FOR RELEASE AUG. 4, 2020
Coronavirus Economic
Downturn Has Hit
Latinos Especially Hard
Even before the PANDEmic, HispAnics SAid they felt downbEAt
ABOUT their fiNANCEs
BY Jens Manuel Krogstad and Mark Hugo Lopez
About Pew Research Center
Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends
shaping America and the world. It does not take policy positions. The Center conducts public opinion
polling, demographic research, content analysis and other data-driven social science research. It studies
. politics and policy; journalism and media; internet, science and technology; religion and public life;
Hispanic trends; global attitudes and trends; and . social and demographic trends. All of the Center’s
reports are available at . Pew Research Center is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable
Trusts, its primary funder.
© Pew Research Center 2020
How we did this
For this report, we analyzed trends in unemployment rates among . Hispanics as well as how
Hispanics view the national economy and their personal financial situations both amid the coronavirus
outbreak and prior to COVID-19.
Estimates of the unemployment rate are from the . Bureau of Labor Statistics. The bureau has noted that
the official unemployment rate likely understated the actual state of unemployment in March, April, May
and June 2020. The understatement was greater for women, immigrants and several other groups, according
to a Pew Research Center analysis.
For Hispanics’ views amid the coronavirus outbreak, we drew primarily on a June 2020 survey of
. adults – see here and here for more – and an April 2020 survey of . adults. Both drew on Pew
Research Center’s American Trends Panel (ATP), an online survey panel that is recruited through national,
random sampling of residential addresses.
For Hispanic views from before COVID-19, we drew on the Center’s National Survey of Latinos, which
surveyed 3,030 . Hispanic adults in December 2019. This includes 2,094 Hispanic adults who were
members of the ATP. It also includes an oversample of 936 respondents sampled from Ipsos’
KnowledgePanel, another online survey panel also recruited through national, random sampling of
residential addresses. The survey was conducted in both English and Spanish.
Recruiting panelists by phone or mail ensures that nearly all . adults have a chance of selection. This
gives us confidence that any sample can represent the whole population (see our Methods 101 explainer on
random sampling), or in this case, the whole . Hispanic population. To further ensure that this survey
reflects a balanced cross-section of the nation’s Hispanic adults, the data is weighted to match the .
Hispanic adult population by gender, nativity, Hispanic origin group, education and other categories. Read
more about the ATP’s methodology.
Here are the questions used for the report from the National Survey of Latinos, along with
responses, and its methodology.
Table of Contents
About Pew Research Center 1
How we did this 2
Table of Contents 3
Terminology 4
Acknowledgments 14
Methodology 15
Terminology
The terms Hispanic and Latino are used interchangeably in this report.
The term . born refers to people who are . citizens at birth, including people born in the 50 .
states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico or other . territories, as well as those born elsewhere to at
least one parent who is a . citizen.
The terms foreign born and immigrant are used interchangeably in this report. They refer to people who
are not a . citizen at birth – in other words, those born outside the ., Puerto Rico or other .
territories and whose parents are not . citizens.
Coronavirus Economic Downturn Has Hit
Latinos Especially Hard
Even before the PANDEmic, HispAnics SAid they felt downbEAt About
their finAnces
The coronavirus outbreak has significantly harmed the finances of . Hispanics. As the nation’s economy
contracted at a record rate in recent months, the group’s unemployment rate rose sharply, particularly
among Hispanic women, and remains higher among Hispanic workers than
. workers overall. With Hispanic households absorbing lost jobs and wages, many have said they may
not be able to pay their bills. Yet even before the outbreak, Hispanics were concerned about their economic
situation despite near record low levels of unemployment through the end of 2019.
