October 21, 2008 11:17 AM
Long Island WINS released a new report yesterday entitled "Strengthening Long Island: The Economic Contributions of Immigrants to Nassau and Suffolk." Below are some of the key findings of this report:
Among the study’s major findings:
Population
• The Long Island immigrant population more than doubled since 1980 to just over 465,000 residents, accounting for more than 16 percent of the general population. The rate of increase was far greater than that for the Long Island population as a whole (7 percent).
• More than 85 percent of immigrants arriving on Long Island prior to 1980 are today U.S. citizens.
• More than one-half of all immigrants arriving on Long Island since the year 2000 are Latin American. This compares to less than 17 percent of those who had arrived in 1980 or earlier.
• Tiny El Salvador contributes by far the most immigrants to Long Island. As of the year 2000, only Italy accounted for at least half as many as El Salvador’s total of 44,067.
• Asians have the highest proportion of immigrants among the major ethnic groups. Almost 70 percent of Long Island’s Asians are foreign born as of 2000, according to the U.S. Census.
• The Long Island immigrant population tends to concentrate in certain townships. In the year 2000, 56 percent of Nassau County’s immigrants lived in Hempstead Town, while nearly three-quarters of Suffolk’s immigrants lived either in Babylon, Brookhaven, or Islip.
• Hempstead, Freeport, and Elmont in Nassau County and Brentwood in Suffolk County are by far the four largest immigrant communities on Long Island, with over 13 percent of Long Island’s immigrants among them.
• Over 46 percent of Long Island’s immigrants are in the “prime working age” category of 18 to 44, compared to less than one third of non-immigrants. Immigrants are also relatively more plentiful in the other category of working age adults, 45 to 64 year-olds.
• An overwhelming majority of Long Island’s immigrants report that they speak English “well” or “very well”: nearly 60 percent of Spanish-speaking immigrants, 85% of non-Spanish-speaking Europeans, 75% of Asians or Pacific Islanders, and over 95% from other groups.
• Long Island immigrants are more likely to be married than their native counterparts. Nearly two-thirds are married, compared to 54.5 percent of the general population.
Economic Impact
• After subtracting income and payroll taxes, savings, remittances, and property taxes, Long Island immigrants had an estimated $7.5 billion in buying power in 2006. Their total spending produced an economic impact of $10.6 billion.
• Immigrants in 2006 contributed an estimated $2.13 billion in taxes and other government revenues (directly and indirectly), while costing Nassau and Suffolk local governments (counties, towns/cities, villages, and school districts) about $1.06 billion for K-12 education ($772 million), health care ($244 million), and corrections ($44 million). This yields a net benefit to Long Island of about $1.07 billion, or $2,305 per immigrant resident.
• All immigrant groups are net contributors, although the extent varies significantly. Asian immigrants contributed a net benefit of $3,249 per head in 2006, non-Hispanic white immigrants contributed $4,059, Hispanic immigrants $842, and black immigrants $789.