First-ever comprehensive study of Latino Milwaukee shows community’s impact on region | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Greater Milwaukee Foundation
May 5, 2016
The population of Milwaukee would be shrinking if not for the growth of the Latino population, while Latino workers have accounted for all net growth in employment in the four-county area during the last 25 years. A new study commissioned by the Greater Milwaukee Foundation offers an unprecedented look at conditions in the Latino community and the trends that continue to shape the region.
Among the many insights found in Latino Milwaukee: A Statistical Portrait:
“The findings in this report underscore the significant role the Latino community will play in the future of our region,” said Marcus White, Vice President of Civic Engagement for the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. “The data reveals disparities but also opportunities. Though it doesn’t explain why certain trends are occurring, the information provides us with important questions to explore together with our community partners.”
Latino Milwaukee: A Statistical Portrait was developed for the Foundation by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Center for Economic Development. The study provides comprehensive data examining how Latino Milwaukee has changed through the years, how the Latino community compares to other groups in metro Milwaukee, and how conditions for Latinos in this region compare to those in the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the United States.
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“The rapid growth of Milwaukee’s Latino community over the past 25 years has profoundly reshaped the region’s neighborhoods, schools, and economy,” said lead author Marc V. Levine, professor of history, economic development, and urban studies and director of the UWM Center for Economic Development. “This study, based on detailed comparative and longitudinal data, offers the first in-depth analysis of social and economic conditions in Latino Milwaukee. We hope the study will permit greater understanding, among Milwaukee policymakers and residents alike, on the nature of the remarkable demographic and economic transformation underway here, and inform discussion about the implications of these trends for the future of the city and the region.”
Latino Milwaukee: A Statistical Portrait examines indicators pertaining to demographics; income, poverty, housing and social assistance; employment and earnings; business ownership; health and health care; education and schooling; incarceration; and politics.
The full study is available at greatermilwaukeefoundation.org/latino-community-study. A highlights document is also available upon request.