Milwaukee, WI

When it comes to exploding growth opportunities in the U.S. Hispanic market, Chicago represents one of the best places for an advertiser to invest. With strong socioeconomic levels, a wide mix of Spanish-language media users and a heavily concentrated population driven by the arrival of Latinos of Mexican origin, the Windy City has become a stand-out locale for many companies eager to grow their share of Hispanic consumer spending.

Seventy miles to the north, similar opportunities for marketers exist. However, it’s been a challenge to get noticed.

The Milwaukee-Racine market, which stretches from Sheboygan down to the Illinois state line, is home to a young and increasingly vibrant Hispanic community. According to statistics compiled by Claritas, the largest segment of Latinos in Milwaukee-Racine is teens. Today, 12.1% of all 12-17-year-olds in this market – 17,700 strong — are Latino.

These children are likely the first generation of their family to be born in the U. S. and are the offspring of those in their late 20s or early 30s. Indeed, the largest group of adult Hispanics is males between 18 and 34 years of age, numbering 28,500. Hispanic men between 18 and 24 years of age comprise 17% of all adults in this age group in Milwaukee; 14% of men 25-34 are Latino.

At the same time, the majority of adult Latinas are between 18 and 34 years old, with those between 18 and 24 comprising 13.4% of all Milwaukee-Racine residents in this age group. Of women 25-34, 11% are Latino.