Aerial shot of portions of Frederiksted, St. Croix in Sept., 2022. By. V.I. CONSORTIUM
The U.S. Census Bureau has released a demographic profile of the U.S. Virgin Islands from the 2020 Island Areas Censuses. The demographic profile provides basic demographic, social, economic and housing characteristics for the U.S. Virgin Islands and lower levels of geography.
“The results of the 2020 Island Areas Census will determine the share of federal funding that the Virgin Islands receives across numerous important federal programs, which is vital as we continue to recover and rebuild roads, hospitals, and schools," Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett said in a statement Wednesday. "The Virgin Islands benefits the most when everyone participates in the census; if we are undercounted, we will be underfunded."
Demographic Characteristics
In 2020, the U.S. Virgin Islands’ population was 87,146. The profile released by the Census last week provides demographic characteristics about the population, including information on racial and ethnic composition.
- The Black or African American population was the largest race group, with 62,183 people identifying as Black or African American alone. Overall, 67,769 people reported Black or African American alone (71.4 percent) or in combination with another race group, such as White.
- The African American population was the largest detailed Black or African American group with 18,867 (21.6 percent) people reporting African American alone with no additional detailed Black or African American group or race group.
- The U.S. Virgin Islander population was the second-largest detailed Black or African American group.
- In 2020, 2,565 (2.9 percent) people identified as U.S. Virgin Islander alone with no additional detailed Black or African American group or race group.
- In 2020, 2,756 people identified as U.S. Virgin Islander alone or in any combination with another detailed Black or African American group or race group, such as Haitian or White.
- The White population was the second-largest race group, with 11,584 people identifying as White alone. Overall, 13,143 people reported White alone or in combination with another race group, such as Black or African American.
- The Some Other Race population was the third-largest race group, with 5,478 people identifying as Some Other Race alone.
- The next largest race groups were Asian alone, American Indian and Alaska Native alone, and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone.
- The Multiracial population (also referred to as the Two or More Races population) was 6,569.
- The Hispanic or Latino (of any race) population was 16,075.
- The Puerto Rican population was the largest detailed Hispanic or Latino group, with 7,759 people identifying as Puerto Rican.
- The Dominican (DR) population was the second-largest detailed Hispanic or Latino group, with 5,442 people identifying as Dominican.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, it is important to note that comparisons between the 2020 and 2010 race and ethnicity data should be made with caution. The Census Bureau said it improved the Hispanic origin and race questions and how it codes responses this decade. The differences in the overall racial distributions relative to the 2010 data are largely because of these questionnaire and data processing improvements as well as some demographic changes. More information is available in the subject definitions for race and Hispanic origin in the technical documentation.
Social Characteristics
Among the social characteristics, the 2020 Island Areas Censuses collected information about school enrollment, educational attainment, place of birth, and language spoken at home.
Economic Characteristics
The 2020 Island Areas Censuses provides a variety of economic characteristics for the U.S. Virgin Islands, including statistics on income and poverty. Income questions on the census asked about income for the prior calendar year.
- Median household income for the U.S. Virgin Islands decreased from $44,499 (in 2019 inflation-adjusted dollars) in 2009 to $40,408 in 2019.
- The percentage of families in poverty for the U.S. Virgin Islands showed a slight increase from 18.3% in 2009 to 18.6% in 2019.
Housing Characteristics
Among the housing characteristics, the 2020 Island Areas Censuses provides information on homeownership and household size.
- The homeownership rate in the U.S. Virgin Islands was 47.8% in 2020, nearly the same as 47.9% in 2010.
- The average household size in the U.S. Virgin Islands decreased from 2.46 in 2010 to 2.14 in 2020.
The 2020 Island Areas Censuses also collected information about computer and internet use, including type of computer devices, internet subscription status, and type of internet service.
- Among all households in the U.S. Virgin Islands, 91.1% had at least one type of computer and 79.2% had a broadband internet subscription.
More information about computer and internet use is available in the “America Counts: Stories Behind the Numbers” article 2020 Island Areas Censuses: Computer and Internet Use.
Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on 2020 Island Areas Censuses
While the 2020 Island Areas Censuses operation was successful, the Covid-19 pandemic impacted the quality of the detailed social, economic and housing characteristic data for American Samoa, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Census Bureau said. In an effort to ascertain high data quality standards are met, adjustments were made to data products reporting population and housing characteristics.
U.S. Virgin Islands data tables reporting social and economic characteristics do not include the group quarters population in the table universe, the bureau said. As a result, impacted 2020 data tables should not be compared to 2010 and other past census data tables reporting the same characteristics. The Census Bureau advises data users to verify table universes are the same before comparing data across census years. Additional guidance for data users using the Island Area characteristics data is available in the Guidance on Using Data from the 2020 Island Areas Censuses fact sheet.
About 2020 Island Areas Censuses Data Products for the U.S. Virgin Islands
The 2020 Island Areas Censuses provide a wide range of demographic, social, economic and housing information to meet the U.S. Island Areas’ data needs. Other surveys, such as the American Community Survey (ACS), are not conducted in the Island Areas. Therefore, the Census Bureau used a long-form census questionnaire similar to the ACS questionnaire used in the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
The Census Bureau previously released population and housing counts for the U.S. Virgin Islands from the 2020 Island Areas Censuses and plans to release additional demographic, social, economic and housing characteristics in July 2023.
