Puerto Rico

State

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2021 Population

3.31M

1.71% 1-year growth

2021 Median Age

43.1

1.65% 1-year increase

2021 Poverty Rate

42.7%

1.69% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$21,967

4.32% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$111,800

0.54% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

951,775

2.4% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Puerto Rico had a population of 3.31M people with a median age of 43.1 and a median household income of $21,967. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Puerto Rico grew from 3.26M to 3.31M, a 1.71% increase and its median household income grew from $21,058 to $21,967, a 4.32% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Puerto Rico are White (Hispanic) (50.3%), Other (Hispanic) (21.5%), Two+ (Hispanic) (16.9%), Black or African American (Hispanic) (9.84%), and White (Non-Hispanic) (0.858%).

94.9% of the households in Puerto Rico 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 Puerto Rico are NUC University (10,955 degrees awarded in 2021), Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Gurabo Campus (2,690 degrees), and University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras (2,309 degrees).

In 2021, the median property value in Puerto Rico was $111,800, and the homeownership rate was 68%.

Most people in Puerto Rico drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 28.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Puerto Rico was 2 cars per household.

Puerto Rico borders .

Photo by Breezy Baldwin

United States

Population & Diversity

In 2021, there were 2.34 times more White (Hispanic) residents (1.67M people) in Puerto Rico than any other race or ethnicity. There were 711k Other (Hispanic) and 559k Two+ (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

The most common non-English languages spoken as the primary langauge in households in Puerto Rico are Spanish (3,019,785 households), Chinese (Incl. Mandarin, Cantonese) (1,326 households), and French (Incl. Cajun) (1,193 households).

Population & Diversity

Population by Location

Sex

RACE/ETHNICITY

The 3 PUMAS with the highest resident population

San Juan Municipio (Noroeste) PUMA, PR
157,040
Carr 2-Carr 111 PUMA, PR
156,169
Ponce & Jayuya Municipios PUMA, PR
154,332

In 2021 there were 3,311,274 residents in Puerto Rico.

The Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMA) with the highest resident population were Carr 2-Carr 111 PUMA, PR (156,169 people), Carr 2 (Noroeste) PUMA, PR (122,003 people), and Carr 2-Carr 100 PUMA, PR (125,723 people).

The following map shows all of the states in Puerto Rico colored by the resident population.

Residents by Gender and Age

RACE/ETHNICITY

1,739,433

Women

52.5%

1,571,841

Men

47.5%

The resident population of United States in 2021 was 3,311,274 inhabitants, with 47.5% men, and 52.5% women.

The visualization shows the distribution of the residents by gender and age in the United States.

With the upper buttons you can add a filter by race.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Puerto Rico

White (Hispanic)
1.67M ± 12.6k
Other (Hispanic)
711k ± 11.4k
Two+ (Hispanic)
559k ± 9.61k

98.8%

Hispanic Population

3.27M people

98.8% of the people in Puerto Rico are hispanic (3.27M people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Puerto Rico as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

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.

Non-English Households

Most Common Non-English Languages

Spanish
3,019,785 households (94.7%)
Chinese (Incl. Mandarin, Cantonese)
1,326 households (0.0416%)
French (Incl. Cajun)
1,193 households (0.0374%)

94.9% of the households in Puerto Rico reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language, which is higher than the national average of 21.7%. 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.

In 2021, the most common non-English language spoken in households in Puerto Rico was Spanish. 94.7% of the households in Puerto Rico reported speaking Spanish at home as the primary shared language between all members living in the household.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
24,804 ± 1,044
Korea
11,766 ± 723
Gulf War (2001-)
11,425 ± 881

Puerto Rico has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.11 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Puerto Rico employs 952k people. The largest industries in Puerto Rico are Elementary & secondary schools (70,740 people), Restaurants & Food Services (67,392 people), and General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (48,517 people), and the highest paying industries are Internet publishing, broadcasting & web search portals ($70,110), Sound recording industries ($67,179), and Soap, cleaning compound, & cosmetics manufacturing ($64,371).

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

Workforce Diversity

Measure

RACE/ETHNICITY

458,087

Women

49.3%

471,405

Men

50.7%

The workforce of Puerto Rico in 2020 was 929,492 people, with 49.3% woman, and 50.7% men.

The visualization shows the distribution of the workforce by gender and age in Puerto Rico.

With the upper buttons you can see the distribution of the average salary and add a filter by race.

Workforce and Wage by Location

Measure

RACE/ETHNICITY

In 2021 there were 951,775 people working in Puerto Rico. The Public Use Microdata Areas (PUMA) that concentrated the largest workforce were Carr 2-Carr 111 PUMA, PR (40,362 people), Carr 2 (Noroeste) PUMA, PR (30,396 people), and Carr 2-Carr 100 PUMA, PR (29,954 people).

The following map shows all of the PUMAs in Puerto Rico colored by workforce or average wage.

With the upper buttons you can see the yearly change and add a filter by race.

