Latinos have the lowest median income of any racial group in San Diego County, according to a report released Wednesday.
The San Diego Foundation’s "State of San Diego Latinos Report” notes there are more than 1.14 million Latinos across the county, making up about 35% of the population. That’s the fourth largest Latino population of any county in California, behind Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino.
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The average age of Latinos in San Diego County is 33 – nearly a decade younger than the average of 42 for non-Latinos — the report says. About 69% of Latinos in the county were born in the U.S., and of the rest who are immigrants, 53% are citizens, according to the report.
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Most Latinos in San Diego County make less than $50,000, the data shows, and the median income is $39,000. That’s the lowest among racial groups and nearly $28,000 less than the median income of white San Diegans.
The report says focus group participants pointed to language barriers and difficulty accessing resources like loans and financial support as a reason for the income and wealth gap.
In comparison to other Southern California counties, Latinos’ median income is lower when adjusted for the cost of living. That’s despite having a higher rate of attaining bachelor’s degrees: 24%, which is double that of Riverside County but still less than half of both Asian and white San Diegans.
Another gap the report found is in home ownership: just 43% of Latinos in San Diego County live in homes that are owned, while that percentage is 59% for non-Latinos.
The report says investing in Latinos “will be critical to the region’s long-term economic vitality and shared prosperity,” and recommends greater outreach efforts and better access to capital.
