Vermont Mobility and Homeownership
Latino migrants in Vermont had been living in the United States for a substantial amount of time. More than half (52.7 percent) of Latinos had lived in the United States for five years prior to the 2000 census. In addition, Vermont’s Latinos were highly mobile. On average, 56.9 percent of non-Latino whites had resided in the same location five years earlier, compared to only 41.6 percent of Latinos.
Homeownership is one way to demonstrate a commitment to remain in one location and has been shown to be important for building sustainable social networks and social capital. Even though Latinos (59.2 percent) had a lower homeownership rate than non-Latino whites (73.4 percent), their rate was higher than that of Latinos nationally (45.6 percent).
This profile of the demographic characteristics of Latinos highlights that the small Latino population in Vermont is unique. Latinos in Vermont are predominately native-born, have high levels of education, and have higher levels of homeownership compared to Latinos nationally. Similar to other Latinos, they have a high proportion of children under 18 and have participated in the labor force at a high rate. Latinos in the labor force are not overly employed in blue-collar jobs, instead working in service jobs.
These Latino migrants offer socioeconomic opportunities and challenges for Vermont, as both they and the environment in which they live are shaped by their participation in all aspects of life in the state. Gradually, as their numbers increase, Latinos are making cultural contributions that enhance the quality of life in Vermont, and they are beginning to be recognized for the social contributions they make. They are not only offering the traditional cultural activities, but they are also maintaining a presence in nonLatino mediums. For example, Cafe con Lupe is a regular column by Ann Hagman Cardinal in the statewide publication Vermont Women. Her columns reflect her life experiences, including living in Vermont.
