Salvadorans Overtaking Cubans As Third-Largest Hispanic Group In The U.S.

MIAMI - JULY 31: A crowd of Cubans wave flags and dance in the street after hearing news that Cuban leader Fidel Castro was ill and ceded power to his younger brother on July 31, 2006 in the Little Havana neighborhood of Miami, Florida. According to reports, Fidel Castro has temporarily handed over his Presidential powers to his brother Raul Castro and announced that he underwent surgery for intestinal bleeding. (Photo by Richard Patterson/Getty Images) (2006 Getty Images)

Cubans, look out. Salvadorans are hot on your trail to replace you as the third-largest U.S. Hispanic group.

A new Pew Research Center study shows that Salvadorans number 1.95 million, compared with 1.89 million Cubans.

Mexicans continue to lead, followed by Puerto Ricans.

The growth of Salvadorans marks a shift in the longtime rankings of the so-called Old Guard Latinos – Puerto Ricans, Mexicans and Cubans.

Since 2007, Salvadoran growth rate has been twice the growth of Cubans – or 33 percent versus 17 percent.

“This reflects the relative youth of today’s Salvadoran population compared with their Cuban counterparts — median age is 29 versus 40,” the study said.

“So in the not-too-distant future, the third largest Hispanic-origin group might be Salvadorans,” the report said. “And more change may be on the way: demographic and immigration patterns show the Dominican population is close behind – it has grown 27 percent since 2007, from 1.2 million to 1.53 million.&quot

Of the nearly 52 million Hispanics in the United States, nearly two-thirds, or 33.5 million, have roots in Mexico.

Puerto Ricans, the nation’s second largest Hispanic origin group, number about 5 million and make up more than 9 percent of the total Hispanic population in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Overall, the 14 largest Hispanic origin groups—Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Salvadorans, Cubans, Dominicans, Guatemalans, Colombians, Spaniards, Hondurans, Ecuadorians, Peruvians, Nicaraguans, Venezuelans and Argentineans—make up 95 percent of the U.S. Hispanic population. Six of them have populations greater than 1 million, according to Pew.