2015-09-14-皮尤-Hispanics_of_Dominican_Origin_in_the_United_States,_2013_8页_364kb

Summary of Hispanics of Dominican Origin in the United States, 2013

Core Content

This report provides a statistical profile of Hispanics of Dominican origin in the United States in 2013, based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) and a Pew Research Center survey of 5,103 Hispanic adults. The findings highlight demographic, economic, and cultural characteristics of this population, comparing them with all Hispanics and the general U.S. population.

Key Statistics

• Population Size: An estimated 1.8 million Hispanics of Dominican origin lived in the U.S. in 2013, making them the fifth-largest Hispanic origin group.
• Growth: The Dominican-origin population more than tripled from 1990 to 2013, growing from 517,000 to 1.8 million.
• Immigration Status:
  • 55% of Dominicans in the U.S. are foreign born.
  • 4-in-10 Dominican immigrants have been in the U.S. for over 20 years.
  • Half of Dominican immigrants are U.S. citizens.
• Language:
  • 57% of Dominicans aged 5 and older speak English proficiently.
  • 88% of Dominicans speak Spanish at home, compared to 73% of all Hispanics.
  • Bilingual speakers among Dominicans: 43%.
  • Spanish-dominant: 48%.
  • English-dominant: 3%.
• Education:
  • 17% of Dominican adults aged 25 and older have at least a bachelor's degree.
  • U.S.-born Dominicans are more likely to have higher education than foreign-born Dominicans (25% vs. 15%).
• Income and Economic Status:
  • Median annual personal earnings for Dominicans aged 16 and older was $20,000.
  • This is slightly lower than the median earnings for all Hispanics ($21,900) and significantly lower than the U.S. population overall ($30,000).
• Poverty:
  • 28% of Dominicans live in poverty, higher than the general U.S. population (16%) and slightly higher than all Hispanics (25%).
• Health Insurance:
  • 21% of Dominicans lack health insurance, compared to 29% of all Hispanics and 15% of the general U.S. population.
  • 8% of Dominican children under 18 are uninsured.
• Homeownership:
  • 24% of Dominicans own their homes, lower than the 45% rate for all Hispanics and the 64% rate for the U.S. population.
• Marital Status:
  • 37% of Dominican adults aged 18 and older are married, lower than the 46% of all Hispanics and 50% of the U.S. population.
  • Foreign-born Dominicans are more likely to be married than U.S.-born Dominicans (44% vs. 21%).
• Fertility:
  • Only 7% of Dominican women aged 15 to 44 gave birth in the 12 months prior to the survey.
  • 55% of Dominican women who gave birth were unmarried, higher than the 45% for all Hispanic women and 38% for U.S. women.
• Regional Distribution:
  • 79% of Dominicans live in the Northeast.
  • Nearly half (47%) live in New York.
• Employment:
  • 12.9% of Dominican-origin adults are unemployed.
  • Unemployment rates are higher among foreign-born Dominicans (17%) than U.S.-born Dominicans (11%).

Identity and Cultural Views

• Self-Identification:
  • 66% of Dominican adults most often describe themselves as "Dominican."
  • 16% identify as "American."
  • 17% use the pan-ethnic terms "Hispanic" or "Latino."
• Preference for Identity Terms:
  • 60% of Dominicans have no preference for "Hispanic" or "Latino."
  • Among those with a preference, 29% prefer "Hispanic" and 11% prefer "Latino."
• Religious Affiliation:
  • 59% of Dominican adults identify as Catholic.
  • 21% are Protestant (6% mainline, 16% evangelical).
  • 16% are religiously unaffiliated.
  • This is compared to 55% Catholic, 22% Protestant, and 18% unaffiliated for all Hispanics.

Methodology and Notes

• The data is based on the 2013 American Community Survey and a Pew Research Center survey.
• The survey has a margin of error of ±2.1 percentage points.
• The data may include sampling and measurement errors, and estimates can vary due to differences in methodology.
• The report notes that the ACS may overstate citizenship rates and that health insurance data reflects coverage prior to the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate.

Conclusion

Hispanics of Dominican origin represent a growing and distinct group within the U.S. Hispanic population. They have unique demographic, economic, and cultural characteristics, including a younger age profile, higher rates of bilingualism, and lower levels of education and homeownership compared to the general U.S. population. Their identity is largely rooted in their Dominican heritage, with a strong preference for self-identification as "Dominican." The data also highlights disparities in employment and economic outcomes, especially between U.S.-born and foreign-born Dominicans.