- Demographics
- Economics and housing
- Neighborhood and living conditions
- Education
- Maternal, child, and youth health
- Access to health care
- Behavioral health
- Health outcomes
- Community voices
- How County services are used
- Recommendations
This Latino Health Assessment is for our community. Changing the trajectory of Latino health will require all of us to stand united in addressing the legacy of racism and discrimination on the community’s well-being."
Key findings from the Latino Health Assessment
Take a look at the topics below to understand what's included in the full report.
Demographics are the characteristics that describe a population such as sex, age, race, ethnicity, income, education, and employment. These traits are useful in describing a population’s health and well-being. Demographic trends illustrate how a population is changing, which is vital to provide comprehensive health programs and services to fulfill the future needs of the community.
Key findings include:
- The Latino community comprised 25% of the county population and was the youngest compared to other racial/ethnic groups, with 41% younger than 25 years of age.
- Among Latino residents in the county, 81% identified as Mexican.
- The Latino population was predominately concentrated in the South County and East San José regions of the county. More than 45% of the population in those regions were Latino.
- Almost one-third (32%) of the Latino population was foreign-born. Of that group, 87% immigrated to the U.S. before 2010.
- An estimated 40% of Latino residents were undocumented.
- 7.8% of Latino households were female single-parent households with children under 18 years of age.
- More than two-thirds (68%) of Latino residents spoke a language other than English at home.
All data from the 2017-2021 period.
Secure and affordable housing is the cornerstone to good health. In Santa Clara County, skyrocketing housing costs and unsupportive housing policies have made it difficult for all residents—and particularly Latino residents—to thrive.
Economic disparities for the Latino community remain a key issue, as Latinos were more likely to have lower incomes, work in service occupations, and live in poverty. Housing challenges further compounded these struggles, with many families experiencing rent burdens, overcrowding, and increasing rates of homelessness.
Key findings:
- 38% of Latino families were living below 200% of the federal poverty level, compared to 18% of all families in the county.
73% of Latino adults reported that they felt like they lived in a stable housing situation, compared to 83% of all adults in the county.
- More than half (57%) of Latino renter households were cost-burdened, compared to 45% of all renter households in the county.
- 47% of the unhoused population in Santa Clara County were Latino.
The landlord raises the rent every year, and to be honest, the house isn’t worth it—but where else can we go?"
“I went to a psychologist, but I didn’t need that. I needed housing.”
The health and safety of a neighborhood contributes to the well-being of its residents. However, regional differences show how neighborhoods are not built equally. For example, the South County region had less access to green spaces and fewer grocery stores while the East San José region had a higher density of tobacco retailers.
Experiencing violence can also contribute to poor health. Residents of East San José and South County had higher rates of visiting the emergency department for violent injury, including intimate partner violence and assault, compared to the rest of the county. Latino residents throughout Santa Clara County constituted between one-third to one-half of all emergency department visits for violent injuries.
Key findings:
- The density of tobacco retailers in the East San José region was two times higher than the countywide density of tobacco retailers.
- Nearly one-third (30%) of Latino adults reported ever experiencing intimate partner violence after the age of 18 years, compared to 18% of all adults in the county.
- Nearly half (49%) of all homicide victims in the county were Latino.
- 57% of adults in County jails were Latino. Latinos make up only 25% of the county population.
In the East Side there are smoke shops across from high schools. That wouldn’t be in Palo Alto or nicer places.”
Education is a key social determinant of health linked to life expectancy, morbidity, and healthy behaviors. Receiving high quality education and advanced academic degrees opens pathways for economic opportunities in adulthood. Furthermore, since children spend at least 20% of their day at school, the school environment plays a vital role in youth development and overall health.
Key findings:
- 22% of Latino kindergarten students were assessed as ready to start kindergarten, compared to 37% of all kindergarten students in the county.
- 53% of Latino third-grade students were proficient in math, compared to 75% of all third-grade students in the county.
- 76% of Latino students graduated high school, compared to 87% of all high school students in the county.
- 20% of all Latino residents ages 25 and older had at least a bachelor’s degree, compared to 56% of all adults ages 25 and older in the county.
The lack of resources… has a deep implication for the way that [children] succeed in elementary and middle school and high school, which then has a deep implication on health outcomes as they grow up [like] chronic conditions, the level of stress, the anxiety, the depression. It's all connected."
A healthy and thriving community is one where mothers and children are fully supported in their physical, social, and psychological well-being. Mothers who are thriving have adequate prenatal care, access to nutritious food, and low incidences of pregnancy complications such as diabetes.
Similarly, healthy children and youth attend safe, well-resourced schools, engage in a variety of enrichment activities, and feel connected to their community As they transition to adulthood, they have abundant opportunities to use their skills and talents to build an independent future.
In contrast, mothers, children, and youth with poor health outcomes often live with structural inequities, such as unstable family income, insecure housing, underfunded schools, unsafe neighborhoods, and a lack of access to quality mental health resources.