As the United States locked down amid COVID-19, the unemployment rate for Hispanics increased from
% in February to a peak of % in April before dropping to % in June, nonseasonally
This exceeds levels from the Great Recession of 2007-2009, when the unemployment rate peaked at % in
January 2010. Hispanic women have experienced an especially steep rise in their unemployment rate, which
jumped from % to % between February and April By comparison, the unemployment rate for
Hispanic men rose from % to % during this time. In June, the unemployment rate of .-born
Hispanics (%) was higher than that of foreign-born Hispanics (%), after the rates for both groups
peaked at more than 18% in April.
1 The . Bureau of Labor Statistics has noted the official unemployment rate likely understated the level of unemployment in March, April and
May, and to a lesser extent in June. As a result, the actual unemployment rate was likely higher this spring, in particular among women, Asian
Americans, immigrants and workers without a bachelor’s degree. For more, see “Unemployment rate is higher than officially recorded, more so for
women and certain other groups.”
2 The unemployment rate of Hispanic women during the coronavirus outbreak has exceeded that of women of other racial and ethnic groups. For
more, see “Unemployment rose higher in three months of COVID-19 than it did in two years of the Great Recession.”
Great
Recession
Hispanics
June
June
. total
COVID-19 recession
Hispanic women
June
June
Hispanic men
Great
Recession COVID-19 recession
.-born
Hispanic
June
June
Great
Foreign-born
Hispanic
Recession COVID-19 recession
Hispanic unemployment rate has spiked
during COVID-19, with women seeing a
bigger increase than men
Unemployment rate, nonseasonally adjusted (%)
’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18 ’19 ’20
’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18 ’19 ’20
’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18 ’19 ’20
Note: The unemployment rate is the share of workers in the labor force
actively looking for work. Estimates refer to workers ages 16 and older,
nonseasonally adjusted. The Great Recession began in December 2007
and ended in June 2009; current recession started in February 2020, as
defined by the National bureau of Economic Research.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
“Coronavirus Economic Downturn Has Hit Latinos Especially Hard”
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
Latinos say they have had a hard time making ends
meet during the outbreak, according to Pew
Research Center surveys. About six-in-ten Latinos
(59%) in May said they live in
Strong majority of Latinos say ‘the worst
is yet to come’ in coronavirus outbreak
% who say, in thinking about the problems the country is facing
from the coronavirus outbreak, the worst is …
households that have experienced job losses or
pay cuts due to the coronavirus outbreak, with a far
lower share of . adults (43%) saying the same.
As Latino incomes dwindled, most in April said they
do not have emergency funds to cover three months
of expenses, and half or more said they worry daily
or nearly every day about financial issues like paying
their bills, the amount of debt they carry and the cost
of health
75%
23
Hispanics
Still to come 73
70
30
26
. adults
Still to come
59
40
Behind us
April June April June
Latinos have a bleaker view than the . overall
about the coronavirus, according to a
Note: Hispanics are of any race. No answer responses not shown.
Source: Survey of . adults conducted June 16-22, 2020.
“Coronavirus Economic Downturn Has Hit Latinos Especially Hard”
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
June survey of . adults. Among Latinos, 70%
say the worst of the problems due to the
coronavirus outbreak are still to come, and a similar share said so in an April survey. By comparison,
40% of . adults say the worst of the coronavirus is behind us, up from 26% in April.
3In September 2019, about half or more of Hispanic adults said they worried every day or almost every day about paying their bills (55%), being
able to save for retirement (55%), the amount of debt they have (51%), and the cost of health care (50%). For more, see dataset from report, “Most
Americans Say the Current Economy Is Helping the Rich, Hurting the Poor and Middle Class.”
Behind us
Reflecting national trends,
Hispanics also hold grim views of
the economy, with only 18%
rating . economic
Hispanics have a grim view of nation’s economy, but
about half expect conditions to improve in the next
year
conditions as excellent or good in
June, down from 49% in January.
Yet some Hispanics express
optimism about the economy’s
future. About half of Hispanics
(48%) say they expect .
economic conditions to be better
a year from now, with smaller
shares saying they expect
conditions to be about the same
(28%) or
% who rate . economic
conditions as excellent/good
49%
% who say they expect economic
conditions in the country as a
whole will be a
year from now
About
the
same
Worse
Better
worse (25%). In January, a
lower share of Hispanics January April June January April June
(35%) said they expected .
economic conditions to be
Note: Hispanics are of any race. No answer responses not shown.
