Labor Force Participation Population Characteristics
REPORT SUMMARY
This report publishes the findings of the population 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.
Gender
Male was more than half (52.9%) of the total population in the CNMI in 2017 Fourth Quarter, while female was slightly below half (47.1%). The result showed similarity among the whole population for the CNMI.
Relationship
The householder and spouse or unmarried partner’s percentage was higher in Rota (56.0%), than in Tinian (55.4%) and Saipan (49.5%). Within Saipan, the grandchildren’s percentage was highest in District 4 (13.8%) and lowest in District 2 (3.0%).
Ethnic
The Filipino’s percentage was higher in Tinian (46.9%) than in Saipan (41.3%) and in Rota (31.8%). The Chamorro and Carolinian’s percentage was higher in Rota (57.6%) than in Tinian (37.4%) and in Saipan (34.5%). The Micronesian’s percentage was higher in Saipan (9.2%) than in Tinian (2.4%) and in Rota (2.1%). The Chinese’ percentage was relatively higher in Saipan (7.9%) than in Tinian (3.3%).
Age Group
The median age was 34.0 years and the mean was 32.9 in the CNMI in 2017. The 10 to 14 years was the largest five-year age group, followed closely by 05 to 09 years (9.8%), 45 to 49 years (9.7%), 50 to 54 years (9.1%), 15 to 19 years (8.7%), 40 to 44 years (7.9%).
Birthplace
The percentage born in the CNMI was highest in District 5 (70.6%) and lowest in District 3 (45.5%). Born in the Philippines percentage was highest in District 3 (34.0%) and lowest in District 5 (15.7%). Born in the Pacific Islands percentage was relatively higher in District 4 (11.5%) and lower in District 5 (2.3%).
U.S. Citizenship
The percentage of U.S. Citizen and permanent resident was higher in Rota (77.4%) than in Saipan (71.2%) and in Tinian (67.3%). Similarly, U.S. Citizen born in the CNMI’s percentage was higher Rota (60.7%) than in Saipan (56.6%) and in Tinian (55.1%). The permanent resident’s percentage was relatively higher in Saipan (9.5%) compared to Tinian (5.2%) and Rota (5.1%). The percentage of not a U.S. Citizen was higher in Tinian (32.7%) than in Saipan (28.8%), and in Rota (22.6%).
Migrants
Migrants year of entry followed a similar pattern in Saipan and Tinian wherein the largest percentage of migrants came in the 1990s, followed by those who came in the 2010s, the 2000s, the 1980s, then the 1970s and prior. In Rota, while the largest percentage came in the 1990s (39.7%), it was followed by those who came in the 2000s (22.7%), the 2010s (21.9%), the 1980s (12.2%), then the 1970s (2.0%) and prior (1.5%).
Educational Attainment
The percentage of persons with high school diploma or GED was higher in Rota (54.0%) than in Tinian (47.2%) and in Saipan (47.1%). The percentage with some college or Associate’s was higher in Tinian (26.2%) than in Saipan (19.9%) and in Rota (17.9%). The percentage with a Bachelor’s was the same in both Rota and Saipan (13.5%) and was lower on Tinian (10.8%). The percentage with a Masters was practically the same in all three islands. The percentage with less than high school diploma was higher in Saipan (17.3%) than in Tinian (14.3%) and in Rota (12.3%).
Language at Home
The percentage that spoke English only at home was highest in District 4 (30.6%) and lowest in District (18.7%). The percentage that spoke English and Chamorro/Carolinian at home was highest in District 5 (49.5%) and lowest in District 3 (13.7%). The percentage that spoke English and Filipino at home was highest in District 3 (43.7%) and lowest in District 5 (19.0%).
Health Insurance Type
Medicare percentage share was highest in District 2 (59.1%) and lowest in District 3 (39.3%). Employer’s insurance percentage share highest in District 3 (40.3%) and lowest in District 2 (19.2%). Direct from insurance companies’ percentage share was highest in District 1 (11.5%) and lowest in District 4 (0.8%). Other health insurance percentage share was highest in District 3 (13.2%) and lowest in District 5 (3.3%).
Number of Babies
The median number of children (3.0) in Rota and (2.0) in both Saipan and Tinian. The mean was Rota (2.4), Tinian (2.3) and Saipan (2.1). Mother is Tinian and Rota had, relatively, more children than mothers in Saipan while mothers in Rota had relatively more children than mothers in Tinian.
Hours Worked Last Week
The median hours worked was the same in all districts (40.0) while the mean ranged closely from 36.6 in District 3 to 39.3 in Districts 3 and 4. The persons that worked 40 hours’ percentage was highest in District 5 (91.1%) and was lowest in District 2 (72.5%). Those that worked less than 20 hours’ percentage was highest in District 2 (5.9%) and was lowest in District 3 (0.9%). Those that worked over 40 hours’ percentage was highest in District 3 (11.9%) and lowest in Districts 2 and 5 (both 2.3%).
Travel Time from Home to Work
The median travel time to work was higher in Saipan (15.0 minutes) and lower in Tinian and Rota (5.0 minutes). The percentage of workers that traveled 0 to 5 minutes was higher in Tinian (72.4%) than in Rota (51.7%) and was lower in Saipan (24.4). The percentage of workers that traveled over 20 minutes was higher in Saipan (16.3%) than in Rota (4.0%) and in Tinian (2.1%).
Emploment Sector
The percentage of employees that worked in the private sector was higher in Saipan (83.0%) than in Tinian (70.2%), and was lower in Rota (57.3%). The percentage of employees that worked in the private sector was highest in District 3 (91.2%) and was lowest in District 5 (73.4%).
Wage and Salary in 2016
Within Saipan districts, the wage and salary range of $10,000 to $19,999 covered more than half portion of the population in any districts; district 2 (70.1%), district 4 (65.9%), district 1 (60.2%), district 3 (58.3%) and district 5 (57.1%). However, the wage and salary amount of $30,000 to $39,999 was respectedly lower in the district 2 (1.4%) compared to other districts.
Please see further details in the full report.