and villages.

In an analysis of this data, the Pew Research Center says that "From 2000 to 2021, the Venezuelan-origin population increased 592%, growing from 95,000 to 640,000. At the same time, the Venezuelan foreign-born population living in the U.S. grew by 554%, from 75,000 in 2000 to 490,000 in 2021." This organization reported that while 32% of Hispanics in the U.S. are foreign-born, people with Venezuela as country of origin are 76% foreign-born.

According to media reports, most Venezuelans are migrating to the U.S. due to poor living conditions in their country, with many of them unable to afford basic necessities. Additionally, the average wage of a Venezuelan worker is $20 to $30 a month, while the average cost of living for a family of five is around $370.

The first 1 million

Data from the U.S. Census Bureau cited Colombian and Honduran populations in the U.S. topping over 1 million for the first time. The Colombian here population reached 1.3 million in 2020, while the Honduran population reached 1.1 million.

According to Pew Research Center, from 2000 to 2021, the Colombian population in the U.S. grew from 500,000 to 1.4 million, a 183% increase. Pew Research Center reported 32% of Hispanics in the U.S. are foreign-born, in comparison to 57% of Colombians in the U.S. being foreign-born

The Honduran population in the U.S. had similar growth, increasing 374% from 2000 to 2021, from 240,000 to 1.1 million. Pew Research Center reported 32% of Hispanics in the U.S. are foreign-born, in comparison to 63% of Hondurans in the U.S. being foreign-born.

Mexicans remain the largest Hispanic population, with 35.9 million in the U.S., according to the Census Bureau report. The population with a Mexican origin increased 79% in 2000-2021, percentage-wise less than the Colombian and Honduran populations, but that 79% means a jump from 20.9 million to 37.2 million in two decades.

According to U.S. Census Bureau data, about 93% of respondents in its 2020 survey who answered "Some Other Race" were of Hispanic or Latino origin. Hispanics, the Bureau says, may identify as any race, but when the only options are white, Black, Asian, two or more races Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, or American Indian or Alaska Native, the data shows an overwhelming number of Hispanics choosing to mark "Some other race." The Hispanic choice to pick "Some other race" reflects the complexity of the Latino and Hispanic population's identities, the data suggest.