Issued September 2016
Centro DS2015US-07
Puerto Ricans in Rhode
Island, the United States,
and Puerto Rico, 2013
In 2013 an estimated 36,217 Puerto Ricans
lived in Rhode Island and accounted for at
least 1 percent of all Puerto Ricans living in
the United States. The number of Puerto
Ricans in Rhode Island grew from 25,422
in the year 2000 to 36,217 in 2013, a 42
percent rate of growth.
Findings from an examination of Census data for 2013, the
latest year for which detailed data was available, reveal
that:
•
The unemployment rate among Puerto Ricans in
Rhode Island’s labor force was 24.2 percent, higher
than among all stateside Puerto Ricans (14.6%) and
of those in Puerto Rico (18%).
• The labor force participation rate of Puerto Ricans
in Rhode Island was 53.9 percent, eight percentage
points lower than among stateside Puerto Ricans
(61.2%) and ten percentage points higher than those
in Puerto Rico (44.7%).
• The median household income for Puerto Ricans in
Rhode Island was $18,682, about half the stateside
Puerto Rican median household income ($37,951)
and one thousand dollars lower than Puerto Rican
median household income in Puerto Rico ($19,942).
• From an economic perspective, Puerto Ricans in
Rhode Island accounted for $371 million in purchasing power, representing less than one percent of
the $89.7 billion in purchasing power generated by
stateside Puerto Ricans in 2013.
• Nearly, two in five (39.2%) Puerto Ricans in Rhode
Island age 25 years and older had less than a high
school degree, a rate much higher than that among
all Puerto Ricans in the U.S. (23.7%), and higher than
that of Puerto Ricans in Puerto Rico (27.6%).
• At least 16 percent of Puerto Ricans in Rhode Island
worked in the higher wage management, business,
sciences, and arts occupational sector. This rate
was lower than among all Puerto Ricans in the U.S.
(27.2%) and in Puerto Rico (31.9%).
• The median age of Puerto Ricans in Rhode Island was
22.6 years, lower than for all Puerto Ricans in the U.S.
(28.7 years) and those in Puerto Rico (37.5 years).
• Nearly three-fourths (73.1%) of Puerto Ricans in
Rhode Island reported speaking a language other
than English in their home, higher than the nationally reported rate for Puerto Ricans (62.5%). Only
26.9 percent reported speaking English only in
their homes, a rate below that of stateside Puerto
Ricans (37.5%).
• Puerto Rican families in Rhode Island had higher
average poverty rates, with more than half (51.3%)
reporting living at or below the poverty rate,
compared to 23.5 percent among all Puerto Rican
families in the U.S. and 41.7 percent among those
in Puerto Rico.
• The rate of Puerto Rican households in Rhode Island
receiving public assistance income (13%) was nearly
double than that of all Puerto Rican households
in the United States (7.2%) and more than double
those in Puerto Rico (6.3%). The rate of Puerto Rican households receiving food stamp/SNAP benefits
was 61 percent, higher than 31.6 percent among
all Puerto Rican households in the U.S. and 38.6 percent among those in Puerto Rico.
Overall, Rhode Island’s Puerto Rican population grew
from 25,422 in 2000 to 36,217 in 2013. The Puerto Rican
population was the second largest Hispanic group in
Rhode Island, representing 26 percent of the total Hispanic population. In 2013, Hispanic population made up
13.2 percent of Rhode Island’s total population compared
to 8.7 percent in 2000.
Puerto Ricans in Rhode Island were relatively younger than
Puerto Ricans in the U.S. as a whole, with a median age of
22.6 years, lower than the national median for Puerto Ricans of 28.7 years of age, and more than ten years lower
than the median age among Puerto Ricans in Puerto Rico
(37.5 years). The proportion of Puerto Ricans aged 62
years and older in Rhode Island was 4.5 percent, also lower than for Puerto Ricans across the United States (9.3%)
and less than a third of those in Puerto Rico (19.5%).
English proficiency indicators for Puerto Ricans in Rhode
Island were lower than for stateside Puerto Ricans overall.
