The Hispanic population in Central Oregon has continued to grow steadily in recent years, according to new U.S. Census Bureau population estimates released last week.

Many newcomers have likely moved to the region to work in construction or tourism as Central Oregon has bounced back from the Great Recession.

“That’s the bread and butter of most of our Latino community,” said Greg Delgado, who formerly worked for Causa Oregon, a statewide immigrant advocacy group.

Oscar Gonzalez, a program manager with the Latino Community Association, said the organization is extending its services and programs throughout Central Oregon to keep up with the growing Hispanic population. The association provides English tutoring, health services, computer training and other services to Latino families.

Race and Hispanic origin are separate questions on Census Bureau surveys. Respondents may identify as Hispanic if they are of Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin.

Population estimates from 2015 show the number of residents who identify as Hispanic in Deschutes County has risen by 18 percent since 2010. They account for about 8 percent of the total population of the county.

The Hispanic population in Jefferson and Crook counties grew by 6.6 percent and 11.5 percent, respectively, between 2010 and 2015.

Delgado, who is running as a Democrat against Bend Republican Sen. Tim Knopp for Senate District 27, said many Hispanic families have moved to Central Oregon from surrounding states, particularly California.

He said the affordable housing crisis in the region is hitting the Hispanic community particularly hard and displacing families. Delgado said the majority of Latino households make less than $30,000 a year, even though parents work multiple jobs.

Nearly 20 percent of Jefferson County’s population identifies as Hispanic, according to the Census Bureau. The county has a total population of 22,666. Crook County has a total population of 21,630 and 7.5 percent considered themselves Hispanic when answering a census survey.

According to population estimates gathered last summer, the total Hispanic population in the United States reached 56.6 million, about 2.2 percent more than in 2014. The group now represents about 17 percent of the country’s total population.

California had a Hispanic population of 15.2 million in 2015, according to the Census Bureau, which was the largest of any state. Los Angeles County, with nearly 5 million Hispanics, had the largest Hispanic population of any county in the country.

— Reporter: 541-617-7820,

tshorack@bendbulletin.com