Young immigrant population booms on the Cape

There was almost zero growth in the region's native-born working-age population — defined as 16 years or older — between 2000 and 2006. The number of foreign-born members of the working-ge group, meanwhile, jumped by 54 percent, or 6,668 people, according to the Northeastern analysis of census data.

Rodriguez works most days at the cell phone store, often going directly to his job as a night auditor at the Comfort Inn. He also squeezes in work on the real estate business and time with his 1-year-old son.

All told he works at least 80 hours each week — twice the normal work week — and earns between $45,000 and $50,000, he said.

"You find a lot of entry-level jobs here that you don't find in other areas."

But immigrants do more than just work. They also spend money.

Alena Reardon, 30, of South Yarmouth came to the Cape from Belarus in 1999. Work and spending money go hand in hand, said Reardon, who is a marketing assistant who works for the Cape Cod Mall.