More than one in five (22.4%) Puerto Ricans in Rhode Island
reported speaking English less than ‘very well’ compared to
17.6 percent of stateside Puerto Ricans. Nearly three-fourths
of Puerto Ricans in Rhode Island (73.1%) reported speaking
Graph 1.A: Latino Population 2013, Rhode Island
Other 3.1%
Mexican
South American
11.0%
7.1%
Puerto Rican
26.0%
Central American
22.8%
Cuban 1.1%
28.7%
Dominican Republic
Table 1. Puerto Rican and Latino Population in Rhode Island
Total
2000
2010
2013
1,048,319
100%
1,053,846
100%
1,050,722
100%
Not Hispanic or Latino
957,499
91.3%
925,909
87.9%
911,667
86.8%
Hispanic or Latino
90,820
8.7%
127,937
12.1%
139,055
13.2%
Mexican
5,881
0.6%
10,380
1.0%
9,878
0.9%
Puerto Rican
25,422
2.4%
32,360
3.1%
36,217
3.4%
Cuban
1,128
0.1%
2,221
0.2%
1,580
0.2%
Dominican Republic
17,894
1.7%
38,116
3.6%
39,949
3.8%
Central American
11,320
1.1%
25,690
2.4%
31,727
3.0%
Guatemalan
8,949
0.9%
19,976
1.9%
25,918
2.5%
South American
8,666
0.8%
13,757
1.3%
15,325
1.5%
5,706
0.5%
8,155
0.8%
8,075
0.8%
20,509
2.0%
5,413
0.5%
4,379
0.4%
Colombian
Other
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 1, 2010 Census. Summary File 1, and 2013 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates.
2
a language other than English in the home, a rate more than
ten percentage points higher than among all Puerto Ricans
in the U.S. (62.5%). Only 26.9 percent of Puerto Ricans in
Rhode Island reported speaking only English compared to all
Puerto Ricans in the U.S. (37.5%).
Puerto Ricans in Rhode Island had less schooling than Puerto Ricans throughout the U.S. or in Puerto Rico. Rhode Is-
land Puerto Ricans (39.2%) had a higher proportion without
a high school degree than stateside Puerto Ricans (23.7%)
and Puerto Ricans in Puerto Rico (27.6%). In terms of higher
education, Puerto Ricans in Rhode Island had lower rates
of those who earned a bachelor’s degree or higher (10.2%)
compared to 16.9 percent of all stateside Puerto Ricans and
23.6 percent of those in Puerto Rico. A breakdown of the
education demographics by sex indicates both Puerto Rican
Graph 2.A: Puerto Rican Education Attainment, 25 years and over
Bachelor’s degree or higher
Some college or associate’s degree
High school graduate (includes equivalency)
Less than high school diploma
10.2%
16.9%
23.6%
29.6%
21.7%
29.8%
27.1%
23.7%
27.6%
UNITED STATES
PUERTO RICO
22.4%
28.2%
39.2%
RHODE ISLAND
Table 2. Age, Education, and Language
Puerto Ricans
2013
Rhode Island
United States
Puerto Rico*
36,217
5,004,309
3,497,393
Median age (years)
22.6
28.7
37.5
62 years and over
4.5%
9.3%
19.5%
Less than high school diploma
39.2%
23.7%
27.6%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)
28.2%
29.8%
27.1%
Some college or associate’s degree
22.4%
29.6%
21.7%
Bachelor’s degree or higher
10.2%
16.9%
23.6%
Male, bachelor’s degree or higher
10.5%
15.0%
19.0%
Female, bachelor’s degree or higher
10.0%
18.7%
27.5%
English only
26.9%
37.5%
5.2%
Language other than English
73.1%
62.5%
94.8%
Speak English less than “very well”
22.4%
17.6%
79.6%
TOTAL POPULATION
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
Population 25 years and over
LANGUAGE SPOKEN AT HOME
AND ABILITY TO SPEAK ENGLISH
Population 5 years and over
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates.
* Puerto Ricans only.
3
males (10.5%) and females (10%) had a lower proportion
who had earned a bachelor’s degree or higher, than stateside Puerto Ricans (15% for males and 18.7% for females,
respectively) and Puerto Ricans in Puerto Rico (19% for
males and 27.5% for females, respectively).
Puerto Rican participation in Rhode Island’s civilian labor
force (53.9%) was lower than among Puerto Ricans in the
entire U.S. (61.2%) but higher than in Puerto Rico (44.7%).
The unemployment rate among Puerto Ricans in Rhode
Island was 24.2 percent, nearly ten percentage points higher
than the stateside Puerto Rican unemployment rate (14.6%)
and in Puerto Rico (18%).
