In terms of overall population, the numbers break down a bit differently when looking at the 2010 U.S. census figures: Orlando had the most Hispanic residents at 25.4 percent; Tampa had 23.1 percent; West Palm Beach came in at 22.6 percent; Ft. Myers, 20 percent; and Naples, at only 4.5 percent. Business ownership numbers tell a somewhat different story, however, with Tampa leading the state at over 20 percent, Orlando following closely at 19 percent, 17 percent in West Palm Beach, nearly 14 percent in Naples, and just over 10 percent in Ft. Myers. Per capita retail sales of Hispanic-owned business are a study in contrasts: just under $20,000 in Tampa to more than $70,000 in Naples.
Top Cities Where Hispanics Thrive Economically
1) Jacksonville, FL
2) Riverside – San Bernardino, CA
3) Baltimore, MD
4) Houston, TX
5) Washington, DC metro area
6) Virginia Beach – Norfolk, VA
7) Dallas – Fort Worth, TX
8) San Antonio, TX
9) Austin, TX and St. Louis, MO (tie)Source: Forbes – based on median household income, home ownership, employment, and increases in population.
Florida’s evolution is not unusual, according to Dr. Fritz Roka, associate professor of Agricultural Economics at the University of Florida’s Southwest Florida Research and Education Center in Immokalee. With migration frequently driven by economic opportunity, agriculture has certainly helped bring immigrants to the state. “Agriculture has been more of a gateway than even Miami,” Roka explains, “it doesn’t require language skills, it requires able-bodied people. Then, when they’ve gotten settled and oriented, they look for other opportunities outside of agriculture.”
In his 19 years of residency, Roka says types of fruits and vegetables grown throughout the state have changed along with the population mix. “I think the whole vegetable palate has become more diversified,” he observes. One example is tomatoes: round tomatoes ruled the market for years, but not anymore. “We’re still growing round tomatoes, but now there’s also Roma, grape, cherry, different colors, and Heirloom.”
North Carolina Siblings: Charlotte & Raleigh-Durham
North Carolina’s total Hispanic population was 9 percent as of 2013 according to the U.S. Census Bureau. While this may seem like a significant increase compared to the 5 percent reported in 2000 by the University of North Carolina’s Charlotte Urban Institute, it pales in comparison to some of the other cities discussed above.
