Ponce, PR

Census Place

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2021 Population

113,183

2.96% 1-year growth

2021 Median Age

42.9

1.42% 1-year increase

2021 Poverty Rate

49.9%

0.308% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$17,957

2.54% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$102,500

0.688% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

30,969

2.62% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Ponce, PR had a population of 113k people with a median age of 42.9 and a median household income of $17,957. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Ponce, PR grew from 109,930 to 113,183, a 2.96% increase and its median household income grew from $17,513 to $17,957, a 2.54% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Ponce, PR are White (Hispanic) (64.3%), Two+ (Hispanic) (21.5%), Other (Hispanic) (7.79%), Black or African American (Hispanic) (5.63%), and White (Non-Hispanic) (0.418%).

None of the households in Ponce, PR reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

The largest universities in Ponce, PR are Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce (1,091 degrees awarded in 2021), University of Puerto Rico at Ponce (491 degrees), and Escuela Tecnica de Electricidad (309 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Ponce, PR was $102,500, and the homeownership rate was 67.8%.

Most people in Ponce, PR drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Ponce, PR was 2 cars per household.

Photo by Marco

United States Puerto Rico Ponce Municipio, PR Ponce, PR Ponce & Jayuya Municipios PUMA, PR

Population & Diversity

In 2021, there were 2.99 times more White (Hispanic) residents (72.7k people) in Ponce, PR than any other race or ethnicity. There were 24.3k Two+ (Hispanic) and 8.82k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Ponce, PR

White (Hispanic)
72.7k ± 2.19k
Two+ (Hispanic)
24.3k ± 2.21k
Other (Hispanic)
8.82k ± 1.09k

99.3%

Hispanic Population

112k people

99.3% of the people in Ponce, PR are hispanic (112k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Ponce, PR as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for Puerto Rico.

Most Common Origin

Dominican Republic
53,018 ± 5,608 people
Cuba
10,661 ± 2,531 people
Colombia
3,951 ± 1,542 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Puerto Rico was Dominican Republic, the natal country of 53,018 Puerto Rico residents, followed by Cuba with 10,661 and Colombia with 3,951.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
1,221 ± 210
Korea
410 ± 97
Gulf War (2001-)
369 ± 143

Ponce, PR has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.98 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Ponce, PR employs 31k people. The largest industries in Ponce, PR are Retail Trade (4,411 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (4,399 people), and Educational Services (4,286 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($45,662), Information ($35,278), and Utilities ($35,119).

Males in Puerto Rico have an average income that is 1.12 times higher than the average income of females, which is $32,120. The income inequality in Puerto Rico (measured using the Gini index) is 0.456, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

31k

2021 Value

± 1,370

2.62%

1 Year growth

± 5.88%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Ponce, PR grew at a rate of 2.62%, from 30.2k employees to 31k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Ponce, PR, are Sales & Related Occupations (4,072 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (3,847 people), and Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (2,987 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Ponce, PR.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

31k

2021 Value

± 1,370

2.62%

1 Year growth

± 5.88%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Ponce, PR grew at a rate of 2.62%, from 30.2k employees to 31k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Ponce, PR, are Retail Trade (4,411 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (4,399 people), and Educational Services (4,286 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Ponce, PR, though some of these residents may live in Ponce, PR and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$17,332

Median earning men ± $692

$17,912

Median earning women ± $1,603

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Information ($38,095), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($30,202), and Public Administration ($26,687).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($29,138), Construction ($28,456), and Public Administration ($25,470).

Education

In 2021, universities in Ponce, PR awarded 2,913 degrees. The student population of Ponce, PR in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 4,397 male students and 6,968 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Ponce, PR are Hispanic or Latino (2,899 and 99.6%), followed by White (6 and 0.206%), Unknown (3 and 0.103%), and Asian (2 and 0.0687%).

The largest universities in Ponce, PR by number of degrees awarded are Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce (1,091 and 37.5%), University of Puerto Rico at Ponce (491 and 16.9%), and Escuela Tecnica de Electricidad (309 and 10.6%).

