To confirm a previous report of lower risks of hip fracture in Mexican Americans, we calculated the incidence of hip fractures among Hispanics, blacks, and non-Hispanic whites residing in Bexar County, Texas, during 1980. A total of 576 residents with hip fracture not due to severe trauma were identified. The 1980 census data were used to calculate ethnic-specific incidence rates which were age-adjusted using the entire 1980 US population as the standard. Hip fractures were more common among non-Hispanic white women (139 per 100,000; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 124-153) than among Mexican-American (67 per 100,000; 95% CI = 51-82) or black (55 per 100,000; 95% CI = 27-83) women. Thus, Mexican Americans and blacks are relatively protected from hip fractures, and they may benefit less than whites from prophylactic therapies for osteoporosis.