puerto ricans in florida, 2015issued april 2017 centro ds2017fl-01 in 2015, florida had the second...

Between 2006 and 2015, more than 175,000 Puerto Ricans from Puerto Rico migrated to Florida (see figure 1). Over 16,000 Puerto Rican migrants from Puerto Rico moved to Florida in 2006. Between 2006 and 2012, Puerto Rican migrants showed both high and low waves of migration between 2006 and 2010, with a range of 16,000 to 12,000 incoming migrants per year. Incoming Puerto Rican migrants spiked up to about 19,000 in 2011 and then decreased to about 14,700 in 2012. However, between 2013 and 2015, the average of incoming Puerto Rican migrants was at least 20,000 or more per year to Florida State.

All in all, growing employment opportunities and high mean earnings of full-time, year-round Puerto Ricans

in Florida seem to be the main characteristics of the continuing growth of the population in the state. The following sections describe selected socioeconomic characteristics, such as education, employment, income and earnings, poverty, housing, health care, and entrepreneurship of the Puerto Rican population in Florida in 2015, compared to Puerto Ricans who migrated to Florida between 2006 and 2015, Hispanics overall, and non-Hispanic whites in the state of Florida.

The state of Florida has one of the most diverse Latino populations in the country. As of 2015, the Puerto Rican population (21.5%) was the second largest group of Latinos in Florida after Cubans (28.6%), and together they comprised half the state’s Latino population (see figure

PUERTO RICANS IN FLORIDA, 2015

Data SheetIssued April 2017Centro DS2017FL-01

In 2015, Florida had the second largest concentration of Puerto Ricans in the United States (1,069,446) after New York (1,084,872). Florida and New York were the only states with more than one million Puerto Ricans during this year. Puerto Ricans accounted for 5.3 percent of the total population in Florida, but 21.5 percent of the state’s Latino population in 2015. In other words, one in every five Latinos in Florida was Puerto Rican.

Figure 1: Puerto Rican Migration to Florida, 2006-2015

2006-2015 American Community Survey, 1-Year Estimates

2

2). The other half of the Latino population was composed of South Americans (16.8%), Mexicans (14.6%), Central Americans (10.7%), Dominicans (4.2%), and other Latinos (4%).

Between 2010 and 2015, the Puerto Rican population in Florida grew by 26.2 percent (see table 1). This rate of growth was more than three times higher than the state’s overall population (7.8%) and nearly five times higher than that of all non-Latinos in the states (5%). During this period, Puerto Ricans (26.2%) had the highest rate of growth of all Latino groups in the state, followed by South Americans (24%), Central Americans (22.3%), Dominicans

(20.1%), Cubans (17.1%), and Mexicans (14.8%).

Age, Education, and LanguageAgeIn 2015, the median age of Puerto Rican migrants in Florida (30 years) was 2.4 years lower than the 32.4 year median age for the overall Puerto Rican population in Florida and 0.5 years higher than the 29.5 year median age for stateside Puerto Ricans (see table 2). Non-Hispanic whites (49.5 years) had the highest median age in 2015 relative to the Puerto Rican population and Puerto Rican migrants in the state. Hispanics overall (35.2

Total 15,982,378 100% 18,801,310 100% 20,271,272 100%Not Hispanic or Latino 13,299,663 83.2% 14,577,504 77.5% 15,308,367 75.5%

White alone 10,458,509 65.4% 10,884,722 57.9% 11,170,487 55.1%Black or African American 2,264,268 14.2% 2,851,100 15.2% 3,145,615 15.5%Other 576,886 3.6% 841,682 4.5% 992,265 4.9%

Hispanic or Latino 2,682,715 16.8% 4,223,806 22.5% 4,962,905 24.5%Mexican 363,925 2.3% 629,718 3.3% 723,190 3.6%Puerto Rican 482,027 3.0% 847,550 4.5% 1,069,446 5.3%Cuban 833,120 5.2% 1,213,438 6.5% 1,420,846 7.0%Dominican Republic 70,968 0.4% 172,451 0.9% 207,193 1.0%Central American 202,772 1.3% 432,665 2.3% 529,113 2.6%South American 301,236 1.9% 674,542 3.6% 836,208 4.1%Other 428,667 2.7% 253,442 1.3% 176,909 0.9%

20152000 2010

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 1, 2010 Census. Summary File 1, and 2015 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2015 American Community Survey 1-year estimates.

