Idaho's hispanic population outpacing total state population growth

BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — The Hispanic population grew faster than the state's population from 2018 to 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Recent estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau show the number of Hispanics in Idaho rose 3.3% from 222,206 in 2018 to 229,490 in 2019, while the total population grew 2.1%.

From 2010 to 2019, the state's Hispanic population grew 30.5%, while its total population grew 14%.

Despite strong growth in Idaho, Hispanics actually only make up a smaller percentage of Idaho's population than the rest of the nation. Hispanics were 18.5% of the U.S. population in 2019.

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Southcentral Idaho had the largest proportion of Hispanics at 24.7%.

The dairy industry employs high percentages of Hispanics. The growth of that industry most likely contributed to the growth of the Hispanic population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Other southern regions where farmers and food processing operations traditionally employ many Hispanic workers, also had significant increases.

Southwestern Idaho ranked second highest at 14.1%. In southeastern Idaho, Hispanics made up 11.9% of the population and 11.7% of eastern Idaho's population. Idaho's two northernmost regions had the lowest proportions — northern Idaho at 4.5% and north-central at 4.2%.

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