By Mari D. González

The Pew Hispanic Center has published a new report on the Latino/Hispanic population based on the U.S. Census 2011.

Some of the key findings are:

1. Hispanics today make up 17% of the U.S. population, up from 13% in 2000.

2. The share of the nation’s Hispanics who are U.S. born has been on the rise since 2000.

3. 65% of the U.S. Hispanic population is of Mexican origin.

4. Two-thirds of Hispanics live in Illinois, Texas, California, Florida and New York.

5. Minnesota, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina and Arkansas have seen the fastest growth since 2000.

6. The Hispanic population is the nation’s youngest major racial or ethnic group: Hispanics, 27; Blacks, 33; Asians, 36, and Whites 42.

7. The majority speak English “very well/only English at home.”

8. College attainment and enrollment have also been on the rise for Hispanics: 10% in 2000 and 13% in 2011 graduated from college; and 20% in 2000 and 33% in 2011 were enrolled as undergraduate, graduate or professional student.