Minnesota

History  

Latinos have been in Minnesota since the 1880s. Increased migration to the state occurred during times of labor shortages when additional workers were needed - for example during World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. There was a large increase in the number of Latinos during the 1990s, and it allowed Minnesota to become the state with the ninth fastest growing Latino population.

Source: The Almanac of Latino Politics 2004: “Minnesota.”
The United States Hispanic Leadership Institute 2004.

Latino Population in the State

The 2000 U.S. Census reported that there were 143,382 Latinos in Minnesota. In 2005, the number of Latinos in Minnesota reached 181,959. In other words, the Latino population increased 26.90 percent in five years. Currently the Latino population represents 3.64 percent of the total Minnesota population.

The state's Latino population is primarily split between the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul and their suburbs, but Latinos live throughout Minnesota. The cities with the highest Latino populations are Minneapolis, St. Paul, Willmar, Rochester, and Bloomington.

Sources: American Fact Finder, "Minnesota Fact Sheet" 2000, U.S. Census Survey 2005
HACER and Minneapolis Foundation, Latinos en Minnesota, 2000.

Latino Population's Language Profile

132,066 Minnesotans over the age of 5 report speaking Spanish. A little more than half of them, about 70,249 people report speaking English “very well.”

Source: American Fact Finder, “Minnesota: Ability to Speak English: 2000”

Latino Education Background

In Minnesota, 37,406 Latinos had finished high school by 2000.  This means that 58.09 percent of Latinos aged 25 and over have at least a high school diploma. Furthermore, 14.02 percent of Latinos aged 25 and over (or 9,208), have earned a Bachelor's degree.

Source: Census 2000 Summary File 4: Profile of Selected Social Characteristics: 2000