The experience of Latinos in the United States is far from monolithic, according to a new study that finds Hispanic Americans are deeply divided over whether their ethnic identity has helped or hindered their lives.
The Pew Research Center report, released Thursday, surveyed nearly 5,000 Hispanic adults as part of a broader study of more than 8,000 U.S. adults, revealing a community that shares pride in its heritage but differs significantly in how individuals perceive discrimination, opportunity and belonging.
The study showed that 61% of Hispanic adults say being Hispanic is either an extremely or a very important part of their identity. At the same time, their views diverge when asked how that identity affects their lives. 40% of respondents said it makes no difference in their ability to get ahead in the United States. Another 33% said it hurts them, while 26% believe it gives them an advantage.
Those perceptions vary sharply across political lines. Hispanic adults who voted for former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election were far more likely than those who voted for President Donald Trump to say being Hispanic has negatively affected their opportunities. Conversely, Trump voters were more likely to say their ethnicity either helps them or has little impact on their ability to succeed.
First-generation immigrants are generally more likely to describe their Hispanic background as central to who they are than U.S.-born Hispanics with deeper family roots in the country. Still, the report found that a strong sense of Hispanic identity spans generations, even as the ways people experience that identity evolve.
The survey also explored how often Hispanic Americans encounter discrimination. About 34% said they experienced at least one form of discrimination because they are Hispanic during the previous 12 months. Those incidents ranged from being treated as if they were not smart to receiving poor service at restaurants or stores, or being unfairly stopped by police.
At the same time, a majority of respondents, 54%, said they had not experienced any of the discrimination scenarios measured in the survey during the past year. Support and solidarity were also part of many respondents' experiences. Roughly one-third, 34%, said someone had expressed support for them because they are Hispanic.
Elsewhere, the report found that many Hispanics reject the idea that there is a single Latino culture in the United States. About three-quarters of respondents said U.S. Hispanics have many different cultures rather than one shared culture, reflecting the community's diverse origins across Mexico, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, and Spain.
That diversity is also reflected in how people describe themselves. While some prefer labels such as Hispanic or Latino, many identify more closely with their family's country of origin, such as Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, or Salvadoran. Others primarily identify as American, demonstrating the multiple identities many Hispanics navigate simultaneously.
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