Iowa’s Hispanic population exploded over the past decade, growing by 83.7 percent as Latinos drawn by meatpacking jobs began diversifying in the workplace.

Polk County’s Hispanic population growth outpaced the rest of the state, up by 97.9 percent since 2000, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released Thursday. Iowa’s Hispanic population is 151,544, up from 82,473 in 2000. Read More here.

We have seen this at Christ the King (we live in Polk County). It is wonderful, but it does present challenges. Unfortunately after four years of high school Spanish and four of College, I “no habla Espanola.