# Travel >> Destinations >> South Pacific

California's Largest Ethnic Group: Hispanic/Latino at 39.4% (2019)

As of 2019, Hispanic/Latino Californians constitute the state's largest racial/ethnic group at 39.4%—surpassing non-Hispanic Whites (37.6%) for the first time since statehood.

Demographic Breakdown (2019 ACS)

Group	Percentage	Approx. Population
Hispanic/Latino (any race)	39.4%	15.6 million
White (non-Hispanic)	37.6%	14.9 million
Asian (non-Hispanic)	15.4%	6.1 million
Black (non-Hispanic)	6.5%	2.6 million
Multiracial/Other	3.1%	1.2 million

Key Context

Not a racial category: "Hispanic/Latino" denotes ethnicity (Spanish/Latin American origin); can be any race.
Diverse origins: Mexican (83% of Latino CA), Salvadoran, Guatemalan, Puerto Rican, South American.
Youth-driven: Median age ~30 vs. 45 for Whites; 52% of CA children <18 are Latino.
Growth engine: Natural increase (births > deaths) now exceeds immigration as growth driver.

Regional Concentrations

Imperial County: 85% Latino
Tulare, Merced, Madera: 60%+
Los Angeles County: 49% (4.9M – largest Latino county in US)
Bay Area: 24% (Santa Clara 26%, Alameda 23%)

Implications

Political representation, education policy, labor markets, consumer markets, language access (Spanish ballots, services), cultural production. California is a majority-minority state (no group >50%) since ~2000.