Exploring the Latino Metropolis: A Brief Urban Cultural History of US Latinos

Demographics & Introductions

Welcome to New York City, the most diverse, eclectic metropolis in the United States. 

New York City has always been a multi-ethnic city. Throughout many different waves of immigration, New York has often been the center of change. Unlike other cities, such as Miami or Los Angeles where Latinos have long been influential, New York is the latest  to see a transformation in ethnic makeup, with Latinos now constituting nearly 30 percent of the population. 

According to the 2014 Census Bureau Data, of the nearly 8,355,000 residents of New York City proper, 2,407,000 are Hispanic or Latino. This does not include the surrounding areas, such as Jersey City, Newark, Long Island, and Westchester. 

In further breakdowns of the data it is understood that 3.9 percent of the overall population is Mexican, 8.8 percent Puerto Rican, 0.5 percent Cuban, and 15.6 percent "Other Hispanic or Latino," which includes a large Dominican population, among others. Interestingly, Miami has a similar percentage of Latinos, but the majority are Cuban. The same is true of Mexican-Americans in Los Angeles. New York's Latino community is far more heterogeneous, creating a unique environment for ethnic identity and expression.

With such a heavy influence, Latinos continue to transform and shape the social, political, and economic center that is New York.

To find out more, click on the pinned locations on the map to to view the neighborhood names and to learn more about the Latino history of each location.
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