Settlement Patterns, Socioeconomic Progress and Cultural Identity among Puerto Ricans in the Northeast

• In Event: Economic Opportunity After the Great Recession: The Case of Puerto Ricans and Other Latinos

Abstract

Historically, the Northeast was a major destination region for Puerto Rican migrants since the 19th century. New York City was predominately a magnet destination for Puerto Ricans, however it is predicted that it will soon lose its rank as the city with the largest Puerto Rican concentration to Florida State. Academic literature has recently focused on the growing Puerto Rican and other Latino groups in the South, particularly in the following states: Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Texas. However, short distance (ie. intra-state and intra-region) migration has received less attention in the academic literature; therefore, the purpose of this paper is to provide a geographic analysis of the changing geography of the Puerto Ricans in the Northeast, particularly those moving out of New York City and shed light on their new settlement patterns, cultural identity, and socioeconomic status outcome. An integrative mixed methods approach is used in this study. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau between 1990 and 2010 is used for mapping purpose and examine the factors associated to socioeconomic outcomes and lastly qualitative findings from semi-structured interviews will shed light on Puerto Rican cultural identity in the Northeast.

Author

• Jennifer Hinojosa, University of Maryland, College Park