Census Data Mapper Map & Analysis - October 2013

LINK to this map on Google Drive. Analysis: I chose to create the map showing the percentage of Hispanic or Latino people in certain areas throughout the country.Through my analysis of the “Percent Hispanic or Latino (of any race)” map, I have discovered several trends. The majority of Hispanics live in the southwest; including Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Nevada, and even Colorado. A few exceptions can be found on the southern tip of Florida, Washington state, and southern Idaho. The single-most area with the highest percentage of Hispanics is clustered on the southern-most tip of Texas, where there are counties that are over 95% Hispanic! The regions with the fewest percent of Hispanics are New England, the Midwest, and surprisingly, some parts of the southeast, including Alabama, Louisiana, and Georgia. I think the reason that the southwest is so heavily populated with Hispanics is because of the proximity to Mexico. Immigrants from Mexico tend to settle in the southwest because it is the closest U.S.A. region to their home country, Mexico. Another appealing aspect of the southwest for Hispanic and Latino people may be the climate; it’s similar to the climate of Mexico with lots of possibilities for immigrants to find work in the agricultural industry. There are not many Hispanics or Latinos in the northern parts of America directly due to climate; it’s probably too cold for the majority of them to be comfortable. The area around Ohio and Pennsylvania has few Latinos and Hispanics due to lack of appealing industry for many immigrants from Mexico. The fact that there is a large percentage of Hispanics/ Latinos in the southwestern region of the United States can make positive impacts in some respects and negative in others. A valuable aspect of many Hispanics living in the southwest is their willingness to work. They provide America with more workers so we can get more accomplished. Another positive impact that a large Hispanic/Latino population could have on a state is a boosted number of seats in the House of Representatives, since many Hispanics are immigrants. The primary downside of a large Latino population is a lower education level. Since many Hispanics/Latinos have immigrated, the education they received in Mexico may not be up to U.S. ‘standards’.