Key findings:
- The percentage of Latina mothers diagnosed with gestational diabetes increased from 6% in 2009-2013 to 13% in 2019-2023, similar to all pregnant women in the county.
- There was an 81% decrease in teenage birth rates among Latinas ages 15-19 years of age from 2005 to 2023.
- More than three-quarters (78%) of youth detained by County probation were Latino.
- Sixty-eight percent of youth served by the County foster care system were Latino.
We need more spaces that provide opportunities for youth to do something positive. Whether it's learning about their culture or learning about their identity. The East Side is so rich in culture, but you mostly hear about the negative stuff rather than hearing the richness of that community.”
Health care access remains a significant barrier, especially in underserved regions like South County and East San José. Many Latino community members face challenges in navigating complex systems and contending with expensive medical costs, which often deters them from pursuing health care altogether. In addition, language barriers and a lack of culturally competent care lead to feelings of mistrust and unfair treatment, further discouraging individuals and families from seeking care.
Key findings:
- A lower percentage of Latino (88%) adults ages 19 to 64 years had health insurance coverage than the county overall.
- Twenty-two percent of Latino adults had publicly funded health insurance, higher compared to 13% of all adults in the county.
- Among Latino adults who delayed or did not get health care, 47% did so because of medical costs.
- Nineteen percent of Latino adults reported ever receiving unfair treatment getting medical care due to their racial/ethnic identity, more than twice the county rate (7%).
It’s a struggle for people to get their appointments in San José and taking the bus and getting turned away and then coming back in the bus defeated… you could put mental health services here …. where Gilroy and Morgan Hill could utilize them.”
Behavioral health encompasses both mental health and substance use. Having trouble during childhood, experiencing discrimination, financial insecurity and various other factors can worsen a person’s mental health and increase the risk for substance use.
Mental health is an emerging concern among the Latino community, with both Latino adults and high school students reporting higher proportions of feeling depressed or distressed compared to other racial/ethnic groups. Suicide rates among Latinos have risen in recent years, despite remaining stable or decreasing among other racial/ethnic groups. In addition, binge drinking among Latinos remains high compared to other racial/ethnic groups. The Latino community has also been impacted by the opioid crisis, especially with the rise in fentanyl use, with Latino residents constituting 40% of all fentanyl-related deaths.
Key findings:
- Among Latino residents, the fentanyl overdose-related death rate increased by 128% from 2020 to 2023.
- More than half (59%) of Latino high school students who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender reported feeling depressed, higher compared to 26% of Latino high school students who identified as straight.
- Twenty-four percent of Latino adults reported binge drinking, the highest of all racial/ethnic groups and the county overall.
- The suicide rate among Latino residents increased by 50% from 2009-2013 to 2019-2023.
…there was a significant amount of fear; families pulling children out of school, fear of raids, heightened level of anxiety [during the 2016-2020 federal administration]. Anxiety, fear, inability to eat/sleep/provide a safe place for your child, inability to walk to the park. That’s an experience we had as a community. The wear and tear of dealing with it.”
Health outcomes are shaped by a complex interplay of individual behavior, social determinants of health, access to health care and genetic factors. Understanding these influences is essential to understand health disparities. Multiple policies, practices and events throughout U.S history have contributed to significant racial and ethnic disparities in health, which persist to this day
The Latino community in Santa Clara County continues to experience various forms of chronic health conditions, including higher rates of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease and some sexually transmitted infections such as HIV.
Key findings include:
- A higher percentage (29%) of Latino adults reported being obese than did adults in the county overall (18%).
- The diabetes death rate was higher among Latino residents (37 per 100,000 people) than it was among residents of the county overall (21.7).
- The death rate due to alcoholic liver disease was highest among Latino residents (13.7 deaths per 100,000 people) compared to the county overall (6.4).
- In 2023, the rate of new HIV diagnosis among Latino men was more than two times the rate among men with new HIV diagnoses countywide. The rate has increased sharply since 2020.
The LHA aimed to understand the lived experiences of Latino residents in Santa Clara County. Data collection consisted of 31 Key Informant Interviews with service providers who work with the Latino community, as well as community conversations with 110 participants.
Participants included caregivers, first-generation college students, formerly incarcerated individuals and their families, indigenous community members, Latino adults and families, migrant farmworkers, young adults, and community health educators called promotores.
Key findings:
- Families are forced to put survival ahead of health. With sky-high rents and the rising cost of food, health care often feels like a luxury families can’t afford—whether that’s time off work for an appointment or the cost of a visit itself. Many only go when it’s an emergency, and mental health care falls even lower on the priority list.
- Housing instability is taking a serious toll on health and well-being. Families talked about living in overcrowded homes, garages, or RVs, with unsafe conditions they feel powerless to change—especially if speaking up could lead to rent hikes, eviction, or worse. For immigrant families, the fear of losing housing or facing discrimination adds to this constant stress.
