LOCAL MARKET INFORMATION The Hispanic consumer is a critical market in Houston Texas’ Hispanic population Over 7.5 million in 2003 (up 12% from 2000) By 2010 expected to grow by 25% to nearly 9.5 million. (HYP Network estimate) Houston Over 1.45 million living in 377,000 households in 2003 (+106% since 1990) By 2010 Harris County’s Hispanic population will increase to almost 1.7 million (HYP Network estimate) Hispanic population in Houston’s 6-county area (2003): Harris - 1,295,000 (36% of total)             Fort Bend - 91,000 (22% of total) Montgomery - 50,000 (15% of total)       Chambers, Liberty, Waller - 20,000   Sources: U.S. Census Bureau SPANISH SPEAKING CONSUMERS Hispanics are over three times more likely to live in households of 5 or more Texas’ Hispanic median age is 12.6 years younger than White, Non-Hispanic (Houston’s Hispanic median age is 13.0 years younger than White, Non-Hispanics). 62% of Hispanic households in Harris County include children (Only 36% of U.S. Non-Hispanic households have children) In Houston over 970,000 consumers are Spanish speakers 125,000 speak Spanish exclusively 205,000 speak primarily Spanish About 640,000 speak both Spanish and English   Sources: U.S. Census Bureau PURCHASING POWER Hispanic workers in Texas will continue to increase dramatically (+47% from 1990 to 2000); In Harris County’s increase was 55% (Hispanics account for 28% of labor force in 2000). Hispanic consumers will be more educated and affluent. Harris County’s Hispanic school enrollment increased by 65% in 2000 compared to 10 years before. Hispanic students represent 36% of the total. Hispanic annual buying power in Texas in 2004 was $119.3 billion and expected to grow to $175.5 billion by 2009 (Houston: 25% = $43.8 billion) (Estimate based on Dallas population and income level) In 1999 Hispanic median household income in Harris County was $32,051. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau; Selig Center for Economic Growth, The University of Georgia, May 2004