Table 1. Puerto Rican and Latino Population in Florida

Figure 2. Puerto Rican and Latino Population in Florida, 2015

3

years) also had a slightly higher median age than Puerto Ricans overall and Puerto Rican migrants in Florida, but lower than non-Hispanic whites in 2015. Differences in median age were also evident in the percent of the population 62 years or older in 2015. The proportion of Puerto Rican migrants in Florida aged 62 and older (6.2%) was half that of Puerto Ricans (12.6%) and Hispanics overall (14%), and significantly lower than that of stateside Puerto Ricans (10.2%) and non-Hispanic whites (31.1%) in 2015 (see table 2).

EducationOne of the assertions commonly made by the media is that Puerto Ricans in Florida are more educated than stateside Puerto Ricans. In 2015, Puerto Rican migrants in Florida, aged 25 years and older, had a significantly lower population proportion with less than a high school diploma (11.5%) than Puerto Ricans in Florida (15.3%) and stateside Puerto Ricans (21.1%). As shown in table 2, Puerto Rican migrants (11.5%) had higher rates of those with less than a high school education than non-Hispanic whites (7.3%), but half the rate of Hispanics overall (22.2%) in 2015. On the other hand, the overall Puerto Rican population (15.3%) without a high school education was at least two times higher than non-Hispanic whites (7.3%) and lower than Hispanics

overall (22.2%) in the state (see figure 4). Educational attainment among those with a high school diploma showed that Puerto Rican migrants in Florida (24.4%) had a lower rate of attainment than Puerto Ricans in Florida (30%), non-Hispanic whites (29%), and Hispanics overall (28.9%). Overall, Puerto Ricans overall (30%) showed comparable high school graduate rates to non-Hispanic whites (29%), and stateside Puerto Ricans (29.7%) in Florida. In addition, among individuals with some college or an associate’s degree, Puerto Ricans in Florida (35%) had a higher rate of attainment than Puerto Rican migrants (32.7%), non-Hispanic whites (31.8%), and Hispanics overall (26.1%). Furthermore, the percentage of Puerto Ricans in Florida (35%) with some college or an associate’s degree was 5 points higher than stateside Puerto Ricans (30.8%) in 2015. On the other hand, Puerto Rican migrants (32.7%) had slightly higher rates with some college or associate’s degree compared to non-Hispanic whites (31.8%) and Hispanics overall (26.1%) in the state of Florida. Among those with a bachelor’s degree or higher, Puerto Rican migrants in Florida (31.5%) had higher rate of attainment than Puerto Ricans in Florida (19.7%), Hispanics overall (22.8%), and stateside Puerto Ricans (18.4%) in 2015 (see table 2). Puerto Rican migrants (31.5%) showed comparable rates of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher relative to non-Hispanic

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 1, 2010 Census. Summary File 1, and 2015 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates.

Figure 3. Puerto Rican and Latino Population in Florida, 2000-2015

4

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2015 Amer-ican Community Survey 1-year estimates. *2015 American Community Survey, 1-Year Estimates

Figure 4. Educational Attainment, 25 years and over, 2015

whites (31.9%) in Florida (see figure 4).

The most pronounced difference in educational attainment among Puerto Ricans in Florida was found along gender lines. The 2015 U.S. Census data revealed that Puerto Rican females in Florida, in the U.S. and those who migrated from Puerto Rico were more likely to have a bachelor’s degree or higher than Puerto Rican males. As shown in table 2, Puerto Rican migrants (39.3%) in Florida had nearly double the proportion of females with a bachelor’s degree or higher compared to the overall Puerto Rican female population in Florida (21.9%), Hispanic females overall (24%), and non-Hispanic white females (30.3%) in Florida. The percentage of stateside Puerto Rican females (20.1%) who earned a bachelor’s degree or higher was nearly half of the rate of Puerto Rican female migrants in Florida (39.3%) in 2015. However, percentage of Puerto Rican male migrants (21.2%) who earned a bachelor’s degree or higher was at least 4 percentage points higher than Puerto Rican males in Florida (17.2%) and comparable to Hispanic males overall (24%) in the state (see table 2). The percentage of non-Hispanic white males (33.5%) in Florida with a bachelor’s degree or higher was higher compared to Puerto Rican male migrants (21.2%), Hispanic males (21.5%), and Puerto Rican males (17.2%) in the state.

