Document Type

Research Report

Publication Date

3-2003

Abstract

Census 2000 data include changes in the way people were counted. The most significant change is to allow persons to select more than one race, creating a new multiracial category of “two or more races”, but meaning people may not be included in the race with which they most identify. There was, however, no way to choose more than one ethnicity; one must choose either Latino or not. Throughout this profile, numbers reflect Latinos of all races, or non-Latinos by race, with persons of two or more races counted separately. All categorizations are based solely on self-identification. All of this complicates comparisons between 1990 and 2000 data. However, the concepts are similar enough to make trends and patterns clear.

In Central Falls, the general population changes from 1990 to 2000 were (similar to) national and state trends. The population of people of color — African Americans, Asians, Latinos, Native Americans, and Pacific Islanders — grew at a higher rate than did the population of non-Hispanic Whites. The total population of Central Falls increased by 7.3%, but its composition changed substantially. Latinos had a larger numerical growth than any other group, increasing by 3,922 or 76.6%, although American Indians had a higher percent increase. Latinos now represent 47.8% of the population, an increase of 18.7 percentage points and the largest gain of any group. Central Falls has the second largest population of Latinos in Rhode Island and the 21st largest in the New England states. As a percentage of the total population, the Latino population in Central Falls ranks first in the state.

Comments

Part of a series of profiles of Latinos in New England, by the Gaston Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

Share

COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.