Foreign residents of Puerto Rico: Where do they settle into geographically and what are their sociodemographic traits?

Abstract

Background/Objective. Among many distinctive qualities, Puerto Rico characterizes itself by having a large output of migrants. Immigrants on the other hand counterbalance the migrant flow in terms of volume and characteristics. The objective of this investigation was to analyze the geographic concentration and sociodemographic traits of the islands‘ foreign population. Methods. The prime source of information for this study was The Puerto Rico Community Survey, 2011-2015. The study was transversal-descriptive. The Gini concentration index was calculated to analyze spatial distribution. Results. 8% of the total population of Puerto Rico was born outside of the island. The majority of that 8% was born in the United States (62%), while the rest was born in the Dominican Republic (21%) and Cuba (4.3%). The highest proportion rates of non-natives where found in San Juan (17%), while the rest were divided among the municipalities of Bayamon (11%), Carolina (10%) and Caguas (9.7%). This population group presented a higher Gini concentration index (.58) than the native population (.41). The regions with the highest concentration were: the Northeast (.52) and the Interior West (.41). These have an older age structure, a higher proportion of females and a higher level of education; divorcees and legally separated individuals were predominant, while the native population was predominantly single. Non-natives had a higher salary median and a lower percentage of poor individuals. Conclusion. That part of the population that was born outside of Puerto Rico shows characteristics that differentiate them from those that were born on the mainland. The foreign population of Puerto Rico has a bigger advantage than the native born citizens when it comes to education and salaries. The characteristics and geographic location of this foreign population need to be considered in the political economy procedures of Puerto Rico.