A new study conducted by Center for Latin American, Caribbean and Latino Studies at the CUNY Graduate Center has unveiled notable changes in the demographics of New York City’s Puerto Rican and Dominican populations that reflect a significant decrease in the Puerto Rican population in New York City, particularly after 2017. This decline is attributed to factors such as migration to surrounding areas and other states, possibly influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic and economic challenges.

“The Puerto Rican population of New York City peaked in 1970 at nearly 900,000 and gradually declined thereafter.  A gradual process of suburbanization ensued as Puerto Ricans moved to the northern suburban counties, New Jersey, and Long Island,” said Professor Laird Bergad, the report’s author.

Bergad indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated both the population decline in the city and the move to the surrounding suburbs. Between 2017 and 2022, the number of Puerto Ricans living in the five boroughs dropped by almost 20% from about 715,000 to 574,000.

The report, based on data from the American Community Survey 1-year sample, shows that the Dominican population of the city had become the largest Latino nationality in about 2015 and continued to expand thereafter. Although there was a slight decline of -0.3% between 2017 and 2022, there were over 745,000 Dominicans living in New York City in 2022. If we examine the entire New York metropolitan region, there were over 1.1 million Puerto Ricans living in the area compared with over 1.2 million Dominicans in 2022.

Key Findings:

• The Puerto Rican population in New York City has seen a significant decrease, particularly after 2017. This decline is attributed to factors such as migration to surrounding areas and other states, possibly influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic and economic challenges.
• In contrast, the Dominican population in the city has experienced growth during the same period, although a slight decline is observed post-2017. This growth reflects broader trends in migration and settlement patterns within the city.
• The report provides a detailed analysis of the distribution of these populations across various boroughs and counties.
• The findings of this report are crucial for policymakers, community leaders, and social service organizations. Understanding these demographic shifts can aid in better resource allocation, policy formulation, and community support initiatives.
• The study also contributes to a broader understanding of urban demographics and migration patterns, highlighting the dynamic nature of New York City’s cultural and ethnic composition.

The Center for Latin American, Caribbean and Latin Studies is known for its Latino Data Project established in 2003.

The report examines the entire New York metropolitan region. There were over 1.1 million Puerto Ricans living in the area compared with over 1.2 million Dominicans in 2022.

The full report is available for download on the CLACLS website.