Assimilation and Socioeconomic Advancement of Hispanics in the U.S. Staff Working Paper.

This paper presents an overview of the socioeconomic status and advancement of the Hispanic population in the United States. The study uses both socioeconomic indicators and noneconomic measures to assess the level of Hispanic assimilation, and analyzes the influence of subgroup affiliation, place of birth, and length of time since immigration on socioeconomic stratification. The paper is comprised of seven sections. Section 1, "Introduction," discusses theoretical and methodological considerations and presents a demographic overview of Hispanic Americans. Section 2, "Income and Earnings of Hispanics," finds greater declines in family income and individual earnings for Hispanics than for Whites or Blacks during the 1980s. Section 3, "Poverty and Welfare Use Among Hispanics," indicates increases in the poverty rate and number of welfare recipients. Section 4, "Education," reports increases in Hispanic educational attainment in the 1980s but a persistent lag behind that of Whites. Section 5, "Homeownership," finds Hispanics less likely than Blacks or Whites to own homes in 1986. Section 6, "Occupation and Labor Force Participation," examines trends in employment and unemployment. Section 7, "Other Measures of Assimilation and Integration," uses the following measures to analyze Hispanic assimilation: (1) English language usage; (2) residential integration; (3) intermarriage; and (4) fertility. Statistical data are presented on 29 tables. (AF)