NEW ORLEANS – To measure how well Hispanics have adapted to mainstream American society relative to where they live, personal-finance website WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 17 key metrics. They range from “Hispanics’ English proficiency” to “educational attainment” to “homeownership rate.”
Analysts determined Louisiana ranks #3 overall. They also determined Louisiana ranks:
1 – Math & Reading Test Scores of Hispanic Students
7 – % of Hispanics with at Least a Bachelor’s Degree
7 – Median Annual Income of Hispanics (Adjusted for Cost of Living)
9 – Hispanic Poverty Rate
10 – Hispanic Veteran Status
12 – Public High School Graduation Rate of Hispanic Students
16 – Hispanic Unemployment Rate
According to WalletHub:
Coming to America can be a challenge for immigrants. Adapting to a new way of life is another — and sometimes more painful. The process involves far more than learning the dominant language and counting money in the local currency. But subsequent generations often are able to skip those difficult steps. “Full integration into U.S. society and economy generally takes more than one generation, with children of immigrants reliably outperforming their parents in educational attainment, occupational status, wealth, and home ownership,” according to the Migration Policy Institute.
Today, Hispanics are the third fastest-growing minority group behind individuals claiming two or more races. And much of their growth in the past decade-plus has been fueled by natural U.S. births. Assuming the MPI’s observation is correct, areas reporting the greatest numbers of U.S. births among Hispanics theoretically should reflect the group’s successful integration.
Integration, however, can be both positive and negative. Although it allows children of immigrants to more easily navigate U.S. bureaucracy, education and financial systems, many would argue that integration also can lead to a loss of cultural heritage.
