Puerto Rico’s 2020 Race/Ethnicity Decennial Analysis

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Key Findings

There was a 54.8% drop in those who selected ‘One Race’ in Puerto Rico from 95.8% 2000 to 50.2% in 2020.
A significant decrease occurred for those who identified as ‘White Alone’ in Puerto Rico (-80.2%) compared to that in the United States (-8.6%) between 2010 and 2020.
While a notable decrease occurred for both ‘White Alone’ (-81.7%) and ‘Black or African American alone’ (-24.5%), those who identified as ‘Some Other Race alone’ experienced an astonishing increase (222.4%) in Puerto Rico between 2000 and 2020.
The other half of the population in Puerto Rico (46.8%) identified with ‘Two Races’ in 2020, a dramatic increase from 3.8% in 2000 of the total population.
Most of the total population in Puerto Rico identified as ‘White and Some Other Race’ (38.5%) followed by ‘Some Other Race alone’ (25.5%) in 2020.

Introduction

According to the 2020 Decennial Census, there were about 3.29 million people living in Puerto Rico, a notable decline of 439,915 individuals from 2010 (-11.8%). In comparison, the United States population grew by 7.4% between 2010 and 2020. In terms of race, the 2020 decennial census has shown a dramatic shift from how Puerto Ricans identify themselves now from 10 years ago. Most of the total population in Puerto Rico identified as ‘White and Some Other Race’ (38.5%) followed by ‘Some Other Race alone’ (25.5%) in 2020 compared to a majority of the total population identifying as ‘White alone’ in both 2000 (80.5%) and 2010 (75.8%). In 2010, 75.8% of those in Puerto Rico identified as ‘White alone’ compared to the significant drop to 17.1% in 2020. Although, the fifty states also experienced a drop of those who identify as White alone at 8.6% between 2010 and 2020, Puerto Rico’s drop of -80.2% is too significant to miss. In addition, there were other notable shifts for those who identified as solely one race in 2010 to two races in 2020. Puerto Rico’s endurance of the lingering effects of the ongoing economic crisis, fiscal control, lack of humanitarian aid, racial discrimination, and current racial justice movements may help explain the dramatic racial shift between 2010 and 2020.

Puerto Rico vs. United States

Figure 1. Race by Total Population and Hispanic Population, 2010 – 2020

In terms of total population, although both the U.S. and Puerto Rico experienced a decrease of those who identified as “White Alone,” Puerto Rico experienced a drastic decline at -80.2% compared to the the total population of the United States at -8.6% and the Hispanic Population in the U.S. at -52.9% between 2010 and 2020. In regard to those who identified as ‘Black or African American alone’, Puerto Rico experienced a decrease of 50.4% as well as the Hispanic Population in the U.S. at 6.4% while the U.S. as a whole experienced an increase of 5.6%. All three populations, the total population in the U.S. and Puerto Rico along with the Hispanic Population in the U.S. experienced a notable increase of those who identified as “Some Other Race” between 2010 and 2020. However, Puerto Rico’s increase was quite drastic at nearly 200% (189.2%) compared to the total population of the U.S. (46.1%) and the Hispanic Population (41.7%). In terms of those who selected “Two or More Races”, all three populations discussed the total population in both the U.S. and Puerto Rico along with the Hispanic Population in the United States experienced extreme increases from 2010 to 2020. However, Puerto Rico surpassed the U.S. considerably at an increase of 1238.1% from 3.3% of the total population in 2010 to 49.8% in 2020, compared to the total population in the U.S. at 275.7% from 2.9% to 10.2% and the Hispanic Population in the U.S. at 567.2% from 6% in 2010 to 32.7% in 2020. In 2020, those who identified as ‘Two or More Races’ made up almost half of the population in Puerto Rico compared to 10% of the total population in the U.S.

Puerto Rico’s Total Population by Race throughout the decades 2000-2020

Figure 2. Puerto Rico’s Total Population By Race: 2000 to 2020

There was a 54.8% drop in those who selected ‘One Race’ in Puerto Rico from 95.8% 2000 to 50.2% in 2020. There was a 81.7% drop from those who selected ‘White Alone’ from 2000 of 80.5% of the total population down to 17.1% in 2020. The second race category those in Puerto Rico most identified with in 2010 was “Black or African American alone” which also dropped by 50.4% in 2020 from 12.4% from the total population in 2010 to 7.0% in 2020. The drop between 2000 and 2020 was smaller for those who identified as ‘Black or African American alone’ at 24.5%. The drastic increase occurred for “Some other Race alone”. There was a 222.4% jump from 6.8% of the total population in 2000 to about a quarter of the total population (25.5%) in 2020. The other half of the population in Puerto Rico (46.8%) identified with ‘Two Races’ in 2020, a dramatic increase from 2000 at 3.8% of the total population. In 2000, more than half of those who selected “Two Races” had identified as “White and Black or African American” (60.3%). This percentage dropped to 1.6% in 2020. However, there was a dramatic increase in those who selected ‘White and Some other Race” from 0.8% of the total population in 2000 to 38.5% in 2020. There was also a notable increase for those who identified themselves as “Black or African American and Some other Race” from 0.3% of the total population in 2000 to 6.9% in 2020; A 1,803.1% increase.