Occupations

952k

2021 Value

2.4%

1 Year growth

± 2.4%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Puerto Rico grew at a rate of 2.4%, from 929k employees to 952k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Puerto Rico, are Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical, and executive (45,548 people), Cashiers (41,216 people), and Janitors & building cleaners (29,338 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Puerto Rico.

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

952k

2021 Value

2.4%

1 Year growth

± 2.4%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Puerto Rico grew at a rate of 2.4%, from 929k employees to 952k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Puerto Rico, are Elementary & secondary schools (70,740 people), Restaurants & Food Services (67,392 people), and General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (48,517 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Puerto Rico, though some of these residents may live in Puerto Rico and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$19,058

Median earning men ± $241

$19,085

Median earning women ± $250

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Information ($31,997), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($29,591), and Public Administration ($28,451).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Public Administration ($26,585), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($26,454), and Information ($25,483).

Education

In 2021, universities in Puerto Rico awarded 49,343 degrees. The student population of Puerto Rico in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 70,574 male students and 106,669 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Puerto Rico are Hispanic or Latino (47,195 and 95.7%), followed by Unknown (707 and 1.43%), White (589 and 1.19%), and Black or African American (579 and 1.17%).

The largest universities in Puerto Rico by number of degrees awarded are NUC University (10,955 and 22.2%), Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Gurabo Campus (2,690 and 5.45%), and University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras (2,309 and 4.68%).

The most popular majors in Puerto Rico are Registered Nursing (3,739 and 7.58%), General Business Administration & Management (1,282 and 2.6%), and General Biological Sciences (1,205 and 2.44%).

The median tuition costs in Puerto Rico are $4,920 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 Puerto Rico, the percentage of applicants admitted was 59.4%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 74.6%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 177,243 (39.8% men and 60.2% women).

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

The line chart below shows the annual evolution of the indicator by gender.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 177,243 students enrolled in Puerto Rico, 39.8% men and 60.2% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Hispanic or Latino with 169,455 records, of which 60.2% were women and 39.8% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
3,090 degree-majors awarded
General Biological Sciences
1,192 degree-majors awarded
Accounting
887 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Puerto Rico was Registered Nursing with 3,090 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

NUC University
10,955 degrees awarded
Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Gurabo Campus
2,690 degrees awarded
University of Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras
2,309 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was NUC University with 10,955 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 19,146 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Puerto Rico, which is 0.634 times less than the 30,197 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 47,195 degrees mean that there were 66.8 times more degrees awarded to Hispanic or Latino students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Unknown, with 707 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 ($9,729) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($840) 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

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

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population of Puerto Rico 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 Puerto Rico was $111,800 in 2021, which is 0.457 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $111,200 to $111,800, a 0.54% increase. The homeownership rate in Puerto Rico is 68%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Puerto Rico have an average commute time of 28.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Puerto Rico is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Puerto Rico is $21,967. In 2021, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Puerto Rico was Guaynabo Municipio, PR with a value of $39,176, followed by Gurabo Municipio, PR and Trujillo Alto Municipio, PR, with respective values of $35,470 and $33,948.

Housing

Property

$111,800

Median Property Value 2021

±$570

$814,154

Median Property Taxes

±$5,782

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 Puerto Rico the largest share of households pay taxes in the None range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Puerto Rico compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

68%

Homeownership

2021

74.4%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 68% of the housing units in Puerto Rico were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 67.8%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Puerto Rico 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)

In 2021, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Puerto Rico was Guaynabo Municipio, PR with a value of $39,176, followed by Gurabo Municipio, PR and Trujillo Alto Municipio, PR, with respective values of $35,470 and $33,948.

The following map shows all of the counties in Puerto Rico 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.

$21,967

Median Household Income

± $175

1.2M

Number of Households

± 7,711

In 2021, the median household income of the 1.2M households in Puerto Rico grew to $21,967 from the previous year's value of $21,058.

The following chart displays the households in Puerto Rico 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

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 (83.1%)
Carpooled (7.2%)
Worked At Home (4.18%)

In 2021, 83.1% of workers in Puerto Rico drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (7.2%) and those who worked at home (4.18%).

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

28.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Puerto Rico have a longer commute time (28.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 3.32% of the workforce in Puerto Rico have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

42.7% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Puerto Rico (1.4M out of 3.28M 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 Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Puerto Rico is Hispanic, followed by White and Other.

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

93.2% of the population of Puerto Rico has health coverage, with 23% on employee plans, 44.2% on Medicaid, 13.5% on Medicare, 11.5% on non-group plans, and 1.06% on military or VA plans.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 19.5% under 18 years, 20.8% between 18 and 34 years, 38.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 21.2% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.4% were men and 53.6% were women.

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

Uninsured People

6.82%

Uninsured

23%

Employer Coverage

44.2%

Medicaid

13.5%

Medicare

11.5%

Non-Group

1.06%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Puerto Rico grew by 0.233% from 6.8% to 6.82%.

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