Population 142,977 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Ponce
Household size in Ponce
| Period | Ponce | Puerto Rico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.05 | 3.07 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.81 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.68 | 2.79 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.37 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.68 | −0.53 | −0.03 |
Households in Ponce are small: just 2.37 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 3.05, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only ten of the 110 Puerto Rico cities with 5,000+ people have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Ponce
| Period | Ponce | Puerto Rico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.9 | 36.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.5 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.4 | 42.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 44.8 | 45.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +8.9 | +8.3 | +2.3 |
Ponce skews older: half of its residents are older than 44.8, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 35.9, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Ponce
| Period | Ponce | Puerto Rico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.4% | 18.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 20.8% | 18.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 18.9% | 16.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 16.9% | 15.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.5 pts | −2.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Ponce: 16.9% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 4.5 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Ponce
Renters in Ponce
| Period | Ponce | Puerto Rico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.3% | 27.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 35.0% | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.8% | 31.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.1% | 32.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | +4.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a third of households in Ponce rent their homes (34.1%), close to the national share of 34.8%. About three-quarters of owners (74.6%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 1.9 points, mirroring the country.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Ponce
| Period | Ponce | Puerto Rico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.6% | 15.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.4% | 18.7% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 19.6% | 22.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.4% | 19.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +3.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Ponce: 18.4% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Since 2006–10, vacancy has risen 3.8 points, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Ponce
| Period | Ponce | Puerto Rico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1974 | 1978 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1978 | 1981 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +3 | +6 |
The typical home in Ponce was built around 1978, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). The median year built has moved up from 1974 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Of the 110 Puerto Rico cities with 5,000+ people, only eight have older homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Ponce
| Period | Ponce | Puerto Rico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $459 | $489 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $500 | $528 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $479 | $553 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $604 | $658 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$145 | +$168 | +$606 |
The median renter in Ponce pays $604 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $145 a month from 2006–10, a 32% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 34.2% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the southeast; the most affordable are in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Ponce
Bachelor's degrees in Ponce
| Period | Ponce | Puerto Rico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.3% | 21.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 24.2% | 24.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.2% | 26.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 28.7% | 30.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.4 pts | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
Nearly three in ten adults 25 and older in Ponce (28.7%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 6.4 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the southeast and least in the center.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Ponce
| Period | Ponce | Puerto Rico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 68.8% | 67.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 72.5% | 72.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 77.4% | 76.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 80.6% | 81.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +11.8 pts | +13.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in five adults in Ponce never finished high school, well above the national share: only 80.6% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Puerto Rico as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 11.8 points, as it has nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Ponce
| Period | Ponce | Puerto Rico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.0% | 16.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 23.8% | 18.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.6% | 16.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 16.1% | 10.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.0 pts | −6.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Ponce: 16.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 5.0 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Ponce compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ponce | 2.37 | 44.8 | 16.9% | 34.1% | 18.4% | 1978 | $604 | 28.7% | 80.6% | 16.1% |
| Coto Laurel | 2.82 | 45.0 | 19.1% | 19.8% | 14.9% | 1993 | $661 | 36.1% | 83.0% | 16.7% |
| Mercedita | 2.71 | 44.1 | 14.7% | 16.9% | 17.6% | 1990 | $764 | 30.9% | 80.5% | 11.0% |
| Penuelas | 2.85 | 42.4 | 18.6% | 25.7% | 19.7% | 1984 | $497 | 30.6% | 80.6% | 11.7% |
| Juana Diaz | 2.90 | 39.9 | 17.7% | 13.8% | 13.8% | 1997 | $857 | 41.6% | 84.1% | 8.4% |
| Villalba | 2.89 | 44.8 | 16.3% | 21.5% | 19.8% | 1984 | $554 | 21.5% | 77.1% | 13.9% |
| Macana | 2.82 | 43.0 | 14.0% | 37.1% | 23.8% | 1981 | $437 | 18.7% | 70.3% | 9.1% |
| Magas Arriba | 2.96 | 39.6 | 28.7% | 19.3% | 24.5% | 1979 | $509 | 15.0% | 80.0% | 17.0% |
| Adjuntas | 2.97 | 45.2 | 11.1% | 35.6% | 21.8% | 1980 | $461 | 18.2% | 71.7% | 22.3% |
| Guayanilla | 2.65 | 46.0 | 16.2% | 30.8% | 17.9% | 1980 | $582 | 24.6% | 80.3% | 13.9% |
| Playa Cortada | 2.58 | 39.9 | 16.5% | 26.5% | 21.6% | 1993 | $680 | 25.6% | 80.7% | 6.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Virginia Beach, VA · Van Nuys, CA · Utica, MI · Suwanee, GA · Sylmar, CA · Topeka, KS · Sumter, SC · Toledo, OH · Terre Haute, IN · Union City, NJ
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Ponce. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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