- Mental health struggles are real—and services are hard to find. People are carrying so much stress, grief, and trauma, but finding mental health care that’s affordable, culturally affirming, and quickly available feels nearly impossible. Young people are more open to getting help, but they often don’t know where to turn—and families’ stigma around mental health can still get in the way.
- Fear of immigration consequences keeps people away from care. Undocumented families live in fear that asking for help could lead to deportation or put their future at risk. That fear doesn’t stop at immigration offices—it follows families into health clinics, schools, and even housing programs.
- Schools could be powerful places for support—but they’re stretched thin. Families and youth trust schools and see them as places that could connect them to health and mental health services—but schools themselves are underfunded and overwhelmed, especially in Latino neighborhoods. Without real investment, schools can’t meet all the needs families bring to them.
- The community’s greatest strength is its people. Despite everything, people talked with pride about their work ethic, their resilience, and the way they support each other. Family, culture, and community support networks are deep sources of strength—and these strengths could be better tapped into to improve access to care, reduce stigma, and help families heal.
One of the data types included in the Latino Health Assessment is called service utilization data, which describes how the County of Santa Clara’s services are used by community members. These services include health care, nutrition, the justice system, foster care, and more.
Key findings:
- In 2019, Santa Clara Valley Healthcare expanded services in East San José and South County with the purchase of O’Connor Hospital, St. Louise Regional, and De Paul Health Center. From 2018 to 2023, the count of patients served in the South County region more than doubled. However, the South County region had the lowest primary care utilization among all regions in the county.
- Among Latino clients who received Behavioral Health Services Department mental health services, the top three concerns were depressive disorder (28%), trauma/stress-related disorder (21%), and anxiety disorder (20%); 44% of clients were children younger than 16 years of age.
- During the 2017-2023 period, 71% of students served by the School Linked Services Family Engagement program were Latino.
- In 2023, 63% of child maltreatment allegations reported in the county were among Latino children.
- Latino children accounted for the highest percentage of foster care entries (68%), despite making up only 33% of the overall child population. During the 2013-2022 period, four of the five top zip codes with the highest number of foster care entries were either in the South County (95020) or the East San José (95111, 95127, and 95148) regions.
- Latino defendants represented 52% of misdemeanor and 53% of felony cases, double the percentage of the Latino population in the county (25%).
- In 2023, 57% of the adults in the County Jails were Latino.
- Of all juveniles detained by the County Probation in 2024, 78% were Latino. The zip code with the highest percentage of youths detained by the County Probation was in the South County region (City of Gilroy zip code 95020).
- During the 2019-2023 period, 53% of all the individuals served by the Office of Diversion and Reentry Services (ODRS) were Latino.
- In 2023, 46% of Latinos enrolled in the Emergency Shelter Program were placed in permanent housing, higher than the rate for the county overall (40%).
- As of March 2024, Latino individuals accounted for 45% of Medi-Cal recipients, 40% of CalFresh recipients, and 60% of CalWORKS recipients.
Latino Health Assessment Recommendations
Better health requires sustained action across governments, community organizations, businesses, and schools. Consider the following recommendations to get started:
Recommendations for consideration by the community:
- Dismantle historical discrimination and marginalization by enacting policies and system changes, informed by meaningful and sustained engagement with the Latino community.
- Prioritize mental health and well-being by acknowledging and supporting alternative strategies to mental health treatment centered around trauma-informed care that is culturally and linguistically appropriate. Furthermore, strengthen social networks and support family connections and youth programs as another means to support mental well-being.
- Provide opportunities for children and youth to succeed by improving educational opportunities and skills training for youth. In addition, improve coordination of services for children living with foster families and develop multi-faceted strategies with the goal of reducing juvenile justice involvement for vulnerable youth.
- Increase access to quality care and improve health outcomes across all types of health care services by providing coordinated care that is culturally affirming, linguistically appropriate, and free of bias and discrimination; and by building a health care workforce represented by Latino people with lived experience.
- Improve data collection and analysis to standardize demographic data in order to better identify disparities and inequities.
Recommendations for consideration by the County of Santa Clara:
- Facilitate interventions led by community members that focus on building relationships, healing, and restorative justice solutions in communities that are most impacted by violence.
- Develop a cultural facility in South County to serve as a safe space for youth activities and a resource hub for Latino community members and families.
- Invest in efforts, in partnership with FIRST 5 and educational entities, to evaluate and improve early childhood education for Latino children, which improves long-term outcomes and well-being.
- Enhance existing County health services to create culturally welcoming and healing spaces for the Latino community.
Read the report and get involved
The Latino Health Assessment is available as a full report or an Executive Summary, which summarizes key findings and recommendations for action. Please note: The Latino Health Assessment full report is currently being translated into Spanish and will be available before Summer 2025.