Source: Survey of . adults conducted June 16-22, 2020.
“Coronavirus Economic Downturn Has Hit Latinos Especially Hard”
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
better a year from now, while
41% expected them to be about
the same and 23% expected them to be worse.
While Americans overall are deeply unhappy with the nation’s direction, satisfaction has dropped more
among . adults than Hispanic adults. In June, more Hispanics (20%) than Americans overall (12%) said
they were satisfied with how things are going in the country, down from 29% and 31% in April,
respectively.
As for the economic prospects of future generations, Hispanics have grown more optimistic about their
prospects, though it’s still a minority that hold this view. About one-in-four Hispanics (26%) said life will
be better for future generations of Americans, according to the June survey, up from 16% in September
2019.
20
18
35
23
41%
40
29
30
48
25
28
Hispanics support broad set of proposals for economic aid due to
coronavirus
Hispanics say the coronavirus outbreak is among the
most serious issue facing the nation, with 70%
saying it is very big problem, somewhat comparable
with the 60% who said unemployment, according to
the June survey. Lower shares of . adults overall
said the same about the coronavirus outbreak (58%)
and unemployment (50%).
About three-quarters of Latinos (78%) say it will be
necessary for Congress to pass another economic
relief bill in addition to the $2 trillion economic
assistance package
passed by Congress in March
Three-quarters of Latinos say more
COVID-19 economic aid will be needed
% who say it for the president and Congress to pass an
additional economic assistance package
Will NOT be Will be
necessary necessary
. adults
Hispanics
Note: Hispanics are of any race. No answer responses not shown.
Source: Survey of . adults conducted June 16-22, 2020.
“Coronavirus Economic Downturn Has Hit Latinos Especially Hard”
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
and signed by President
Donald Trump.
When it comes to policies to
address economic problems
resulting from the coronavirus
Large majority of Latinos support providing economic
aid to businesses and individuals affected by
coronavirus
% who say they favor each of the following proposals to address the economic
problems resulting from the coronavirus outbreak
. adults Hispanics
Preventing evictions and foreclosures
outbreak, large majorities of
Latinos favor every option
presented: 90% support
preventing evictions and
foreclosures on renters and
homeowners who have lost jobs
or income; 88% support
providing financial assistance to
state and local governments;
86% support providing
additional tax cuts
on renters and homehowners who
have lost jobs or income
Providing financial assistance to state
and local governments
Providing additional tax cuts and
loans to businesses that keep
workers on payroll
Extending the $600-per-week
increase in unemployment benefits
beyond July 31
Temporarily cutting workers’ payroll
taxes that go toward Social Security
and Medicare
Note: Hispanics are of any race.
Source: Survey of . adults conducted June 16-22, 2020.
90
76 88
86 88
60 72
53 67
and loans to businesses that
keep workers on payroll; 72%
support extending the $600- per-
week increase in
“Coronavirus Economic Downturn Has Hit Latinos Especially Hard”
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
88%
7821
7128
unemployment benefits beyond July 31; and 67% support temporarily cutting workers’ payroll taxes that go
toward Social Security and Medicare. . adults support assistance that prevents evictions and foreclosures
for individuals (88%) and provides tax cuts and loans for businesses (88%) at similar levels as Hispanics. By
contrast, fewer Americans overall favor providing financial assistance for state and local governments (76%),
extending unemployment benefits (60%) and cutting workers’ payroll taxes (53%).
Latinos generally favor a more active government. A strong majority (74%) said government should do
more to solve problems, while 22% said government is doing too many things that are better left to
business or individuals, according to a December survey of . Latinos. By comparison, 55% of .
adults in a September 2019 survey said government should do more to solve problems.
