Commentary

Hispanics Aggregating Beyond Border States

Hispanics Aggregating Beyond Border States

Bob Jordan, president of International Demographics, Inc., which produces The Media Audit, noted in a recent release that "Hispanics are moving beyond the border states and the traditional metro immigrant centers." Although not a national survey, The Media Audit's aggregate numbers generally track national findings. In 1998, 47.8 percent of adult Hispanics in the 85 metro markets surveyed regularly by The Media Audit lived in Los Angeles, New York and Miami. By 2003, that percentage had dropped to 41.2. During the same time period the total adult Hispanic population in the 85 metro markets was increasing from 14.4 million to 18.6 million. Approximately 70 percent of that growth (4.3 million) was located in metropolitan areas other than Los Angeles, New York and Miami.

According to The Media Audit, in 1998 there were 21 metro markets with more than 100,000 Hispanic adults, and by 2003, 28. "The metro markets of Boston, Denver, Atlanta, Orlando and Philadelphia now have adult Hispanic populations of more than 200,000," says Jordan.

"For advertisers trying to reach the Hispanic market," says Jordan, "this migration is a serious matter. Hispanics are no longer found exclusively in a few metropolitan markets. In addition, the new location to which Hispanics have moved may have an impact on the qualitative profile of the group. Hispanics in Boston could have buying habits very different from those of Hispanics in San Antonio."

Periodic survey data from: TheMediaAudit.com

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