Only 15.9 percent of Puerto Ricans in Rhode Island worked
in the higher wage management, business, science, and arts
occupations compared to 27.2 percent of Puerto Ricans in
the U.S. and 31.9 percent in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rican women (18.7%) in Rhode Island were more present than men
(12.7%) in the higher wage management, business, science,
and arts sector. Nationally, Puerto Rican men and women in
the U.S. showed even higher rates (31.9% for women and
22.7% for men, respectively) than Rhode Island’s Puerto
Rican men and women in these occupations.
The average earnings of full-time, year-round Puerto
Rican men and women in Rhode Island was $43,350
and $37,076, respectively, compared to the national
level of $50,813 and $42,823 for Puerto Rican men and
women, respectively. Puerto Rican men in Rhode Island
earned at least six thousand dollars more than women.
However, Puerto Rican men in Rhode Island earned
almost seven thousand dollars less than at the nation-
Table 3. Employment and Occupations
Puerto Ricans
Rhode Island
United States
Puerto Rico*
54.2%
53.9%
40.8%
24.2%
45.8%
0.40%
62.1%
61.2%
52.3%
14.6%
37.9%
0.80%
44.8%
44.7%
36.7%
18.0%
55.2%
0.0%
9,507
1,870,468
1,019,014
4,422
952,301
535,746
Management, business, science, and arts
12.7%
22.7%
24.6%
Service occupations
26.6%
22.6%
22.0%
Sales and office occupations
23.4%
20.6%
20.3%
Construction and maintenance
10.1%
13.7%
17.6%
Production, transportation, and moving
27.3%
20.5%
15.5%
5,085
918,167
483,268
Management, business, science, and arts
18.7%
31.9%
40.0%
Service occupations
33.7%
23.8%
17.5%
Sales and office occupations
37.5%
37.2%
36.4%
Construction and maintenance
0.5%
0.6%
0.7%
9.5%
6.4%
5.4%
90.5%
7.5%
2.0%
80.9%
15.7%
3.2%
67.2%
24.3%
8.4%
2.2%
6.6%
3.7%
EMPLOYMENT STATUS
Population 16 years and over
In labor force
Civilian labor force
Employed
Unemployed
Not in labor force
Armed Forces
OCCUPATION
Civilian employed population 16 years and over
Male
Female
Production, transportation, and moving
CLASS OF WORKER
Civilian employed population 16 years and over
Private wage and salary workers
Government workers
Self-employed workers in own not incorporated business
VETERAN STATUS
Civilian population 18 years and over
Civilian veteran
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey 3-Year Estimates.
* Puerto Ricans only.
4
2013
Puerto Rican Population by Counties in Rhode Island
In comparison to other states in the United States, Rhode Island is the smallest in
terms of size. It is also a state with a small number of counties. The state is subdivided into four counties: Bristol, Kent, Newport, Providence, and Washington.
Puerto Ricans were not evenly distributed throughout the state. Rather, most of
the Puerto Rican population was largely concentrated in Rhode Island’s northeast
region, particularly in Providence County. At least, 88 percent of the Puerto Rican
population resided in Providence County. Kent and Newport Counties each accounted for about 4 percent of Rhode Island’s Puerto Rican population, and neighboring
Washington (3%) and Bristol (1%) counties accounted for another 4 percent. Latino settlement in Rhode Island closely mirrored that of Puerto Ricans. Latinos were
heavily concentrated in the northeast region of the state with lighter settlement in
Washington and Bristol counties.
Puerto Rican
Population
Percent
Latino
Population
Percent
Total
Population
Percent
Providence County
32,310
88%
125,144
89%
629,280
60%
Kent County
1,561
4%
6,174
4%
165,253
16%
Newport County
1,520
4%
3,984
3%
82,772
8%
Washington County
969
3%
3,449
2%
126,609
12%
Bristol County
337
1%
1,081
1%
49,338
5%
36,697
100%
139,832
99%
1,053,252
101%
COUNTY
Total
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau and 2014 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
Notes: Total counts for populations may differ depending on whether the estimates are derived from the 1-year estimates or the 5-year estimates of
the American Community Survey. Total percentages do not add up to 100 due to rounding.