Before coronavirus, Latinos said immigration and the economy were the
most important problems facing the .
Even before the coronavirus outbreak, Hispanics found themselves on unsteady financial ground, despite
near record low levels of unemployment. The Great Recession hit Hispanics particularly hard, and
households saw significant declines in wealth and income. The economic recovery was uneven, with some
groups faring better than others. By 2017, the median household income for Hispanic immigrants had
returned to and exceeded pre-recession levels, while those for the . born still lagged pre-recession
levels.
When asked about the most
important problem facing the
., Hispanics most often cited
issues related to
immigration (18%) and the
Before coronavirus, Hispanics cited immigration and
the economy as nation’s most important problems
% in December who said is the most important problem facing the country today
economy (17%), according to a
December survey of Latino
adults. Smaller shares said race
relations or racism (10%), health
care (7%), dissatisfaction with
government or politics (6%),
crime (6%), political polarization
or national divisions (5%), gun
control (5%) and President
Donald Trump (5%).
All
Hispanics
Immigration (NET) 18
Economy (NET) 17
Dissatisfaction with
government/politics
Dem/
Lean Dem
4
Rep/
Lean Rep
17
15
7
While Hispanic Democrats and
Hispanic Republicans both cited
immigration and the economy
among the most important
problems facing the
Note: Categories of “economy” and “immigration” are net figures that combine responses
related to each respective issue. Other responses not shown. See topline for full results.
Source: National Survey of Latinos conducted Dec. 3-23, 2019.
“Coronavirus Economic Downturn Has Hit Latinos Especially Hard”
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
nation, their views differed on Trump. For Hispanic Democrats, Trump (8%) is cited about as often as race
relations and racism (11%) as the most important problem facing the country. By contrast, far lower shares
of Hispanic Republicans cited Trump (2%) as the nation’s top problem.
19
19
6
Race relations/Racism 10 11 8
Health care 7 7 7
Crime 6 5 6
Politcal polarization 5 5 8
Gun control 5 6 4
President Donald Trump 5 8 2
Before coronavirus, most Latinos
viewed their personal finances in a
more negative than positive light
In December 2019, about two-thirds of Hispanics
(64%) rated their personal financial situation only
fair (45%) or poor (20%),
Before coronavirus, most Hispanics said
their personal finances were in only fair
or poor shape
% in December who said their personal financial
situation was …
compared with about a third who said good (31%) or
excellent (4%).4 The share who rated their finances
in only fair or poor shape is comparable with the
66% of Hispanics who said so in September 2018,
and up from 59% in November 2015.
Latino Democrats and Republicans hold
substantially different views. A majority of
Democrats (69%) said their financial situation is in
only fair or poor shape, compared with about half
of Republicans (53%). Latino views also differed
by educational attainment, with strong majorities
of those who had not completed high school (73%)
and high school graduates (68%) saying their
finances were in only fair or poor shape, compared
with 57% of those with some college education.
Younger Hispanics tended to give their finances
lower marks than older Hispanics, though the
differences were relatively modest. About two-
All
Men
Women
Ages 18-29
30-49
50+
Some college+
. grad
Less than .
. born
Foreign born
Dem/Lean Dem
Rep/Lean Rep
Only
fair
Poor NET
64
62
66
68
66
60
57
68
73
64
64
69
53
thirds of Hispanics (68%) ages 18 to 29 said their
personal financial situation was in only fair or poor
shape, compared with 60% of those ages 50 and
older.
Note: “Some college+” includes those who attended college but did
not obtain a degree, those with an associate degree or those with a
bachelor’s degree or more. Other responses not shown.
Source: National Survey of Latinos conducted Dec. 3-23, 2019.
“Coronavirus Economic Downturn Has Hit Latinos Especially Hard”
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
4 In July 2019, less than half of . adults rated their personal financial situation as only fair (27%) or poor (17%). For more, see “Public’s
Views of Nation’s Economy Remain Positive and Deeply Partisan.”