LanguageIn Florida, only 2.7 percent of the Puerto Rican migrants spoke only English at home, while 27.9 percent of the overall Puerto Rican population and 17.3 percent of the overall Hispanic population in Florida spoke only English at home (see table 2). One out of 9 Puerto Rican migrants (97.3%) reported speaking another language other than English at home, and this was higher compared to the overall Puerto Rican population (72.1%) and overall Hispanic (82.7%) populations in Florida in 2015. Moreover, a higher proportion of Puerto Rican migrants in Florida stated that they spoke English less than “very well” (54.4%) compared to the overall Puerto Rican population (20.4%) and Hispanics overall (36.7%) in Florida

Employment and OccupationsLabor force participation includes all people, 16 years and older, in the civilian labor force and the population serving in the Armed Forces. In 2015, the civilian labor force participation rate for Puerto Rican migrants in Florida (59.4%) was slightly lower than that of the overall Puerto Rican population in Florida (61.1%), stateside

Puerto Ricans (61.4%), and Hispanics overall (64.4%) in Florida (see table 3). Non-Hispanic whites (54.2%) showed lower labor force participation rates compared to Puerto Rican migrants, Puerto Ricans overall in Florida (61.4%), and Hispanics overall in the state. The civilian labor force participation is divided into two groups — those who are employed and those unemployed. Hispanics overall (60.3%) in Florida showed slightly higher employment rates than Puerto Ricans overall (56.5%), Puerto Rican migrants (51.8%), and non-Hispanic whites (50.9%) in 2015. Moreover, Puerto Rican migrants in Florida (13%) had a higher unemployment rate than non-Hispanic whites (3.2%), Puerto Ricans in Florida overall (8%) and Hispanics overall (9.6%) in the state (see table 3).

Puerto Rican male and female migrants in Florida were overrepresented in the “sales and office” occupations. Nearly two in seven Puerto Rican male migrants in Florida (27%) worked in the “sales and office” occupations while only 22.9 percent of all Puerto Rican males in Florida and 19.9 percent of stateside male Puerto Ricans worked in these occupations (see table 3). Among females, Puerto Rican migrants in Florida had a higher proportion of workers in the “sales and office” occupations (52%) compared to Puerto Rican females in Florida (43%) and stateside female Puerto Ricans (36%). Puerto Rican males

5

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2015 American Community Survey 1-year estimates. *2015 American Community Survey, 1-Year Estimates

Table 2. Age Education, and Language, 2015

Table 3. Employment and Occupations, 2015

Puerto Ricans in Florida

Puerto Rican Migrants in Florida*

Non-Hispanic whites in Florida

Hispanics in Florida

Puerto Ricans in the U.S.

TOTAL POPULATION 1,069,446 24,498 11,170,487 4,962,905 5,372,759

Median age (years) 32.4 30 49.5 35.2 29.562 years and over 12.6% 6.2% 31.1% 14.0% 10.2%

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENTPopulation 25 years and over Less than high school diploma 15.3% 11.5% 7.3% 22.2% 21.1% High school graduate (includes equivalency) 30.0% 24.4% 29.0% 28.9% 29.7% Some college or associate's degree 35.0% 32.7% 31.8% 26.1% 30.8% Bachelor's degree or higher 19.7% 31.5% 31.9% 22.8% 18.4%

Male, bachelor's degree or higher 17.2% 21.2% 33.5% 21.5% 16.5%Female, bachelor's degree or higher 21.9% 39.3% 30.3% 24.0% 20.1%

LANGUAGE SPOKEN AT HOME AND ABILITY TO SPEAK ENGLISH Population 5 years and over

English only 27.9% 2.7% 92.8% 17.3% 39.3%Language other than English 72.1% 97.3% 7.2% 82.7% 60.7%

Speak English less than "very well" 20.4% 54.5% 1.8% 36.7% 16.7%


66

(21%) in the state showed an overrepresentation in the “management, business, science, and arts” occupations while only 14.1 percent of Puerto Rican male migrants worked in similar occupation in Florida. However, non-Hispanic white males (37.1%) and Hispanic males overall (22.6%) showed higher rates in the “management, business, science, and arts” occupations compared to Puerto Rican males and Puerto Rican male migrants in the state. Puerto Rican females and Puerto Rican female migrants showed equal representation in the “management, business, science, and arts” occupations in Florida, but lower than non-Hispanic white females (43.3%) in 2015 (see table 3).

Income and EarningsHousehold incomes are important indicators of economic well-being. In 2015, the median household income for Puerto Rican migrants in Florida ($39,900) was slightly lower compared to all Puerto Ricans ($41,417) and Hispanics overall ($41,776) in Florida (see table 4). On the other hand, non-Hispanics whites ($54,626) showed higher median household income compared to all groups in the state. These differences are also evident in per capita income. In 2015, per capita income for Puerto Rican migrants in Florida ($10,246) was lower than that of non-Hispanic whites ($34,533), Hispanics overall ($19,753), and all Puerto Ricans ($18,352) in the state (see table 4).