Figure 3. Puerto Rico’s Total Population By Race Sub-Categories: 2000 to 2020

Municipios, 2010 – 2020

Population of One Race

In all 78 municipalities in Puerto Rico, there was a decrease of those who identified as “one race” from 2010 to 2020 by at least 30%. Guanica had the largest decrease of “one race” from 2010 to 2020 at 63.3% while Vieques had the smallest at 30.6%. For those who identified as “One Race” there were three specific races those in Puerto Rico most identified with: ‘White alone’, ‘Black or African American alone’, and ‘Some other Race.’

Figure 4. Percent Change of One Race: White Alone, 2010 to 2020 by County

‘White Alone’ was the only one where all 78 municipalities experienced a decrease ranging from about 70% to about 86%. Florida had the biggest drop of 85.9% while Culebra had the lowest (-69.4%). The larger decreases are scattered across the island with no particular area of the island to note.

Figure 5. Percent Change of One Race: Black Alone, 2010 – 2020 by County

For those who identified as ‘Black or African American alone’ also experienced a drop between 2010 and 2020 in all municipios except 4: Adjuntas, Maricao, Naranjito, and Rincon. Maricao had the largest increase by 22.1% from those who identified as ‘Black or African American’, followed by Rincon (10.2%), Naranjito (2.5%), and Adjuntas (0.3%). The largest decrease took place in Culebra at -70.4% followed by Arroyo (-68.9%), San Juan (-61.9%), and Loiza (-61%). One might take note of the significant decrease in Loiza, the county with the highest percentage of those who identified as ‘Black or African American’ from the total population in both 2010 and 2020; where in 2010 64.3% of the population identified as ‘Black or African American alone’ compared to 31.8% in 2020. The biggest decrease happened amongst the metropolitan areas and all along the border of the east side of the island.

Figure 6. Percent Change of One Race: Some Other Race Alone, 2010 – 2020 by County

In regard to those who identified as ‘Some Other Race Alone’, in all 78 municipalities there was an increase of at least 40% between 2010 and 2020. Seventy-five of the counties had at least a 100% increase of those who identified as “Some other Race”, with Florida having the biggest increase of 875.9% followed by Adjuntas (761.10%) and Utuado (573.1%). For the three municipios under a 100% increase between 2010 and 2020, Canovanas had the lowest at 42.9% followed by Catano (75.6%) and Lajas (84.9%). The biggest of the increases seem to have taken place in the center of the island on the west side. It would appear as though the municipios in center of the island where there was a less notable decrease, between -40% to 0%, for those who identified as ‘Black or African American alone’ would be the same areas in which those who identified as ‘Some Other Race’ experienced a higher increase between 2010 and 2020.

Population of Two Races

For those in Puerto Rico who identified as ‘two races,’ there was a drastic increase by at least 240% in all 78 municipalities from 2010 to 2020. Adjuntas had the largest rate of change from 2010 to 2020 at 4054.8% followed by Utuado (3309.2%). For those who identified as “Two Races” it appears to be a combination of some form of the top three most identified races in those who identified with ‘One Race’: ‘White and Black or African American’, ‘White and Some Other Race’, and ‘Black or African American and Some other Race.’

Figure 7. Percent Change of Two Races: White & Black or African American, 2010 – 2020 by County

Between 2010 and 2020, 73 municipalities experienced a decrease for those who identified as ‘White and Black or African American’ with Yabucoa (-90.3%) and Culebra (-90%) experiencing the largest decrease and Corozal, the smallest (-1.7%). Only four municipalities experienced an increase of those who identified as ‘White and Black or African American’: Adjuntas (126.6%) followed by Penuelas (118.4%), Utuado (8.7%), and Florida (2.3%); three of such bordering one another. Las Marias did not experience any change between 2010 and 2020.

Figure 8. Percent Change of Two Races: White & Some Other Race, 2010 – 2020 by County

For those who identified as “White; or Some other Race”, there was an astonishing increase in all 78 municipalities ranging from nearly 1500% to 10400%. Ciales had the highest increase at 10,359.1% followed by Moca (8,884.7%) and Las Marias (8,153.3%). The largest of the increases seem to in the center and west of the island. The municipality with the lowest increase between 2010 and 2020 was Maunabo (1,479%) followed by Yabucoa (1,562%) and Vieques (2,041.8%).

Figure 9. Percent Change of Two Races: Black or African American & Some Other Race, 2010 – 2020 by County

Similar to those who identified as “White; or Some other Race,” there was an astonishing increase in all 78 municipalities as well for those who identified as “Black or African American; Some Other Race” between 2010 and 2020. Maricao had the most drastic increase of 11,300% followed by Orocovis (6,635.3%), San Lorenzo (3,970.6%), Isabela (3,853.4%) and Loiza (3,701%). The municipality with the lowest increase between 2010 and 2020 was Comerio (1,117.9%) followed by Utuado (1,147.2%) and Guanica (1,320%).