21
2742
47
2141
1736
2147
1549
2540
2449
1741
1446
2046
1848
2045
Fewer than half of Hispanics
(46%) said their children will
one day be better off financially
than they are, according to the
December
Before COVID-19, fewer than half of Hispanics said
their children will be better off financially than they are
% in December who said their children will be financially than they are
survey.
More than half of immigrants
(54%) said their children will be
better off financially than they
are, compared with 39% of the
. born. Meanwhile, about
half of Hispanics ages 30 to 49
(51%) and those 50 and older
(47%) said so, compared with
39% of Hispanics ages 18 to 29.
As on many issues, views
differed among Hispanics by
political party affiliation.
Roughly half of Republicans
(52%) said their children will be
better off financially than they
are, compared with 44%
Better off
. born
Foreign born 54
About the same
22
24
Less well off
10
7
of Democrats. Note: “Some college+” includes those who attended college but did not obtain a degree,
those with an associate degree or those with a bachelor’s degree or more. “Do not have
children” and “no answer” responses not shown.
Source: National Survey of Latinos conducted Dec. 3-23, 2019.
“Coronavirus Economic Downturn Has Hit Latinos Especially Hard”
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
39
All 46 22 9
Men 45 21 8
Women 48 24 9
Ages 18-29 39 17 4
30-49 51 24 7
50+ 47 25 15
Some college+ 44 23 8
. grad 44 21 10
Less than . 53 24 8
Dem/Lean Dem 44 22 9
Rep/Lean Rep 52 24 9
Acknowledgments
This report was written by Jens Manuel Krogstad, Senior Writer and Editor, and Mark Hugo Lopez,
Director of Global Migration and Demography Research.
Editorial guidance was provided by Neil G. Ruiz, Associate Director of Global Migration and
Demography Research; and Rakesh Kochhar, Senior Researcher.
The report was number-checked by Luis Noe-Bustamante, Research Analyst. Travis Mitchell, Digital
Producer, copy edited and produced the report. Charts were designed by Michael Keegan, Senior
Information Graphics Designer, and Jens Manuel Krogstad.
Find related reports online at and
Methodology
The American Trends Panel survey methodology
The American Trends Panel (ATP), created by Pew Research Center, is a nationally representative panel of
randomly selected
. adults. Panelists
participate via self-
administered web surveys.
American Trends Panel surveys of . adults used in
this report
. adults overall . Hispanic adults
Panelists who do not have
internet access at home are
provided with a tablet and Survey dates Sample size
Margin of
error at
95%
confidence
level Sample size
Margin of
error at
95%
confidence
level
wireless internet connection. The
panel is being managed by
+/- % pct.
June 16-22, 2020 4,708 points
+/- % pct.
+/- % pct.
742 points
+/- % pct.
Ipsos.
This report is based on three
April 7-12, 2020 4,917
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
points 558 points
surveys. Surveys of . adults conducted on June 16 to June 22, 2020, and April 7 to April 12, 2020,
used the ATP and include a sample of Hispanics. The third survey, the National Survey of Latinos (NSL),
primarily used the ATP and was conducted Dec. 3 to Dec. 23, 2019.
For the NSL, a total of 3,030
panelists responded out of
5,395 who were sampled, a
American Trends Panel recruitment surveys
Recruitment dates Mode Invited Joined
Active
panelists
remaining
response rate of 56%. This
includes 2,094 from the ATP
Landline/
Jan. 23 to March 16, 2014 cell RDD
Landline/
9,809 5,338 2,307
and an oversample of 936 Aug. 27 to Oct. 4, 2015 cell RDD 6,004 2,976 1,335
the recruitment surveys and
attrition is %. The break-off
rate among panelists who logged
onto the survey and
Note: Approximately once per year, panelists who have not participated in multiple consecutive
waves or who did not complete an annual profiling survey are removed from the panel. Panelists
also become inactive if they ask to be removed from the panel.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
completed at least one item is %. The margin of sampling error for the full sample of 3,030
respondents is plus or minus percentage points.