Overall, the mean earnings for males working full-time and year-round were higher than for females in Florida, regardless of race and ethnicity. In Florida, Puerto Rican male migrants ($34,854) earned on average more than females ($32,791). These earnings were significantly lower than those for Puerto Rican males ($43,692) and females ($38,449) in Florida (see figure 5). The mean earning for Puerto Rican males and females migrants were also significantly lower than Hispanic males ($46,574) and Hispanic females ($37,869) in 2015. Non-Hispanic white males ($69,924) and females ($49,602) showed significantly higher mean earnings compared to all Puerto Ricans, Puerto Rican migrants, and Hispanics in Florida. However, the gap in earnings between non-Hispanic white males and females ($20,322) was wider compared to the gap in earnings for Puerto Ricans overall ($5,243), for Puerto Rican migrants, and for Hispanics overall ($8,705) in the state (see figure 5). Moreover, Puerto Rican male and female migrants showed a narrower wage gap than Puerto Ricans and Hispanics overall in Florida.

One assertion often alluded to about Puerto Ricans in the U.S. is that welfare or public assistance is a motivation for migration. In 2015, the proportion of households receiving cash public assistance income was 9 percent for Puerto Rican migrants in Florida, 3.5 percent for all Puerto Ricans in Florida, and 6.9 percent for other stateside Puerto Ricans (see table 4). However, the difference in the amount of cash households received in public assistance was slightly lower for Puerto Rican migrants in Florida ($1,053) compared to all Puerto Ricans in Florida ($2,231) and stateside Puerto Ricans ($3,551). As shown in table 4, the proportion of Puerto Rican migrant households in Florida receiving benefits from the Food Stamp/SNAP program was 29.4% in 2015, 2.9 percentage points higher than the 26.5% rate for Puerto Rican households in Florida and 1.5 percentage points lower than stateside Puerto Rican (30.9%).

Poverty RatesOver the past decade, Puerto Ricans have stood out for exhibiting high poverty rates compared to other groups in the United States. In 2015, the proportion of households receiving cash public assistance income was 9 percent for Puerto Rican migrants, 3.5 percent for all Puerto Ricans, 2.5 percent for all Hispanics, and 1.6 percent for non-Hispanic whites in Florida. Therefore, Puerto Rican migrants in Florida are doing worse than all Puerto Ricans in Florida and stateside Puerto Ricans in poverty indicators (see table 5).

The poverty rate among Puerto Rican families overall in Florida (35.8%) was significantly higher than that of overall Hispanic families (17.5%) and non-Hispanic white families in Florida. Among Puerto Rican families with related children under 18 years living in Florida, 43.5 percent lived in poverty, a rate significantly higher than Hispanics overall (24.3%) and non-Hispanic whites (12%) in 2015. In terms of child poverty rates, more than half (52.1%) of Puerto Rican migrant children were in poverty, this was at least 25.7 percent higher than all Puerto Rican children (26.4%) and 23.9 percent higher than overall Hispanic children (28.2%) in Florida (see table 5).

In 2015 the poverty rate for female-headed households overall (without a husband present in the household) was the highest among Hispanics overall (42.1%) followed by Puerto Ricans overall (38.1%) and non-Hispanics (28.2%) in Florida (see figure 6).

7

Puerto Rican Population by Counties in Florida, 2015Puerto Ricans accounted for about 5 percent of Florida’s total population and were most concentrated in the metropolitan areas of Orlando (Orange, Osceola, and Seminole Counties); Tampa (Hillsborough County); Miami (Miami-Dade County); and Fort Lauderdale (Broward County). Over 50 percent of the Puerto Rican population in Florida resided in or around these major urbanized areas. About one in eight Puerto Ricans in Florida (18.5%) lived in Orange County compared to about one in twenty of all Floridians (6.4%). The Puerto Rican presence in Miami-Dade County was 10.4 percent compared to 36.3 percent for Latinos, indicating that more than one in three Latinos in Florida lives in Miami-Dade. Outside of these major urban areas, Puerto Ricans were also found in Polk and Pinellas counties, between Orlando and Tampa, along the I-40 corridor.

COUNTY Puerto Rican Population % Latino

Population % Total Population %

Orange County 198,008 18.5% 384,040 7.7% 1,288,126 6.4%Miami-Dade County 111,677 10.4% 1,800,281 36.3% 2,693,117 13.3%Osceola County 99,199 9.3% 165,344 3.3% 323,993 1.6%Hillsborough County 96,317 9.0% 363,767 7.3% 1,349,050 6.7%Broward County 87,516 8.2% 531,735 10.7% 1,896,425 9.4%Polk County 49,740 4.7% 133,079 2.7% 650,092 3.2%Seminole County 47,511 4.4% 89,012 1.8% 449,144 2.2%Palm Beach County 45,643 4.3% 300,776 6.1% 1,422,789 7.0%Lee County 31,683 3.0% 139,759 2.8% 701,982 3.5%Pasco County 28,562 2.7% 69,900 1.4% 497,909 2.5%Duval County 26,942 2.5% 81,462 1.6% 913,010 4.5%Pinellas County 24,118 2.3% 86,744 1.7% 949,827 4.7%Brevard County 22,241 2.1% 54,828 1.1% 568,088 2.8%Alachua County 8,107 0.8% 23,895 0.5% 259,964 1.3%Collier County 7,070 0.7% 95,894 1.9% 357,305 1.8%Other Counties 185,112 17.3% 642,389 12.9% 5,950,451 29.4%Total 1,069,446 100% 4,962,905 100% 20,271,272 100%

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2015 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates.

