Document Type
Research Report
Publication Date
7-2023
Abstract
Fitchburg is a city of 41,946 residents, including 12,608 (30.1%) who identify as Latino or Hispanic, according to the 2020 Decennial Census. Statewide, Latino residents contribute 12.6% of the total population. In Fitchburg, Whites make up the majority (54.6%) of the city, while Blacks and Asians account for 6.1% and 3.6% of the population, respectively.
Between 2010 and 2020, the Latino population grew by 44.5% and was only outpaced by Blacks (59.8%). With these two populations outpacing Fitchburg's 4.0% population growth during the decade, the White population experienced a 16.7% decrease. By comparison, the White population in Massachusetts declined by 4.7%, while the Latino population increased by 41.4%. The smaller Asian population in Fitchburg grew by 3.9%.
The remainder of this profile uses 2017–2021 American Community Survey data in order to analyze the demographic and economic characteristics presented in this profile.
Fitchburg has a well-established Puerto Rican population. There are 9,261 Puerto Ricans, compared to only 972 Mexicans, the second-largest Latino population in the city. Other smaller Latino populations are Uruguayans, Dominicans, and Ecuadorians. Statewide, the five largest Latino populations in Massachusetts in order of size are Puerto Ricans, Dominicans, Salvadorans, Guatemalans, and Mexicans.
Despite having a sizeable Latino community, Fitchburg has a very small foreign-born population, making up only 4.3% of town residents. (Note that Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens by birth, whether born on the island or the mainland.) By comparison, foreign-born residents of Massachusetts make up 17.3% of the statewide population, and Latinos are 32.1% foreign-born.
Community Engaged/Serving
Part of the UMass Boston Community-Engaged Teaching, Research, and Service Series. //scholarworks.umb.edu/engage
Recommended Citation
Granberry, Phillip; Martins, Victor Luis; and Borges, Michelle, "Latinos in Massachusetts Selected Areas: Fitchburg" (2023). Gastón Institute Publications. 299.
https://scholarworks.umb.edu/gaston_pubs/299
Included in
Demography, Population, and Ecology Commons, Latina/o Studies Commons, Race and Ethnicity Commons