respondents sampled from April 25 to June 4, 2017
Landline/
cell RDD 3,905 1,628 684
Ipsos’ KnowledgePanel. The Aug. 8 to Oct. 31, 2018 ABS/web 9,396 8,778 6,407
cumulative response rate Aug. 19 to Nov. 30, 2019 ABS/web 5,900 4,720 4,682
accounting for nonresponse to Total 35,014 23,440 15,478
The ATP sample for the NSL consisted of all current panel members that previously identified as being
Hispanic. For the KnowledgePanel sample, Hispanics who were either born in Mexico or had no more than
a high school education were oversampled relative to those who had more than a high-school education and
were born outside of Mexico.
The ATP was created in 2014, with the first cohort of panelists invited to join the panel at the end of a large,
national, landline and cellphone random-digit-dial survey that was conducted in both English and Spanish.
Two additional recruitments were conducted using the same method in 2015 and 2017, respectively. Across
these three surveys, a total of 19,718 adults were invited to join the ATP, of which 9,942 agreed to
participate.
In August 2018, the ATP switched from telephone to address-based recruitment. Invitations were sent to a
random, address-based sample (ABS) of households selected from the . Postal Service’s Delivery
Sequence File. In each household, the adult with the next birthday was asked to go online to complete a
survey, at the end of which they were invited to join the panel. For a random half-sample of invitations,
households without internet access were instructed to return a postcard. These households were contacted by
telephone and sent a tablet if they agreed to participate. A total of 9,396 were invited to join the panel, and
8,778 agreed to join the panel and completed an initial profile survey. The same recruitment procedure was
carried out on August 19, 2019, from which a total of 5,900 were invited to join the panel
and 4,720 agreed to join the panel and completed an initial profile
survey. Of the 23,440 individuals who have ever joined the ATP,
15,478 remained active panelists and continued to
Weighting dimensions
Variable Benchmark
source
Gender 2018 American
receive survey invitations at the time this survey was conducted.
The . Postal Service’s Delivery Sequence File has been estimated
to cover as much as 98% of the population, although some studies
suggest that the coverage could be in the low 90%
Weighting
Age
Education
Country of birth
Home internet
access
Citizenship
Years in .
Hispanic origin
Region
Community
Survey
2019 CPS March
The ATP data were weighted in a multistep process that begins with a
base weight incorporating the respondents’ original selection
probability. The next step in the weighting uses an iterative technique
that aligns the sample to population benchmarks on the dimensions
listed in the accompanying table. For this wave, additional weighting
parameters were added to adjust for citizenship, years in the .,
country of birth and Hispanic origin.
Sampling errors and test of statistical significance take into account the
effect of weighting. Interviews are conducted in both English and
Spanish.
Metropolitan status Supplement
Volunteerism 2017 CPS
Volunteering &
Civic Life
Supplement
Voter registration 2018 CPS Voting
and Registration
Supplement
Party affiliation Average of the
three most recent
Pew Research
Center telephone
surveys.
Note: Estimates from the ACS are based on
non-institutionalized Hispanic adults. Voter
registration is calculated using procedures
from Hur, Achen (2013) and rescaled to
include the total US Hispanic adult
population.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER
5 AAPOR Task Force on Address-based Sampling. 2016. “AAPOR Report: Address-based Sampling.”
In addition to sampling error, one should bear in mind that question wording and practical difficulties in
conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of opinion polls.
The following table shows the unweighted sample sizes and the error attributable to sampling that would be
expected at the 95% level of confidence for different groups in the survey:
Group
Unweighted
sample size Plus or minus …
Total sample 3,030 percentage points
Foreign born (excluding Puerto
Sample sizes and sampling errors for other subgroups are available upon request.
Rico) 1,668 percentage points
. born (including Puerto Rico) 1,333 percentage points
Dem/Lean Dem 1,826 percentage points
Rep/Lean Rep 1,004 percentage points
