Hispanic assimilation: are we there yet?

Hispanics made up 15% of the population in 2005 and the Census predicts that 25% of this country’s population will be Hispanic by 2050 (Sullivan, 2007). 70% of the nation’s growth during the last decade has been immigrants, the largest portion Hispanic. As the role of Hispanics in American society increases, the facts surrounding Hispanic assimilation become more important to everyone. Beginning in 2006, the General Social Survey was administered in Spanish or English, the primary language of the respondent. By including Hispanic respondents previously excluded from the survey, valuable information is obtained. Using this data, logistic regression is employed to examine factors that contribute to assimilation using primary language as a proxy. Comparing English-speaking Hispanics with Spanish-speaking Hispanics, distinctions in demographic variables and values are examined.