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Title: Testing the Convergence of Hispanic Headship Rates: The Case of Southern California

Citation Type: Conference Paper

Publication Year: 2007

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Abstract: This study tests if there is the convergence of headship rates between White and Hispanic population in the Southern California region during the period of 1980 and 2000. Using Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS) of the decennial census, the changing gap of the White and Hispanic headship rates is measured for each census year, over time, and across generations in order to test a linear assimilation theory. The study finds that the gap of the White and Hispanic headship rates were generally growing over time and across generations, after controlling for socioeconomic factors. In particular, Hispanic immigrants experience a linear assimilation toward the Non-Hispanic white headship rates over time, while U.S. born Hispanic residents do not show a linear assimilation toward the Non-Hispanic white headship rates. The findings from the study partly support the linear assimilation theory. The changing pattern of the headship rates of Hispanic immigrants might be fully explained by the linear assimilation theory. But, the increasing gap in the U.S. born Hispanic headship rates and the Non-Hispanic headship rates might be partly explained by familism theory. The extended family tradition plays a key role in familism theory, and might account for the lower headship rates of the U.S. born Hispanic population. The regional assimilation pattern is not simply location specific but a national experience. The changing pattern of headship rates of Hispanic population by nativity and the length of stay has important implications for projecting Hispanic households. The new approach, which requires projection of Hispanic population and headship rates by nativity and the length of stay, might develop more accurate projections of Hispanic households by immigration status, but might result in more uncertainties due to the increased number of projection variables.

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Authors: Choi, Simon

Conference Name: Western Regional Science Association (WRSA)

Publisher Location: The Big Island, Hawaii

Data Collections: IPUMS USA

Topics: Family and Marriage, Housing and Segregation, Race and Ethnicity

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