THE Commonwealth’s population went down by about 12% to 47,329 in 2020 from 53,883 in 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Conducted early in 2020, before the Covid-19 shut down the tourism industry, the census collected detailed demographic, social, economic, and housing characteristics using a long-form questionnaire.
On Saipan, the census shows that the population went down to 43,385 in 2020 from 48,220 in 2010.
Precinct 1 population went down to 13,633 from 15,160; Precinct 2 population to 5,489 from 6,382; Precinct 3 population to 14,115 from 15,624; Precinct 4 to 3,416 from 3,847; and Precinct 5 to 6,732 from 7,207.
There was no change in the population in the Northern Islands from 2010 to 2020. It remained seven.
On Tinian, the population went down to 2,044 from 3,136; and on Rota, to 1,893 from 2,527.
The census also provided the total number of CNMI housing units; the number of housing units for each municipality and district; and the housing unit count change between 2010 and 2020.
The housing unit count in the CNMI went down to 18,290 in 2020 from 20,850 in 2010.
On Saipan, the number of housing units went down to 16,523 from 18,683; on Tinian, to 845 from 1,118; and on Rota, to 912 from 1,049. The number of housing units in the Northern Islands remained 10.
Mandated by the U.S. Constitution and conducted once every 10 years, the nation’s decennial census includes the CNMI and other territories.
For more information, go to https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2020/dec/2020-commonwealth-northern-mariana-islands.html
