The Los Angeles Post

One in Five Americans Now Latino: New Data Shows Record Growth and Economic Impact

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LAPost / Los Angeles — October 7, 2025

For the first time in U.S. history, one out of every five Americans is Latino, according to a new analysis from the Latino GDP Project, a joint research initiative by UCLA and California Lutheran University. Using 2024 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, researchers found that the total U.S. Latino population now exceeds 68 million, representing a growth of 2 million people since 2023.

“In 1988, lacking today’s data tools, we projected that the Latino population might reach 58.8 million by now,” said Dr. David Hayes-Bautista, distinguished professor of medicine at UCLA and coauthor of the report. “Clearly, we underestimated their growth and resilience.”

The data also reveal record-breaking economic momentum. The Latino labor force surged 5.5% in 2024, reaching 35.1 million workers, the strongest single-year growth ever recorded and 4.2 percentage points higher than the non-Latino labor force. Since 2010, the Latino labor force has grown 7.2 times faster than its non-Latino counterpart.

“Time and time again, we find that hard work, self-sufficiency, optimism, and perseverance define the U.S. Latino community,” said Matthew Fienup, executive director of the Center for Economic Research & Forecasting at Cal Lutheran. “These are the qualities that continue to strengthen the broader U.S. economy.”

The report also found that the Latino labor force participation rate reached a record high of 69%, with a 6.2 percentage-point premium over non-Latinos — the largest gap ever recorded.

“More people working harder leads to greater Latino GDP growth,” Hayes-Bautista added. “These new data show that the U.S. Latino labor force is setting new benchmarks for economic vibrancy.”

These findings follow the 2025 U.S. Latino GDP Report, which revealed that the Latino GDP hit $4.1 trillion — making it the fifth-largest GDP in the world, surpassing the entire economy of India. The U.S. Latino economy is also the fastest-growing major economy, expanding faster than China’s GDP since 2019.

The Latino GDP Project, now in its eighth year, continues to highlight how Latino-driven growth underpins the vitality of the U.S. economy.

“By empowering this community, we can ensure that their dynamism continues to fuel national growth for years to come,” Fienup said.

Additional Key Findings:

  • The Latino population is growing 5.8 times faster than the non-Latino population, with a 2.4 percentage-point growth premium in 2024.

  • Despite higher COVID-19 mortality, the Latino natural population change (births minus deaths) remained positive through the pandemic — a net gain of 3.2 million from 2020 to 2024, compared with a 1.3 million decline for non-Latinos.

  • The Latino labor force’s 5.5% annual growth in 2024 surpassed 2023’s 3.8% rate, which had been the previous record.

Together, these numbers underscore a historic moment: Latinos are not only shaping America’s demographic future but also driving its economic engine at unprecedented speed.