5
PUERTO RICAN POPULATION BY COUNTIES IN RHODE ISLAND
PUERTO RICAN
POPULATION
1 dot = 50
‘06-‘14 PUERTO
RICAN ARRIVALS
1 dot = 50
BOUNDARIES
County
City/Towns
Census Tracts
CONGRESSIONAL
DISTRICT
Republican
Democrat
6
7
PUERTO RICAN POPULATION BY COUNTIES IN RHODE ISLAND
PUERTO RICAN
POPULATION
1 dot = 50
‘06-‘14 PUERTO
RICAN ARRIVALS
1 dot = 50
BOUNDARIES
County
City/Towns
Census Tracts
CONGRESSIONAL
DISTRICT
Republican
Democrat
8
al level. Puerto Rican women in Rhode Island earned
about five thousand dollars less than at the national
level. Compared to Puerto Rico, where average fulltime, year-round Puerto Rican earnings were $32,625
and $29,030 for men and women, respectively, Puerto
Ricans in Rhode Island and the U.S. as a whole earned
more on average.
Household and family incomes are important indicators of
economic well-being. These indicators were much lower
for Puerto Ricans in Rhode Island than for stateside Puerto
Ricans and those in Puerto Rico. The median income was
$18,682 for Puerto Rican households in Rhode Island, half
that of all stateside Puerto Rican households ($37,951) and
actually lower than the median income of Puerto Rican
households in Puerto Rico ($19,242). Per capita income
among Puerto Ricans in Rhode Island was lower ($10,267)
than among all stateside Puerto Ricans ($17,932) and
those in Puerto Rico ($10,864).
Puerto Ricans in Rhode Island had $371 million purchasing
power. From an economic perspective, Rhode Island Puerto
Ricans represented less than 1 percent of the $89.7 billion total purchasing power of the entire Puerto Rican community in
the year 2013. Purchasing power is defined simply as per capita income multiplied by the Puerto Rican population. Stateside Puerto Ricans had more than double the total purchasing
power of Puerto Ricans in Puerto Rico of $37.9 billion.
More than half of Puerto Rican families in Rhode Island
(51.3%) lived in poverty. This is nearly 30 percentage
points higher than among all Puerto Ricans families in
Table 4. Income and Earnings
Puerto Ricans
2013
Rhode Island
United States
Puerto Rico*
INCOME IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS
(IN 2013 INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS)
Households
Median household income (dollars)
With earnings
Mean earnings (dollars)
With Social Security income
11,007
$18,682
57.9%
$37,790
18.7%
1,545,037
$37,951
76.0%
$59,153
23.2%
1,190,241
$19,242
57.1%
$35,643
42.4%
Mean Social Security income (dollars)
$9,382
$13,319
$11,808
33.4%
13.1%
0.5%
$9,422
$8,718
$8,704
13.0%
7.2%
6.3%
$3,905
$3,776
$2,193
With retirement income
Mean retirement income (dollars)
5.5%
$9,854
10.2%
$19,833
15.0%
$15,276
With Food Stamp/SNAP benefits
61.0%
31.6%
38.6%
Families
7,371
1,056,661
852,606
$20,781
$43,182
$22,668
31.3%
52.7%
57.2%
$45,966
$65,731
$30,058
10.0%
9.5%
8.8%
$16,062
$35,317
$16,895
58.6%
37.8%
33.9%
$14,039
$23,728
$14,022
36,217
5,004,309
3,497,393
$10,267
$17,932
$10,864
$43,350
$37,076
$50,813
$42,823
$32,625
$29,030
With Supplemental Security Income
Mean Supplemental Security Income (dollars)
With cash public assistance income
Mean cash public assistance income (dollars)
Median family income (dollars)
Married-couple family
Median income (dollars)
Male householder, no spouse present
Median income (dollars)
Female householder, no husband present
Median income (dollars)
Individuals
Per capita income (dollars)
Mean earnings (dollars) for full-time, year-round workers:
Male
Female
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey 3-Year Estimates.
* Puerto Ricans only.
9
the U.S. (23.5%) and 10 percentage points higher than
those in Puerto Rico (41.7%). As seen in other states and
in Puerto Rico, Puerto Rican households with a female
householder, no husband, and children under 18 years
of age had the highest rates of poverty. In Rhode Island,
70.8 percent of these households reported living in
poverty, compared to 49.8 percent across the U.S. and
69.2 percent in Puerto Rico. Regardless of context, these
poverty rates are alarmingly high.
