Growing Latino Population in Washington State
The 2010 U.S. Census figures are out and the numbers show a growing Latino population in Washington State. The Latino population in Washington grew 71% during the 2000 to 2010 period. About 756,000 Latinos now live in Washington State, 11% of the total population of 6.7 million, which places it 14th among the 50 states. Hispanics are the largest minority in the state.
While Hispanic population were previously predominantly found in farming and agricultural production areas on the east side of the state such as in Yakima and Wenatchee, now most Latinos living in Washington are in the western side of the state in the more urban counties of King, Snohomish, and Pierce County, where Washington’s major population center is.
The cities of Seattle, Tacoma, Everett, and Bellevue have sizable Hispanic populations as do other nearby communities such as Kent, Auburn, and Federal Way. But growth also has been seen in Eastern Washington. The Inland Northwest and central Washington have attracted Latinos who are looking for jobs in the service, construction, and professional industries. Two smaller east side counties, Adams and Franklin, now have a majority Hispanic population.
The Hispanic community is Washington’s fastest growing racial group. In fact, Yakima County, which has a population of 243,321, almost has a predominantly Hispanic population, with 45% of the population being from this racial group.
Immigration and a more youthful population with a higher fertility rate have contributed to the growth of this community. 15% of Washington State’s public school children in grades K-12 are Hispanic.
As the number of Spanish speakers has grown, so has the number of retail and professional services businesses that support them has as well. One professional service sector that stands out in serving this community is lawyers, but there are also Spanish speaking accountants and bankers. To learn more about abogados en Tacoma, go to http://www.abogadoraymundo.com.
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