8

PUERTO RICAN POPULATION By COUNTIES IN FLORIDA, 2015

8

Puerto Rican Popula/on

06’-‐15’ Puerto Rican Arrivals

Boundaries

Congressional District

1 Dot = 500

1 Dot = 500

County

City/Towns

Census Tracts

Republican

Democrat

10

PUER

TO R

ICA

N P

OPU

LATI

ON

By

COU

NTI

ES C

ENTR

AL

FLO

RID

A, 2

015

10

Puerto Rican

Pop

ula/

on

06’-‐1

5’ Pue

rto Rican Arriv

als

Boun

darie

s

Congressiona

l District

1 Do

t = 500

1 Do

t = 500

Coun

ty

City/Tow

ns

Census Tracts

Repu

blican

Democrat

11



Figure 5. Mean Earnings for Full-Time, Year-Round Workers, 2015

Table 4. Income and Earnings, 2015

12



Table 5. Poverty, 2015

Figure 6. Poverty Rates, 2015





POVERTY RATES All families 16.2% 6.7% 17.5% 21.4%

With related children under 18 years 23.5% 12% 24.3% 28.7%Married-couple family 8.7% 4% 11.7% 8.9%

With related children under 18 years 12.9% 5.2% 15.2% 11.2%Female householder, no husband present, family 30.5% 19.1% 31.8% 39.3%

With related children under 18 years 38.1% 28.2% 42.1% 47.1%All people 19.6% 11.0% 20.6% 24.6%

Under 18 years 26.4% 14.5% 28.2% 31.8%

HousingHomeownership rates are used as indicators of financial stability. Overall, owning a home is considered as an essential step toward economic self-sufficient and upward mobility. The rate of Puerto Rican migrants in Florida that owned a home (24.8%) was significantly lower than the rate for all Puerto Ricans (46.3%), Hispanics overall (49.2%), and non-Hispanic whites (72.5%). Hispanic homeowners in Florida showed higher median home values ($188,100) compared to non-Hispanic whites ($184,300), all Puerto Ricans ($158,900), and Puerto Rican migrants ($130,000) in Florida (see table 6). In 2015, at least 37.4 percent of Puerto Ricans in Florida who owned their homes reported using at “least 30 percent or more of their income” toward their monthly mortgage expense; this was higher than Hispanics overall (56.7%) but lower than non-Hispanic whites (68%) in Florida (see table 6).

In 2015, Puerto Rican migrants in Florida had highest proportion of renters (75.2%) than all Puerto Ricans (53.7%), Hispanics overall (50.8%), and non-Hispanic whites (27.5%) (see figure 7). Across all groups in this report, average monthly rent costs was comparable in the state of Florida. For example, in 2015, the average

13



Table 6. Housing, 2015

Figure 7. Housing Tenure, 2015rental cost was slightly higher among non-Hispanic whites ($1,079) than Hispanics overall ($1,073), all Puerto Ricans ($1,036), and Puerto Rican migrants ($1,020) in the state (see table 6).

Health Care3

The recent debates and issues surrounding the 2014 Affordable Care Act (ACA) have raised concerns about accessibility to health care services in the U.S., let alone in Florida. As discussed in the previous sections, Puerto Ricans and Puerto Rican migrants in Florida are among the fastest growing groups in the nation as well as in the state of Florida. The growth of Puerto Rican communities in Florida and from around the U.S., specifically in Central Florida, is partially due to natural growth and the increasing migration from Puerto Rico. There are two general forms of health insurance coverage: private and government health insurance coverage. Note that Florida did not expand Medicaid under the 2014 Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Any Health Plans vs. Uninsured Health insurance coverage among Puerto Rican migrants in Florida was vastly different compared to the overall Puerto Rican population and the overall population in the state. As of 2015, 85.7 percent of the Puerto Rican


Puerto Rican Migrants in

Florida*




HOUSING Owner-occupied housing units 46.3% 24.8% 72.5% 49.2% 36.1%Renter-occupied housing units 53.7% 75.2% 27.5% 50.8% 63.9%