Public assistance participation rates for Puerto Rican families
in Rhode Island (13%) was almost two times higher than the
national level (7.2%) and in Puerto Rico (6.3%). Three in five
(61%) Puerto Rican families reported receiving food stamp/
SNAP (Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program), almost
twice as many as Puerto Rican families in the nation (31.6%)
and in Puerto Rico (38.6%).
The rate of homeownership among Puerto Ricans in Rhode
Island was substantially lower (13.4%) than for Puerto
Ricans in the U.S. (37%) or Puerto Rico (70%). Housing is
a primary determinant of the cost of living. The median
value of owner-occupied housing for Puerto Ricans in
Rhode Island was $169,000, lower than the median value
of owner-occupied housing for all stateside Puerto Ricans
($173,900), but higher than in Puerto Rico ($121,000).
Graph 4.A: Mean Earnings for Full-Time Year-Round Puerto Rican Workers
$60,000
$50,000
$40,000
Male
Female
$50,813
$43,350
$42,823
$37,076
$32,625
$30,000
$29,030
$20,000
$10,000
0
RHODE ISLAND
UNITED STATES
PUERTO RICO
Graph 4.B: Puerto Rican Purchasing Power, in Billions, 2013
$371.8
million
RHODE ISLAND
PUERTO RICO
$37.9
$89.7
UNITED STATES
10
Graph 5.A: Poverty Rates
Rhode Island
United States
Puerto Rico
70.8%
69.2%
65.3%
59.9%
58.4%
51.3%
51.8%
41.7%
49.8%
42.4%
31.3%
23.5%
All families
All families with related
childrend under 18 years
Female householder
no husband present
Table 5. Poverty
Puerto Ricans
Female householder
with related children
under 18 years
2013
Rhode Island
United States
Puerto Rico*
51.3%
23.5%
41.7%
59.9%
31.3%
51.8%
44.1%
29.7%
52.6%
20.4%
9.7%
30.0%
22.0%
12.4%
33.6%
With related children under 5 years only
N**
10.7%
32.6%
Female householder, no husband present, family
65.3%
42.4%
58.4%
70.8%
49.8%
69.2%
58.8%
51.2%
72.2%
51.4%
27.0%
45.5%
57.9%
34.7%
57.0%
57.7%
34.4%
56.9%
Related children under 5 years
59.1%
37.1%
61.8%
Related children 5 to 17 years
57.0%
33.3%
55.3%
18 years and over
47.0%
23.2%
42.0%
18 to 64 years
47.4%
23.4%
42.4%
65 years and over
41.8%
22.3%
40.2%
People in families
49.4%
24.6%
43.7%
Unrelated individuals 15 years and over
60.6%
38.8%
56.6%
POVERTY RATES
All families
With related children under 18 years
With related children under 5 years only
Married-couple family
With related children under 18 years
With related children under 18 years
With related children under 5 years only
All people
Under 18 years
Related children under 18 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey 3-Year Estimates.
* Puerto Ricans only. ** An ‘N’ entry in the estimate and margin of error columns indicates that data for this geographic area cannot be displayed
because the number of sample cases is too small.
11
Puerto Ricans in the state are generally making less money
and least likely to be employed in higher wage occupations
than at the national level. The median monthly owner cost
associated with a mortgage was $1,689 for Puerto Ricans
in Rhode Island, higher than the $1,609 for those in the
U.S., and $884 for those in Puerto Rico. As a result, more
than half (53.3%) of Puerto Ricans in Rhode Island who
owned a home paid more than 30 percent of their income
in monthly owner costs. This rate was higher than for Puerto Ricans at the national (43.9%) level and in Puerto Rico
(47.5%).
Table 6. Housing and Health Insurance
Puerto Ricans
2013
Rhode Island
HOUSING
United States
Puerto Rico*
13.4%
37%
70.0%
Less than 30 percent
46.7%
56.1%
52.5%
30 percent or more
53.3%
43.9%
47.5%
$169,000
$173,900
$121,000
$1,689
$1,609
$884
Owner-occupied housing units
Monthly owner costs as a percentage of household
income in the past 12 months
Owner-occupied housing units
Median value (dollars)
Median selected monthly owner costs
with a mortgage (dollars)
HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE
Civilian noninstitutionalized population
With private health insurance
32.6%
49.9%
40.3%
With public coverage
62.7%
42.2%
59.3%
No health insurance coverage
10.9%
14.1%
6.5%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 American Community Survey 3-Year Estimates.
* Puerto Ricans only.
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