character
Hispanic or Latino residents
Why this matters
This measure shows the share of residents who are Hispanic or Latino — people of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Central or South American, or other Spanish-speaking heritage. The Census treats this as an ethnicity, separate from race, so Hispanic residents may be of any race. People report it themselves.
This share helps communities plan and serve everyone well. It informs decisions about bilingual services, schools, health outreach, and where to locate facilities. In many parts of the Charlotte region, the Hispanic population has grown quickly, reshaping neighborhoods, businesses, and classrooms.
The data also support fair treatment: upholding voting rights, including language assistance at the polls, and studying whether public programs reach Hispanic residents equitably.
About the Charlotte region
This explorer covers the 14-county, two-state Charlotte region (11 North Carolina and 3 South Carolina counties). Many of these indicators connect to a defining regional story: a landmark Harvard study ranked Charlotte last, 50th of the 50 largest U.S. metros for economic mobility (a child raised in the poorest fifth had about a 4.4% chance of reaching the top fifth), a finding that launched the region's Leading on Opportunity agenda. Updated 2024 data show Charlotte has since climbed to 38th.
Opportunity here is also unevenly mapped. An affluent “wedge” fanning southeast from uptown holds a large majority of the city's wealth on under a quarter of its land, while a ”crescent” to the north, west, and east carries higher poverty, a legacy of redlining, exclusionary zoning, and highway routing that recurs across the race, income, health, tree-canopy, and school maps in this tool. No single indicator is good or bad on its own; together they describe how the region sorted opportunity.
Companion resources: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Quality of Life Explorer · UNC Charlotte Urban Institute · Opportunity Atlas · Methods & sources
Learn more
- U.S. Census Bureau — Why We Ask: Hispanic or Latino Origin census.gov
Explains the Hispanic-origin question, why it is separate from race, and how data are used.
- U.S. Census Bureau — 2020 Census: a more diverse nation census.gov
Shows the Hispanic population’s growth and role in national diversity, with state comparisons.
About the data
Calculated from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2014–2024), at the Census-tract level, with margins of error. ACS 5-year vintages overlap year to year, so the series is a rolling estimate; compare only non-overlapping periods.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.