Hispanic Heritage Month: 2023

 [ Article originally appeared in www.census.gov ]

Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the contributions of Americans tracing their roots to Spain, Mexico, Central America, South America and the Spanish-speaking nations of the Caribbean. In 1968, Congress set aside a week for this observance and two decades later expanded it to a month stretching from September 15 to October 15. The timing is historically significant as September 15 is the anniversary of independence in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. The designated period is also a nod to those from Mexico and Chile, which celebrate their independence September 16 and September 18, respectively.

The following facts are possible thanks to the invaluable responses to U.S. Census Bureau surveys. We appreciate the public’s cooperation as we measure America’s people, places and economy. 

13

The number of states with one million or more Hispanic residents in 2022 — Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington.

34,782

The increase (from July 1, 2021-July 1, 2022) in the number of Hispanics in Harris County, Texas, the county with the nation’s largest gain in this population during this time period, up 1.7%.  

Source:  County Population by Characteristics: 2020-2022 (census.gov)

30.7

The median age of the Hispanic population in 2022, up from 30.4 in 2021.