Monthly owner costs as a percentage of household income in the past 12 months

Less than 30 percent 62.6% - 68.0% 56.7% 62.8%30 percent or more 37.4% - 32.0% 43.3% 37.2%

Owner-occupied housing unitsMedian value (dollars) $158,900 $130,000 184,300 188,100 $189,900Median selected monthly owner costs with a mortgage (dollars) $1,278 $1,335 $1,396 $1,438 $1,552

Gross rentMedian gross rent (dollars) $1,036 $1,020 $1,079 $1,073 $968

14

PUERTO RICAN wITHOUT HEALTH INSURANCE COvERAgE IN THE U.S, 2015

15


16

Figure 9. Type of Health Insurance Coverage in Florida, 2010-2015

population in Florida had some form of health care insurance coverage and the remaining 14.3 percent were uninsured. Puerto Ricans in Florida (85.7%) showed higher rates of health insurance coverage relative to Puerto Rican migrants (66%) and Hispanics overall (77.5%) in 2015. Non-Hispanic whites (90.2%) showed higher health insurance coverage rates across all groups in the state (see table 7 and figure 9).

In 2015, the rate of uninsured Puerto Rican migrants (34%) was higher than among Hispanics overall (22.5%), all Puerto Ricans (14.3%), and non-Hispanic whites (9.8%) in Florida. However, Puerto Ricans overall (85.7%) showed lower health insurance coverage rates than stateside Puerto Ricans (90.8%) in 2015. Between 2010 (pre-ACA) and 2015 (post-ACA) Puerto Rican migrants with health insurance coverage in the State of Florida more than doubled (224%), while Puerto Ricans in Florida overall only increased by 38 percent. On the other hand, Hispanics overall (43%) had the second highest gains between post- and pre-ACA followed by Puerto Ricans overall (38%) and non-Hispanic whites (9%) in Florida (see table 7 and figure 9).

For example, during the post-ACA1, at least 66 percent of the Puerto Rican migrants in Florida had some form

of health insurance coverage and the remaining 34 percent was uninsured. Puerto Rican migrants with health insurance coverage showed 19.6 percentage points lower than the overall Puerto Rican population and 20.2 percentage points lower than the state’s overall population. Uninsured rates were the highest among Puerto Rican migrants (34%) (during post-ACA) relative to the overall Puerto Rican population (14.3%) and the state’s overall population (13.8%) in 2015.

Private vs. Public Health Insurance CoveragePrivate health insurance coverage can be obtained through and employer/union or one can directly purchase it through a health insurance company. In 2015, the majority of the Puerto Rican population in Florida were covered with private health insurance (52.1%) followed by government health insurance (39.6%). Reversely, Puerto Rican migrants showed higher rates with government health insurance coverage (45.1%) followed by 25.5 percent with private health insurance coverage in the same year (post-ACA). Non-Hispanic whites (69.3%) showed the highest rates with private health insurance coverage relative to Puerto Ricans overall (52.1%), Hispanics overall (49.4%), and Puerto Rican migrants (25.1%) in the state (see table 7 and

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 & 2015 American Community Survey 1-year estimates.

*2008-2015 American Community Survey, 1-Year Estimates

17

Percent Change Number Rate Number Rate %

Total populationCoverage TypeAny Health Plan 689,440 76.9% 954,138 85.7% 38%Any Private Plan 444,687 49.6% 579,907 52.1% 30%

Employment-based 381,320 42.5% 448,958 40.3% 18%Direct-purchase 54,318 6.1% 113,936 10.2% 110%

Any government plan 293,894 32.8% 441,553 39.6% 50%Medicare 101,847 11.4% 148,493 13.3% 46%Medicaid 210,140 23.4% 332,242 29.8% 58%Military Health care 50,778 5.7% 64,383 5.8% 27%

Uninsured 207,102 23.1% 159,766 14.3% -23%

Total populationCoverage TypeAny Health Plan 21,703 60.3% 70,268 66.0% 224%Any Private Plan 9,495 26.4% 27,128 25.5% 186%

Employment-based 7,696 21.4% 20,009 18.8% 160%Direct-purchase 1,741 4.8% 6,729 6.3% 287%

Any government plan 13,960 38.8% 48,061 45.1% 244%Medicare 5,275 14.7% 15,347 14.4% 191%Medicaid 9,724 27.0% 35,856 33.7% 269%Military Health care 487 1.4% 4,016 3.8% 725%

Uninsured 14,269 39.7% 36,187 34.0% 154%

Total populationCoverage TypeAny Health Plan 9,235,627 84.9% 10,074,668 90.2% 9%Any Private Plan 7,473,786 68.7% 7,740,409 69.3% 4%

Employment-based 5,623,922 51.7% 5,419,646 48.5% -4%Direct-purchase 2,007,308 18.4% 2,274,584 20.4% 13%

