A new report released Tuesday said that Latinos in Massachusetts contributed $30 billion to the state’s economic growth from 2014 to 2023.

The report, called “¡Vamos Massachusetts! Unlocking Hispanic/Latino Economic Advancement,” was commissioned by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, in partnership with We Are ALX and the Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development & Public Policy. It also noted that the number of Latinos in the Massachusetts workforce grew by 49% during that same time frame, resulting in an increase of more than 148,000 workers and outpacing the state's overall job growth rate by seven times.

For a state that has traditionally ignored its Latino community for decades, this new report sheds a very detailed and critical look into a population that is now estimated to be over 963,000 people, or 13.5% of the state's population, according to the latest Census estimates from 2024.

The report highlighted several key findings:

• “8 in 10 new Massachusetts residents are Hispanic/Latino.”

• “In 2023, 453,000 Hispanic/Latino residents were in the workforce, up from 305,000 in 2014.”

• “73% of the Hispanic/Latino population in Massachusetts is under 45 years old.”

• “143,000 jobs are projected in high-growth sectors like clean energy, tech, life sciences, and manufacturing—sectors where greater inclusion of Hispanic/Latino workers could drive major economic returns.”

“Massachusetts has long recognized the power of the Latino community in driving the state’s economy,” Eneida Roman, president and CEO of We Are ALX, said in a press release about the report. “Now, with certainty, we can affirm what we’ve championed for years: our impact is greater than ever.”

The report also found that “if Hispanic/Latino households earned the state’s median income level” of $101,341, “Massachusetts would see an additional $11.1 billion in household income.”

We Are ALX will host an in-person policy forum on April 30 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., bringing together state leaders, community members, and business voices to talk about the report’s findings and what it will take to close the education, workforce, and wealth gaps. More information is at wearealx.org. The full report is also available here.

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What We’re Reading

Iowa Latino Festival Canceled: Local Iowa media is reporting that a popular Latino festival in the city of Washington has been canceled this year.

“A press release about the cancellation cited non-specific ‘current circumstances.’ But in an interview late last week, Latinos for Washington President and Cofounder Sonia Leyva said the decision was driven by safety concerns, citing nationwide arrests and deportations by federal immigration officials since President Donald Trump took office,” the Southeast Iowa Union reported.

About the Author

Julio Ricardo Varela is the founder of The Latino Newsletter. He is also its current part-time publisher and executive director. Email him here.

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