Interesting Facts About The Nicaraguan – American Community In Miami, Florida

Since the early 1900s, small groups of Nicaraguans have immigrated to the United States, but their influence peaked in the final three decades of the previous century. Miami, Los Angeles, and New York City are the main urban locations where the Nicaraguan community is concentrated. Texas is included as well. Particularly Houston. More than 50% of Nicaraguans were recorded as living in Florida, 35% in California, primarily in the Los Angeles area, and only 7% in the New York-New Jersey area in the U.S. Census yearbook for 1997.  

The important data below compares the demographic and economic characteristics of Americans with Nicaraguan ancestry to those of all Americans. Americans in general and those of Hispanic descent. It is based on Pew Research Center’s 2017 American Community Survey data.

Important information:

Immigration status

• Approximately 33% of Hispanic Americans were born abroad, as opposed to 55% of Nicaraguans born in the United States.

• In the United States, for more than 20 years, 61% of Nicaraguans who were born abroad have resided there, making up about 64% of the population.

Educational success

• Comparatively, 16% of Hispanic Americans aged 25 and over and 24% of Nicaraguans hold a bachelor’s degree or above.

• Individuals from Nicaragua who were born in the United States are more likely to hold a bachelor’s degree or higher (31% vs. 21%) than Nicaraguans who were born overseas.

Income

• Nicaraguans had a median yearly personal income of $30,000 whereas Hispanic Americans aged 16 and older had a median annual personal income of $25,000.

• Hispanics in the United States made almost the same amount as Nicaraguans when looking at full-time, year-round workers ($34,000 vs. $35,000).

Poverty level

• More Hispanics live in poverty in the United States (19%) than in Nicaragua (13%).

• About 13% of the U.S.-born Nicaraguans live in poverty, as do 12% of foreign-born Nicaraguans.

Homeownership

• The percentage of Hispanic Americans who own their homes is 47%, which is the same as the percentage of Nicaraguans.

• Homeownership rates among Nicaraguans living in the United States are 44% for those born here and 48% for those born abroad. 

• Florida has the biggest percentage of Nicaraguans (36%), followed by California (29%) and Texas (6%), which are the top states to live in.

•  Nicaraguans’ median age is 34, which is older than the average age of Americans (34) and Hispanics (29) (38).

Relationship standing

• In contrast to 43% of Nicaraguans, about 46% of Hispanic Americans who are 18 or older and married.
• Nicaraguans who were born abroad are more likely than those who were born in the United States to be married over the age of 18 (51% vs. 24%).

Fertility

7% of Hispanic women in the U.S., aged 15 to 44, gave birth in the 12 months prior to the July 2017 American Community Survey. Women from Nicaragua experienced a similar incidence of 7%.

Language

•  Over 70% of Hispanic Americans aged five and older speak English only at home or “very well” compared to Nicaraguans, who only speak 65% of English at home.

• Similarly, 64% of Hispanics and 59% of individuals from Nicaragua speak English well.

Hispanics of Nicaraguan Descent

According to a Pew Research Center analysis of the American Community Survey conducted by the US Census Bureau, there were an estimated 464,000 Hispanics of Nicaraguan descent living in the country in 2017. This data profile includes individuals who defined themselves as Hispanics of Nicaraguan ancestry, including those who have immigrated from Nicaragua and those with familial ties to the country.