Any government plan 3,689,190 33.9% 4,342,756 38.9% 18%Medicare 2,723,259 25.0% 3,161,620 28.3% 16%Medicaid 1,181,731 10.9% 1,441,851 12.9% 22%Military Health care 959,763 8.8% 1,013,185 9.1% 6%

Uninsured 1,648,022 15.1% 1,098,682 9.8% -33%


Employment-based 1,061,781 31.3% 1,345,187 34.5% 27%Direct-purchase 262,571 7.7% 577,703 14.8% 120%

Any government plan 915,979 27.0% 1,242,685 31.9% 36%Medicare 391,321 11.5% 484,925 12.4% 24%Medicaid 678,460 20.0% 955,714 24.5% 41%Military Health care 57,284 1.7% 80,538 2.1% 41%

Uninsured 1,276,429 37.6% 875,776 22.5% -31%


Employment-based 2,088,179 42.5% 2,469,485 43.8% 18%Direct-purchase 321,421 6.5% 434,330 7.7% 35%

Any government plan 2,016,797 41.0% 2,507,535 44.4% 24%Medicare 443,202 9.0% 608,459 10.8% 37%Medicaid 1,720,639 35.0% 2,100,574 37.2% 22%Military Health care 250,990 5.1% 305,006 5.4% 22%

Uninsured 752,979 15.3% 520,531 9.2% -31%

3,895,168

4,914,546 5,641,485

Non-Hispanic Whites in Florida



896,542 1,113,904

35,972 106,455

10,883,649 11,173,350

3,394,200

PRE ACA POST ACA

Puerto Rican Population in Florida

Puerto Rican Migrants in Florida

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 & 2015 American Community Survey 1-year estimates.

*2008-2015 American Community Survey, 1-Year Estimates

Table 7. Health Insurance Coverage in Florida figure 9). Between the pre- and post-ACA, Puerto Rican migrants in Florida, with private health insurance, almost doubled, from 9,500 in 2010 (pre-ACA) to 27,000 in 2015 (post-ACA). Hispanics overall (46%) in the state had the second highest gains in private health insurance followed Puerto Ricans overall (30%), and non-Hispanic whites (4%) between 2010 and 2015 (see table 7 and figure 9).

Of the 1.1 million Puerto Ricans in the Florida, at least 52.1 percent had a private health insurance, at least 40.3 percent obtained their health insurance through an employer/or labor union and the remaining 10.2 percent directly purchased their health insurance plan in 2015 (see table 7 and figure 9). On the other hand, Puerto Rican migrants (25.5%) showed even lower rates of obtaining their private health insurance through an employer/union (18.8%) and the remaining 6.3 percent directly purchased their health insurance plan in the state. In 2015, Hispanics overall (49.4%) showed slightly lower rates with health insurance coverage in the state relative to Puerto Ricans overall (52.1%), however, at least 14.8 percent directly purchased their health insurance plan and the remaining 34.5 percent obtained their health insurance through an employer/or labor union in Florida. Thus, Hispanics overall (14.8%) and non-Hispanic whites (20.4%) were more likely to purchase their health insurance plans relative to Puerto Ricans overall (10.2%) and Puerto Rican migrants (6.3%) in the state of Florida (see table 7).

Medicaid, Medicare, and Military Health Care2 are examples of government-type health insurance coverage. At least 45 percent of the Puerto Rican migrants (48,000) in Florida, with health insurance coverage, had government health insurance coverage in 2015 (post-ACA), an increase from at least 35,000 during pre-ACA to 48,000 during post-ACA. In 2015 (post-ACA), at least 33.7 percent of the Puerto Rican migrants had Medicaid coverage, 14.4 percent had Medicare coverage, and 3.8 percent had Military health coverage in Florida (see table 7). On the other hand, at least 39.6 percent of the Puerto Rican population in Florida had government health insurance coverage, with 29.8 percent were covered with Medicaid, 13.3 percent with Medicare, and the remaining 5.8 percent with Military health care in 2015 (see table 7). In terms of percent change, among those with government health insurance coverage, between pre- and post-ACA, Puerto Rican migrants showed the highest gains with Military health insurance coverage followed by Medicaid, and Medicare in Florida. On the other hand, Puerto Ricans overall in the state showed higher gains in Medicaid health insurance coverage

18

Figure 10. Puerto Rican Business Owners in Florida (by County), 2012

followed by Medicare, and Military health insurance coverage between pre-and post-ACA. The overall Latino population, with government health insurance, were mostly covered by Medicaid (24.5%) followed by 12.4 percent with Medicare, and 2.1 percent with Military health care in 2015. Between pre- and post-ACA, Hispanics overall showed the highest gains in Medicaid and Military health care (41%) followed by Medicare (24%) in Florida (see table 7).

