Consular Offices - Panama
244 W 54th St, NY, NY, 10019
E-Mail: info@nyconsul.com
Phone: (212) 840-2450
2862 Mcgill Terrace N.W.,
Email: info@embassyofpanama.org
Washington, D.C 20008
Phone: +1 (202) 483-1407
Edificio 783, Avenida Demetrio Basilio
Lakas Clayton,Panamá
Phone: (507) 317-5000
Fax: (507) 317-5568
An estimated 210,000 Hispanics of Panamanian origin lived in the United States in 2017, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Panamanians in this statistical profile are people who self-identified as Hispanics of Panamanian origin; this includes immigrants from Panama and those who trace their family ancestry to Panama.
Panamanians are the 15th-largest population of Hispanic origin living in the United States, accounting for less than 1% of the U.S. Hispanic population in 2017. Since 2000, the Panamanian-origin population has increased 108%, growing from 101,000 to 210,000 over the period. At the same time, the Panamanian foreign-born population living in the U.S. grew by 39%, from 61,000 in 2000 to 85,000 in 2017. By comparison, Mexicans, the nation’s largest Hispanic origin group, constituted 36.6 million, or 62%, of the Hispanic population in 2017.
Immigration status
- Among Hispanics in the U.S., about 33% are foreign-born, compared with 41% of Panamanians.
- About 65% of foreign-born Panamanians have been in the U.S. for over 20 years, and 72% of foreign-born Panamanians are U.S. citizens.
Educational attainment
- About 16% of U.S. Hispanics ages 25 and older have obtained at least a bachelor’s degree, compared with 34% of Panamanians.
- Among Panamanians ages 25 and older, the U.S.-born are more likely than the foreign-born to have a bachelor’s degree or higher (37% vs. 32%).
Income
- Among U.S. Hispanics, the median annual personal earnings for those ages 16 and older was $25,000, compared with $30,000 for Panamanians.
- Looking at full-time, year-round workers, U.S. Hispanics earned less than Panamanians ($34,000 vs. $43,000).
Poverty status
- The share of U.S. Hispanics who live in poverty (19%) is greater than among Panamanians (14%).
- About 15% of U.S.-born Panamanians live in poverty, as do 12% of foreign-born Panamanians.
Homeownership
- The rate of homeownership among U.S. Hispanics (47%) is lower than the rate for Panamanians overall (51%).
- Among Panamanians in the U.S., rates of homeownership are lower for the U.S.-born than foreign-born (46% vs. 56%).
Top states of residence
- The Panamanian population is concentrated in New York (17%), Florida (16%), and California (10%).
Age
- The median age of U.S. Hispanics (29) is lower than that of Panamanians (35) and the U.S. population (38).
Marital status
- Equal shares of U.S. Hispanics and Panamanians (46%) ages 18 and older are married.
- Among Panamanians ages 18 and older, those who are foreign-born are more likely to be married than the U.S.-born (56% vs. 34%).
Fertility
- Some 7% of U.S. Hispanic women ages 15 to 44 gave birth in the 12 months before the July 2017 American Community Survey. That was higher than the rate for Panamanian women (4%).
Language
- About 70% of U.S. Hispanics ages 5 and older speak only English at home or speak English at least “very well,” compared with 87% of Panamanians.
- Similarly, 64% of Hispanic adults are English proficient, as are 85% of Panamanian adults.
“Facts on Hispanics of Panamanian origin in the United States, 2017.” Pew Research Center, Washington, D.C. (September 16, 2019).