RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE LABOR-MARKET AND SOCIOECONOMIC INDICATORS INMUNICIPALITIES OF PUERTO-RICO

The objective of this research was to examine the influence of the mai n components of the local labor market upon the economic and social we lfare of the residents of metropolitan and non-metropolitan municipali ties (MMand NMM, respectively) in Puerto Rico. This classification for municipalities is based on the definition used by the Bureau of the C ensus. The NMM are located mainly in the mountainous central part and on the southern coast. Employment ratios for the main industrial secto rs, including agriculture, were established to represent the employmen t structure of the residents of the municipalities. Socioeconomic indi cators were selected from the 1980 census. When metropolitan and non-m etropolitan municipalities were compared, the latter showed less favor able levels for each indicator except for the crime rate. The rate of participation by employment section was also lower except for agricult ural employment. The employment structure related to the economic well being in different ways for MM and NMM. Agricultural employment is ne gatively associated with almost all welfare indicators in MM, but not so in NMM. Manufacture was related to higher income and unemployment r eduction in NMM but not in MM. The employment sources related to a hig her degree of economic welfare for all municipalities were trade, serv ices and government.