Snapshot of Dominicans in the United States

The Dominican population in the U.S. was a bare 12,000 in 1960, then grew. It doubled during the 1980s and again in the 1990s. Since then it has grown about 25% decade and now stands at about one million, out of a total 44 million foreign persons. First, second and later generations who cite Dominican roots are about 2.2 million, or about a 2 to 1 ratio with foreign born Dominicans.

Half live in New York, and another 25% in New Jersey or Florida, but Boston is also a big attraction and Dominicans are the largest Hispanic group in the Boston area (larger than Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, and other Hispanics). About 6 out of 10 have speak English less than well, compared to about half of all immigrants. About 35% of Dominican adults do not have a high school degree, compared to 29% of all immigrant adults, and 8% of native born Americans.

About one quarter live in poverty. About 112,100 are undocumented – that is, about 10% of all Dominicans and 1% of all undocumented persons. (That compares to about 5.6 million undocumented Mexicans out of about 12 million Mexicans in the U.S.)

Dominicans remit back about $6 billion, which is 8% of the country’s gross domestic product.

This from the Migration Policy Institute.

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