EntrepreneurshipPuerto Rican entrepreneurs were the fastest growing business firms in the U.S. According to the most recent U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Business owners4, Puerto Rican business firms in the U.S. employed more than 250,000 employees and generated $24.4 billion in sale revenues in 2012. Driven by population growth within

the U.S. mainland and the recent Puerto Rican migration from Puerto Rico, Puerto Rican-owned businesses boomed throughout the nation, especially in Florida.

In 2012, Florida (27.6%) showed the largest proportion of Puerto Rican-owned businesses in the nation, followed by New York (21.3%), New Jersey (7.7%), California (5.6%), Pennsylvania (5.4%), Illinois (4.2%), Connecticut (3.6%), Texas (3.2%), Massachusetts (2.9%), and Georgia (2%). The increasing Puerto Rican population in the U.S. South was a result of migration from Puerto Rico due to the island’s financial crisis as well as internal migration from states of traditional settlement, which has led states such as Florida to become hot spots for Puerto Rican entrepreneurs.

In 2012, Puerto Rican entrepreneurs generated at least $4.8 billion in Florida and $3.2 billion in New York alone

19

Table 8. Puerto Rican Businesses in Florida, 2012

Rank County

Number of Puerto Rican Business

Firms1 Miami-Dade 14,5142 Orange 12,6633 Broward 7,2094 Osceola 6,5735 Hillsborough 6,4686 Palm Beach 3,4847 Polk 2,5458 Seminole 2,0849 Volusia 1,89410 Lee 1,71311 Pasco 1,24712 Duval 1,23213 Pinellas 1,18314 Lake 98415 Brevard 927

in total sales revenue. Popular industries among Puerto Rican-owned businesses in Florida included: other services (21%); administrative and support and waste management and remediation services (18%); and professional, scientific, and technical services (10%). Although Puerto Rican-owned businesses within the manufacturing sector made up only 2 percent in Florida State, it generated $1.1 billion in sales revenue alone. This accounted for 23 percent of all total sales revenue among Puerto Rican-owned firms in Florida.

As shown in table 8, the top 10 counties in Florida with the most Puerto Rican-owned businesses in 2012 was in Miami-Dade County (14,514), followed by Orange County (12,663), Broward County (7,209), Osceola County (6,573), Hillsborough County (6,468), Palm Beach County (3,484), Polk County (2,545), Seminole County (2,084), Volusia County (1,894), and Lee County (1,713).

NOTES

Source: 2012 Survey of Business Owners, U.S. Census Bu-reau.

1. This report defines ‘pre-ACA’ as the years between 2008-2010 and ‘post-ACA’ as the years between 2011-2015.2. Military health care includes TRICARE, CHAMP-VA, and through the Department of Veterans Affairs and the military. 3. Percentages do not add up to 100 because indi-viduals may have more than one health insurance coverage. 4. Data for the Survey of Business Owners (SBO) is collected every 5 years and provides selected socio-demographic and economic characteristics of business owners in the United States, includ-ing Puerto Rico. The most recent data available of business owners (by Hispanic sub-groups) is 2012.

Center for Puerto Rican Studies Hunter College, CUNY

695 Park Avenue New York, NY212-772-5688, centropr.hunter.cuny.edu

The Center for Puerto Rican Studies (Centro) is the nation’s leading university-based insti-tution devoted to the interdisciplinary study of the Puerto Rican experience in the United States. Centro is dedicated to understanding, preserving, and sharing the Puerto Rican experience in the United States.

The Centro Library and Archives is devoted to collecting, preserving and providing access to resources documenting the history and culture of Puerto Ricans. The Centro Library and Archives was established in 1973 as a component of the Center for Puerto Rican Studies. The collections include books, current and historic newspapers and periodicals, audio, film & video, manuscripts, photographs, art prints, and recorded music. The Library and Archives provides services and programs to the scholarly community as well as the general public. Constituents are diverse and come from the United States and abroad. The Library and Archives facilitates access to information on its holdings through the City University’s online public catalog or CUNY+. It also provides research and information assistance via phone and email.

Hunter College,The City University of New york695 Park Avenue, E1429,New York, N.Y. 10065VoiceMail: 212-772-5688Fax: 212-650-3673

Centro Library and ArchivesSilberman Building,2180 Third Avenue at 119th Street,Room 121, New York, N.Y. 10035Library: 212-396-7874Archives: 212-396-7877

centropr.hunter.cuny.edFollow us @centropr

puerto ricans in florida, 2015issued april 2017 centro ds2017fl-01 in 2015, florida had the second...

Documents