Estimates derived from the 1997 CPS indicate that Mexicans are the largest subgroup of
Hispanics in the United States, accounting for 63 percent of the U.S. Hispanic population.12
Puerto Ricans* are the next largest subgroup, accounting for 11 percent of the U.S. Hispanic
population, followed by Cubans, who account for just more than 4 percent of the U.S. Hispanic
population.12 Central and South Americans, who comprise people of multiple national
backgrounds, account for 14 percent of the U.S. Hispanic population, while the remaining 7
percent of U.S. Hispanics are of other national backgrounds, including Spanish, or are of
unknown origin.
On average, the socioeconomic status of Hispanics is comparable with that of African
Americans and significantly lower than that of non-Hispanic whites. This situation is reflected
in most measures of socioeconomic status, including personal and family income, poverty
rates, educational attainment, and occupation. In 1997, for example, 26 percent of Hispanic
and African American families lived in poverty, compared with 7 percent of white families
(Table 1).12 While the median family income for all Americans was $42,299, the median
income for Hispanic families was $26,178 (1996 dollars).
The occupation categories reported in the CPS can be divided into high–health risk/low–social
position occupations and low–health risk/high–social position occupations.14 Low-risk/high–
social position occupations include both managerial and professional occupations and