The most popular majors in Ponce, PR are Electrician (196 and 6.73%), General Biomedical Sciences (178 and 6.11%), and Other Biological & Biomedical Sciences (155 and 5.32%).

The median tuition costs in Ponce, PR are $4,789 for private four year colleges, and $4,640 and $4,640 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Ponce, PR, the percentage of applicants admitted was 68.4%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 58.8%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 11,365 (38.7% men and 61.3% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 11,365 students enrolled in Ponce, PR, 38.7% men and 61.3% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 11,209 records, of which 61.2% were women and 38.8% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Biomedical Sciences
175 degree-majors awarded
Registered Nursing
112 degree-majors awarded
Other Biological & Biomedical Sciences
91 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Ponce, PR was General Biomedical Sciences with 175 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Ponce, PR according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce
1,091 degrees awarded
University of Puerto Rico at Ponce
491 degrees awarded
Escuela Tecnica de Electricidad
309 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce with 1,091 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 1,263 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Ponce, PR, which is 0.765 times less than the 1,650 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Hispanic or Latino students. These 2,899 degrees mean that there were 483 times more degrees awarded to Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 6 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private for-profit, 4-year or above ($7,818) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Private for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,650) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,168) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Puerto Rico.

Measure

In 2021, 1.88% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 1.59% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Puerto Rico.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (759k), Bachelors Degree (501k), and Primary Education (485k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Ponce, PR was $102,500 in 2021, which is 0.419 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $101,800 to $102,500, a 0.688% increase. The homeownership rate in Ponce, PR is 67.8%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Ponce, PR have an average commute time of 23.4 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Ponce, PR is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Ponce, PR is $17,957. In 2021, the place with the highest median household income in Ponce, PR was Census Tract 730.10 with a value of $35,708, followed by Census Tract 730.05 and Census Tract 705.03, with respective values of $31,888 and $30,250.

Housing

Property

$102,500

Median Property Value 2021

±$2,217

$29,390

Median Property Taxes

±$1,102

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Ponce, PR the largest share of households pay taxes in the None range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Ponce, PR compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

67.8%

Homeownership

2021

75.1%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 67.8% of the housing units in Ponce, PR were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 65.6%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Ponce, PR compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 730.10
Census Tract 730.05
Census Tract 705.03

In 2021, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Ponce, PR was Census Tract 730.10 with a value of $35,708, followed by Census Tract 730.05 and Census Tract 705.03, with respective values of $31,888 and $30,250.

The following map shows all of the places in Ponce, PR colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$17,957

Median Household Income

± $690

43.4k

Number of Households

± 1,317

In 2021, the median household income of the 43.4k households in Ponce, PR grew to $17,957 from the previous year's value of $17,513.

The following chart displays the households in Ponce, PR distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the < $10k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Ponce, PR is from Puerto Rico.

0.456

2021 Wage GINI in Puerto Rico

0.451

2020 Wage GINI in Puerto Rico

In 2021, the income inequality in Puerto Rico was 0.456 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 1.25% growth from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Puerto Rico was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Puerto Rico in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Puerto Rico across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (85.6%)
Carpooled (7.28%)
Worked At Home (3.42%)

In 2021, 85.6% of workers in Ponce, PR drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (7.28%) and those who worked at home (3.42%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

23.4 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Ponce, PR have a shorter commute time (23.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 3.51% of the workforce in Ponce, PR have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Ponce, PR compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Ponce, PR distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Ponce, PR have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

49.9% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Ponce, PR (56.2k out of 112k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 55 - 64 and then Males 18 - 24.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Ponce, PR is Hispanic, followed by White and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

94.6% of the population of Ponce, PR has health coverage, with 18.5% on employee plans, 54.4% on Medicaid, 10.9% on Medicare, 9.94% on non-group plans, and 0.922% on military or VA plans.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 20.4% under 18 years, 21.3% between 18 and 34 years, 34.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 23.4% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.1% were men and 53.9% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

5.39%

Uninsured

18.5%

Employer Coverage

54.4%

Medicaid

10.9%

Medicare

9.94%

Non-Group

0.922%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Ponce, PR grew by 0.441% from 5.36% to 5.39%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Ponce, PR changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.