America Counts: Stories Behind the Numbers

Puerto Rico Outmigration Increases. Poverty Declines

A year following Hurricane Maria, both the population and poverty rate declined in Puerto Rico. 

Migration from Puerto Rico to the mainland United States increased by 36.9% between 2017 and 2018. Poverty in Puerto Rico decreased by 1.3 percentage points.

The migration and poverty findings released today come from the 2017 and 2018 American Community Surveys (ACS) and Puerto Rico Community Surveys (PRCS).

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The poverty rate in Puerto Rico decreased by 1.3 percentage points, from 44.4% in 2017 to 43.1% in 2018.

However, poverty in Puerto Rico is still much higher than the U.S. national rate of 13.1% and is more than double the poverty rate of 19.7% in Mississippi, which had among the highest state poverty rates in 2018.

While the 2018 rate is a decrease from the 2017 estimate, it is not statistically different from the 2016 estimate. Find Out Why...

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U.S. Median Household Income Up in 2018 From 2017: Median household income for the United States and 14 states increased significantly in 2018 from the previous year. However, the Gini index of income inequality was significantly higher. Learn More

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About America Counts

America Counts tells the stories behind the numbers in a new inviting way. It features stories on various topics such as families, housing, employment, business, education, the economy, emergency preparedness, and population. Contact our Public Information Office for media inquiries or interviews.