THE percentage of families in poverty declined 10 years before the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions were implemented in the CNMI, according to the 2020 Island Areas Censuses.
The most recent survey results released by the U.S. Census Bureau provided a variety of economic data about the CNMI.
As for the islands’ “demographic characteristics” in 2020, the Census report stated the following:
—The CNMI had a population of 47,329, with 24,892 males (52.6%) and 22,437 females (47.4%).
—People aged 65 or over made up 5.9% of the population while those aged 85 or over account for 0.2%.
—Children aged 0-17 made up 28.8% of the population.
—The median age was 34.4 years.
The CNMI population, which totaled 52,141 in 2013, is believed to have decreased since the pandemic in 2020 due to the resulting economic downturn.
According to the Census report, the percentage of families living in poverty in the CNMI declined to 33.7% in 2019 from 44.4% in 2009.
Of the 47,035 people for whom U.S. poverty status was determined in 2019, 17,876 (38.0%) had income below the poverty level, and 20.6% of households received benefits from the Nutrition Assistance Program, the Census report stated.
The Census report also found that the median household income in the CNMI increased to $31,362 in 2019 from $23,839 (in 2019 inflation-adjusted dollars) in 2009.
Moreover, the homeownership rate in the CNMI was 29% in 2020, up slightly from 28.3% in 2010, while the average household size in the CNMI increased to 4.15 in 2020 from 3.22 in 2010.
The Census report said 71% of housing units were rented by families, and 29% were owned.
The median home value was $184,200, and the median monthly gross rent was $502.
The Census report said 7.2% of homeowners and 17.4% of renters spent 35% or more of household income on housing costs.
The report also said that among the households in the CNMI, 96.7% had at least one type of computer — 60.8% had a desktop or laptop computer; 94.9% had a smartphone; 48.2% had a tablet or other portable wireless device; and 84% had a broadband internet subscription.
In his e-newsletter, U.S. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan said Census statistics are crucial to ensuring that the U.S. Congress and other federal departments and agencies will make well-informed decisions on policies affecting the CNMI.
For more CNMI Census information, go to https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2020/dec/2020-commonwealth-northern-mariana-islands.html/.
