BOISE, Idaho - Idaho's Hispanic population is drawing closer to 10 percent, new Census Bureau figures show, with Hispanics accounting for one of every six new people in the state between mid-2004 and mid-2005.

The census estimate puts Idaho Hispanics at about 9.1 percent of the state's 1.4 million total population, or about 130,000 residents. Hispanics remained Idaho's fastest-growing minority group, increasing by more than 4.8 percent over the 12-month stretch and growing twice as fast as the overall state rate.

"Our economy is growing so fast, so we have a huge amount of work in construction, landscaping, those kind of sectors," Idaho Commerce and Labor analyst Bob Fick said. "The Hispanics are flocking in to pick up those jobs. We led the nation in job creation for the second quarter, and construction accounted for a third of that job creation."

Margie Gonzalez, executive director of the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs, said the growth gives Hispanics a political advantage.

"People are becoming more accepting and educated on the fact that this small minority group that once existed has grown very rapidly," Gonzalez said. "The more people we can get to be registered voters, that's going to make a really strong impact on our government."

Eight counties - Clark, Minidoka, Power, Jerome, Owyhee, Cassia, Canyon and Gooding - had Hispanic populations of more than 20 percent. Canyon County had the largest Hispanic population, with more than 33,000 of its 164,000-plus residents considering themselves to be Hispanic, or just over 20 percent. But Clark County tallied the highest percentage at nearly 40 percent, with 372 Hispanic residents out of 943 overall.

Gonzalez said she believes Hispanics were undercounted in the census.

"Even though the last census made more of an effort to reach our population, we still believe we were undercounted because we have more families that may live together and not all may have completed the census," Gonzalez said. "The very way we're categorized as Hispanic can lead to undercounting, because we have so many subgroups."

Politicians need to start paying closer attention to Idaho's Hispanics, said Annette Scott, a bilingual teacher for Head Start in Idaho Falls who has volunteered in the past for the Idaho Latino Vote project.

"As fast as that part of our society is growing, I think politicians need to listen so we're making sure that our government is meeting the needs of the people it governs," she said. "If we want our society to improve, we need to pay attention to each other, communicate with one another and understand and respect one another."

The buying power of Hispanics in Idaho has nearly doubled since 1990, according to a report from the state Department of Commerce and Labor. In 1990, Hispanic buying power made up just 2.9 percent of state residents' total buying power. In 2005, Hispanics' $1.8 billion in buying power made up nearly 5 percent of the $36.5 billion spent statewide.

Since the 2000 census, Idaho's Hispanic population has grown by nearly 28 percent, according to demographers. By 2010, Idaho Hispanics will account for about 6 percent of the state's total buying power, the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia estimates.

"Smart business owners will learn as much as possible about the Hispanic buying power so they can successfully tailor goods and services to these consumers," Idaho Commerce and Labor Director Roger Madsen said in a statement.