Puerto Ricans in the United States :Puerto Ricans in the United States A Changing Profile By Maria T. Padilla


110 Years of Migration :110 Years of Migration Puerto Ricans have been migrating to the United States since the Caribbean island came under the U.S. flag in 1898 at the end of the Spanish-American War.


Mass Exodus :Mass Exodus The exodus of Puerto Ricans really took off after World War II, when hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans, driven by economic need, headed north to such states as New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. This movement was known as the Great Puerto Rican Migration. Sources: Falcon, Angelo. 2004-. Atlas of Stateside Puerto Ricans. New York: Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration Rivera-Batz, Francisco L. and Carlos Santiago. 1994. Puerto Ricans in the United States: A Changing Reality. Washington, D.C.: National Puerto Rican Coalition


Here and There :Here and There By 2003, there were nearly as many Puerto Ricans in the 50 states as there were in Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico ….. 3,878,608 United States … 3,855,608 Source: Atlas of Stateside Puerto Ricans


San Juan in New York :San Juan in New York New York City historically has been the No. 1 destination of migrating Puerto Ricans. In 2000, there were more than 837,000 Puerto Ricans in New York City, or nearly twice the population of the island capital of San Juan. Source: Atlas of Stateside Puerto Ricans


Puerto Ricans Disperse :Puerto Ricans Disperse In the 1980s, the Puerto Rican population in the United States began to disperse, with Florida edging out New Jersey as the state with the second highest concentration of Puerto Ricans in the country. Florida attracts Puerto Ricans from other states as well as Puerto Rico. Sources: Puerto Ricans in the United States: A Changing Reality Census 2000


A New Dawn :A New Dawn Drawn by the promise of a lower cost of living and a more tranquil way of life, Puerto Ricans flocked to Florida, becoming the second largest Hispanic group in the state, after Cubans. Source: Census 2000


Orlando, the New Mecca :Orlando, the New Mecca While the Cuban population is heavily concentrated in South Florida, Puerto Ricans settled in the Central Florida area of Orlando, where housing is cheaper and the theme-park industry is a major employer. Source: Duany, Jorge and Felix V. Matos-Rodriguez. 2006. Puerto Ricans in Orlando and Central Florida, New York: Centro de Estudios Puertorriquenos, Hunter College, City University of New York


In the Big Leagues :In the Big Leagues Today, Orlando is the fourth largest metropolitan area for Puerto Ricans in the United States, after New York City, Philadelphia and Chicago. In 2007, about 507,228 Hispanics resided in the Orlando region, of which 56 percent are Puerto Ricans. Sources: Puerto Ricans in Orlando and Central Florida U.S. Census Bureau, 2007 Population Estimates Fishkind, Hank. 2005. Regional Economic Impact Research: Hispanic Communities of Central Florida. Orlando: Fishkind & Associates


Who Are They? :Who Are They? Young: About one-third of Puerto Ricans in Central Florida are between the ages of 25 and 44. Some old: But about 13 percent are elderly. Source: Puerto Ricans in Orlando and Central Florida


Better Educated :Better Educated Puerto Ricans in the Orlando area have more years of schooling, compared with Puerto Ricans elsewhere, including Puerto Rico. Source: Puerto Ricans in Orlando and Central Florida


Bilingual :Bilingual Nearly two-thirds of Puerto Ricans in Central Florida report they speak English very well, about the same as their counterparts in New York. Source: Puerto Ricans in Orlando and Central Florida


Spending Power :Spending Power The spending power of Puerto Ricans was projected to be $4 billion in 2007 in just three Central Florida counties: Orange, Seminole and Osceola. Source: Regional Economic Impact Research: Hispanic Communities of Central Florida


Implications for Marketers :Implications for Marketers The Hispanic population of Florida is not homogenous. Cubans do not dominate everywhere in the state. In fact, Puerto Ricans are the second largest Hispanic group in Florida. Puerto Ricans are concentrated in Central Florida, and dominate among Hispanics in the region. However, Puerto Ricans themselves are not homogenous, since they come from several states and Puerto Rico as well.


More Implications :More Implications Puerto Ricans generally are affluent, bilingual and well educated. They will need to be approached in that way. They are experienced consumers based on their exposure to advertising and marketing campaigns in the states from which they migrated, as well as Puerto Rico. Puerto Ricans in Central Florida have more than $4 billion in spending power, making them a potentially lucrative consumer target. Their relative youth means Puerto Ricans are in the thick of childbearing years and are family oriented.


Marketing Opportunities :Marketing Opportunities They would make an ideal target for such consumer goods as food (both groceries and eating out), clothing, school supplies, personal care products and services and furniture, among other things.