Fuerza Mexicana: The Past, Present, and Power of Mexicans in Chicagoland

Executive Summary:

In recent years, numerous academic studies have explored the state of Chicago’s Latino community, but the unique contributions and circumstances of the city’s Mexican population have often been overlooked. Despite the fact that Census data indicates Mexicans account for 21.5% of Chicago’s population and nearly 74% of its Latino residents, their specific experiences are frequently overshadowed by broader statistics on Latinos as a whole. This general approach tends to obscure key differences in areas like education, employment, health, and housing between Mexicans and other Latino groups, such as Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Ecuadorians, Colombians, and Central Americans.

This report aims to address this significant gap by providing a detailed and current overview of the social and economic conditions of Mexicans in Chicago and Cook County, alongside comparisons to other Latino groups. Additionally, the report includes data on the collar counties, as these areas are experiencing the most rapid growth in the Mexican population across Illinois.