Labor Force Participation Measures
REPORT SUMMARY
This report publishes the findings of the housing characteristics from the 2017 CNMI Labor Force Survey (LFS). Due to the fact that Saipan has the 90% of the total occupied housing units for the CNMI, the results for the CNMI are relatively similar to Saipan.
The target population of the 2017 LFS included the entire CNMI population and housing units. Specifically, it included all persons and occupied housing units on the islands of Saipan, Tinian and Rota, but did not cover the Northern Islands.
The data collection for the 2017 LFS was conducted in the Fourth Quarter, 2017; it started on September 20, 2017 and ended on December 21, 2017. Data coding began the same week the field work began. Data entry began the second week of October and continued until the last week of December 2017. Data reconciliation and cleaning took place in December 2017 through January 2018.
ISLAND AND DISTRICT
Total Population by Island and District
Of the 52,263 CNMI total population, Saipan’s was 47,565 (91%), Tinian’s was 2,626 (5%), and Rota’s was 2,072 (4%). By districts, District 3 had the largest population of 15,218 (29%); followed by District 1 with 14,416 (28%), District 5 with 7,472 (24%), District 2, 6,566 (13%), and District 4 with 3,892 (7%). District 6 is the island of Tinian, and District 7 is the Island of Rota.
Potential Labor Force Population by Island and District
Of 37,419 estimated potential labor force population at the time of the Survey, 34,001 (91%) was in Saipan, 1,874 (5%) in Tinian, and 1,544 (4%) in Rota. Within Saipan and by districts, District 3 had the largest potential labor force population of 10,961 (29%), followed by District 1 with 10,209 (27%), District 5 with 5,690 (15%), District 2 with 4,426 (12%), and District 4 with 2,714 (7%).
Labor Force Population by Island and District
Of the 25,106 estimated labor force population persons in the CNMI at the time of the Survey, 22,339 (91%) was in Saipan, 1,218 (5%) in Tinian, and 1,084 (4%) in Rota. Within Saipan and by districts, District 3 had the largest labor force population of 7,697 (31%), followed by District 1 with 6,706 (27%), District 5 with 3,508 (14%), District 2 with 3,217 (13%), and District 4 with 1,676 (7%).
Employed Population by Island and District
Of the 22,459 estimated employed population in the CNMI at the time of the Survey, 20,339 (91%) was in Saipan, 1,135 (5%) in Tinian, and 986 (4%) in Rota. Within Saipan and by districts, District 3 had the largest employed population of 7,052 (31%), followed by District 1 with 5,980 (27%), District 5 with 2,992 (13%), District 2 with 2,807 (13%), and District 4 with 1,507 (7%).
Unemployed Population by Island and District
Of the 2,646 estimated unemployed population, at the time of the Survey in the Commonwealth, 2,465 (93%) was in Saipan, 83 (3%) in Tinian and 98 (4%) in Rota. Within Saipan and by district, District 1 had the largest unemployed population of 726 (27%), followed by District 3 with 645 (24%), District 5 with 515 (20%), District 2 with 410 (16%), and District 4 with 169 (6%).
Not in Labor Force Population by Island and District
Of the 12,313 estimated not in-labor force population in the CNMI in 2017 4th Quarter, 11,197 (91%) was in Saipan, 656 (5%) in Tinian, and 461 (4%) in Rota. Within Saipan and by districts, District 1 had the largest not in labor force population of 3,503 (28%), followed by District 3 with 3,264 (27%), District 5 with 2,182 (17%), District 2 with 1.210 (10%), and District 4 with 1,038 (8%).
Unemployment Rate by Island and District
The unemployment rate was highest in Saipan at 10.8%, followed by Rota at 9.0%, then Tinian at 6.8%. Within Saipan and by district, District 5 had the highest unemployment rate of 14.7%, followed by District 2 at 12.8%, District 1 at 10.8%, District 4 at 10.1%, and District 3 at 8.4%.
Labor Force Participation Rate by Island and District
In the 4th Quarter of 2017, the labor force participation rate in the CNMI was highest in Rota 70.2%, followed by Saipan 67.1%, then Tinian at 65.0%. Within Saipan and by district, District 2 had the highest LFP rate of 72.7%, followed by District 3 at 70.2%, District 1 at 65.7%, while District 4 and 5 had similar LFP rate at 62%.
AGE GROUP
Persons less than 16 years of age comprised 28% (14,844 person) of the total population in the Commonwealth at the time of the Survey. Aside from the less than 16 group, 45 to 54 was the largest ten-year age group followed by 35 to 44, and 55 to 64.
ETHNIC GROUP
Asian was the largest major ethnic group with 54% (28,240) of the CNMI’s total population at the time of the Survey. It was followed by Pacific Islander with 45% (23,267), then Caucasian at 1% (574). Chamorro and Carolinian was 36% (18,564) and made up the clear majority of the Pacific Islander. Filipino was 41% (21,537) of the total population and was the largest single ethnic, as well as the largest of the Asian ethnic group.
CITIZENSHIP
The U.S. Citizen and Permanent Resident comprised 71% (37,249) while Not U.S. Citizen was 28% (15,262) of the total population in the Commonwealth at the time of the Survey.
BIRTHPALCE
Sixty percent (60%, 31,229) of the total population in the CNMI, at the time of the Survey, was born in the US or US Territories while 36% (18,552) was born in Asian countries. Fifty-seven percent (57%, 29,618) was born in the CNMI; 26% (13,661) was born in the Philippines.
MIGRATE REASON
Employment is the number one reason why people migrated into the CNMI. Seventy-one percent (71%, 16,151) of all migrants came for employment purpose. Another 20% (4,601) came because they were spouse, dependent, or family member of an employed person.
MIGRATE REASON
The never married was 53% (27,821) of the estimated total population in the CNMI at the time of the Survey. However, it is important to keep in mind that this group includes all ages. The now married group was 41% (21,648), widowed was 3% (1,428); divorced and separated, combined, was also 3% (1,367).
EDUCATION LEVEL
Less than high school diploma was 44% (23,176) of the total population in the CNMI at the time of the Survey, followed by high school diploma or GED at 32% (16,527), some college or associate degree (14%, 7,449), bachelor’s degree (8%, 4,272), and then master’s and beyond (1.4%, 739).
LANGUAGE
Twenty percent (20%, 10,658) of the estimated total population spoke English only at home while 79% (41,069) spoke English and another language at the time of the Survey. Forty-six percent (46%, 23,786) spoke an Asian language while 33% (17,005) spoke a Pacific Islander language at home. One percent (1, 536) of the total population was less than 2 years old.
Please see the full report for further details.