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Monday, September 17, 2006 New faces changing Deltona
Hispanics bring culture, younger looks By SARA KIESLER | News-Journal Staff Writer DELTONA — Change has been good to Carlos Rivera. The New Jersey Puerto Rican moved here about a year ago with his family, and already he’s enjoyed senior softball and found a Spanish-American grocery store to make traditional meals the way his mom used to.
"We’re trying to create a better life," the 43-year-old said. "Taxes and everything are more expensive in New Jersey."
Rivera’s is one of many families changing the personality of Volusia County’s fastest-growing city. The number of retirees is declining, the median age is skewing younger, and Hispanic residents now make up nearly a quarter of the city’s population of 86,000, growing 63 percent in the past five years, according to recently released Census Bureau estimates for 2005.
The demographic trend is happening throughout Florida and the rest of the country, even in states like Idaho.
The Orlando area, especially, has become a magnet for Puerto Ricans over the past decade. Hispanics comprise 24 percent of Orange County’s population and 38 percent of Osceola’s, the Census Bureau said.
But Deltona has a special draw to Rivera and others because of its affordable housing market and family members who already live here, Volusia County Hispanic Association president Ozzie Quiroz said.
"The Hispanic population kept growing as more family members came to vacation," Quiroz said. "Whether they come from up north or the island (of Puerto Rico) . . . they find Deltona’s a nice place to raise a family."
At the same time, Deltona’s cultural mix is changing. It’s also getting younger. From 2000 to 2005, the percentage of residents over 65 dropped from 15 percent of the population to 12 percent. The age of residents is reflected in the number of Deltonans who work in sales and office jobs: 33 percent of the city.
Overall in Volusia County, the Hispanic or Latino population increased by about 47 percent over the five-year period. That’s primarily because Deltona’s 20,800 Hispanics make up a little less than half of Volusia County’s total Hispanic population of 42,800.
And while Deltona’s growing Hispanic population has attracted Latino-targeted businesses, some residents say they’re still struggling to find enough shops or cultural things to do.
Migdalia Hernandez was picking up some fish from the "Compares" Spanish-American grocery store on Providence Boulevard on Friday. The mother of four, who moved to the city about a year ago, said, while there aren’t enough shops that cater to her needs, Deltona is still better than New York because of the schools.
"The schools are very strict; they question you, even if they know who you are, about why you’re picking up your kid," she said. "In New York, anybody could be picking him up."
With such a rapidly growing population of Hispanics, Quiroz said he’d like to see more politicians and businesses communicate to residents in Spanish.
A struggling business could "get a 10 percent or a 20 percent boost . . . because they switch to marketing in Spanish," he said.
However, he added, he has seen an increase in mom-and-pop Hispanic businesses, from a party store, to a cafe, to a tile store and a couple of grocers.
One woman saw the need for cultural awareness and activities and decided to address them by forming the Hispanic American Youth Group of Deltona back in 2003. Now, Maritza Vazquez says, Hispanics in Deltona don’t have to go all the way to Orlando to dance and learn about each other’s cultures.
"The group is made up of kids from all different Latin countries," she said. "It teaches them to respect each other more."
All in all, what matters most is a growing family, Rivera said. His daughter just gave birth to a Florida-born baby boy.
"I’m here to stay for the rest of my life," he said.
By the Numbers
A new Census report estimates Deltona’s population exploded between 2000 and 2005, especially among Hispanics. The median age of Deltona residents also declined as the number of retirees fell:
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2000 |
2005 |
Change |
All residents |
69,543 |
85,979 |
24% |
Hispanics |
12,747 |
20,797 |
63% |
% Hispanics |
18% |
24% |
6% |
Median age-all |
37.1 |
32.4 |
-4.7 |
HISPANIC HERITAGE
- Sept. 15 was chosen because it marks the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico celebrates its independence Sept. 16 and Chile’s celebration is Sept. 18.
- As of July 1, 2005, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates the Hispanic population in the U.S. at 42 million.
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