Census: 38% below poverty level

Of the 47,035 people in the CNMI who were counted in 2020, a total of 17,876 or 38% had income below the poverty level, according to a U.S. Census Bureau report released on Thursday.

According to the 2020 Island Areas Censuses Demographic and Housing Characteristics Summary File, Commonwealth households were asked about their income the previous year (in 2019) and the results showed that 20.6% of households received benefits from the Nutrition Assistance Plan or food stamps.

Also, it found that the median household income increased from $23,839 in 2009 (when the Census last counted and in 2019 inflation-adjusted dollars) to just $31,362 in 2019.

Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (D-MP) stated in his e-kilili newsletter over the weekend that the Census’ statistics are crucial to ensuring that U.S. Congress, along with federal departments and agencies, make well-informed decisions on policies affecting the insular areas.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, on housing characteristics in 2020, it found that the majority of households, or 84%, had broadband internet subscription.

Among all households, 60.8% had a desktop or laptop computer; 94.9% had a smartphone; and 48.2% had a tablet or other portable wireless device.

Most or 71% occupied housing units were rented, and 29% were owned.

The median home value was $184,200, while the median monthly gross rent was $502.

Census said that 7.2% of homeowners and 17.4% of renters spent 35% or more of household income on housing costs.

The Census found that the CNMI had a population of 47,329 in 2020, with 24,892 males (52.6%) and 22,437 females (47.4%).

The report states that 5.9% of the population was ages 65 or over and 0.2% was ages 85 or over. Children ages 0-17 made up of 28.8% of the population, while the median age was 34.4 years.

As for social characteristics in 2020, over one in five (21.5%) households consisted of only one person.

The majority (59.4%) of the 10,015 family households were married-couple families.

The census found that 5.8% of households, or 825 households, had a female householder with no spouse or partner present and children of the householder who were under 18 years old.

There were 2,315 cohabiting couple households, representing 16.2% of all households. Among family households, 13% were multigenerational.

Over two-thirds (69.4%) of women ages 15 and over had ever given birth.

The median length of marriage for currently married men ages 15 and over was 17.6 years, compared to 16.6 years for currently married women.

Among adults ages 30 and over, 8.9% were grandparents who lived with their own grandchildren under 18.

Of grandparents living with their grandchildren under the age of 18, 49.3% were responsible for their basic needs. The majority (51.7%) of grandparents caring for grandchildren under 18 had been responsible for them for at least five years.

Among the population 5 years and older in households who moved between April 1, 2015, and April 1, 2020, 27.5% reported natural disaster as their primary reason for moving.

Of the population ages 3 and over in households, 74% spoke a language other than English at home. Of those who spoke a language other than English, 52.5% spoke English “very well” and 39% spoke Philippine languages.

The majority (85.6%) of the population age 25 and older had a high school degree, and 21% had a bachelor’s degree or higher. The most common bachelor’s degree was in business.

The Census statistics includes over 400 tables with data on age, race and ethnicity, household type, relationship, population in group quarters, whether the residence is owned or rented (tenure), vacancy status and other social, economic, housing and demographic characteristics.

In addition, data are available for island-specific geographies, including municipalities, districts and villages.