Hispanic population on rise in Mahoning Valley

YOUNGSTOWN, OHio - The ethnic makeup of the Mahoning Valley is getting more of a Latino flavor.
Census figures released this week show a decrease of 1.6 percent in the non-Hispanic white population in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties over a two-year period.
Figures from corresponding July 2010 and 2012 census data show the Hispanic population in those counties rose 6.3 percent.
The number of people claiming Hispanic heritage increased from 11,784 in the 2010 census to 12,523 in 2012.
Trumbull County's 10 percent increase in Hispanic numbers was the highest in the area, Columbiana County experienced an 8.1 percent increase and Mahoning County saw a 5.1 percent increase.
TABLE COMPILED FROM CENSUS DATABASE
7/1/12 7/1/10 DIFFERENCE %DIFFERENCE
MAHONING
HISPANIC 8945 8513 +432 +5.1%
NON-HISPANIC WHITE 181522 184930 -3408 -1.8%
COLUMBIANA
HISPANIC 1147 1061 +86 +8.1%
NON-HISPANIC WHITE 100873 102361 -1488 -1.5%
TRUMBULL
HISPANIC 2431 2210 +221 +10%
NON-HISPANIC WHITE 182400 185209 -2809 -1.5%
TOTAL
HISPANIC 12523 11784 +739 +6.3%
NON HISPANIC WHITE 464795 472500 -7705 -1.6%