Population 3,234,309 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Puerto Rico
Household size in Puerto Rico
| Period | Puerto Rico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.07 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.93 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.79 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.54 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.53 | −0.03 |
Households in Puerto Rico run a little small, averaging 2.54 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has dropped from 3.07 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Puerto Rico
| Period | Puerto Rico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.7 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +8.3 | +2.3 |
Puerto Rico skews older: half of its residents are older than 45.0, 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 36.7, 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 Puerto Rico
| Period | Puerto Rico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 18.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 16.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Puerto Rico: 15.6% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 2.5 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 Puerto Rico
Renters in Puerto Rico
| Period | Puerto Rico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 30.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 32.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Puerto Rico is about as common as it is nationally: 32.1% of households rent, against 34.8%. Nearly two-thirds of owners (63.6%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in northeastern Puerto Rico; owners are most common in southeastern Puerto Rico. The renter share is up 4.5 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Puerto Rico
| Period | Puerto Rico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.6% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.7% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 22.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Puerto Rico: 19.1% 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. Vacancy is up 3.5 points from 2006–10, 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 Puerto Rico
| Period | Puerto Rico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1978 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1981 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +6 |
The typical home in Puerto Rico was built around 1981, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). The median year built has moved up from 1978 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in southeastern Puerto Rico, the oldest in northeastern Puerto Rico.
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 Puerto Rico
| Period | Puerto Rico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $489 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $528 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $553 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $658 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$168 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Puerto Rico costs $658 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $168 a month since 2006–10, up 34%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 31.7% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in western Puerto Rico; the highest are in northern Puerto Rico.
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 Puerto Rico
Bachelor's degrees in Puerto Rico
| Period | Puerto Rico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.9% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 24.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 30.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
About three in ten adults 25 and older in Puerto Rico (30.2%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a little below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 8.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in northeastern Puerto Rico and least in western Puerto Rico.
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 Puerto Rico
| Period | Puerto Rico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 67.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 72.1% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 76.7% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 81.4% | 89.3% |
| Change | +13.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly one in five adults in Puerto Rico never finished high school, well above the national share: only 81.4% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma has risen 13.6 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than 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 Puerto Rico
| Period | Puerto Rico | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 18.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.5% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.9% | 5.4% |
| Change | −6.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Puerto Rico runs well above the national rate: 10.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 6.0 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).
Puerto Rico compared with nearby states
| State | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puerto Rico | 2.54 | 45.0 | 15.6% | 32.1% | 19.1% | 1981 | $658 | 30.2% | 81.4% | 10.9% |
| Florida | 2.63 | 43.5 | 11.4% | 32.4% | 12.5% | 1989 | $1,816 | 34.6% | 90.0% | 4.8% |
| South Carolina | 2.50 | 41.2 | 11.7% | 28.1% | 11.8% | 1991 | $1,294 | 32.6% | 90.2% | 4.9% |
| North Carolina | 2.52 | 40.3 | 11.4% | 33.4% | 11.4% | 1990 | $1,317 | 36.2% | 90.2% | 4.8% |
| Georgia | 2.73 | 38.6 | 13.4% | 34.3% | 10.3% | 1991 | $1,520 | 35.1% | 89.2% | 5.2% |
| Virginia | 2.62 | 40.3 | 10.7% | 32.7% | 8.7% | 1984 | $1,743 | 42.5% | 91.6% | 4.3% |
| Delaware | 2.58 | 43.0 | 12.3% | 27.0% | 9.6% | 1984 | $1,514 | 35.5% | 91.5% | 5.1% |
| District of Columbia | 2.09 | 36.2 | 12.2% | 58.5% | 10.4% | 1963 | $2,078 | 63.4% | 92.7% | 7.0% |
| Maryland | 2.68 | 40.6 | 11.7% | 32.4% | 7.1% | 1978 | $1,869 | 43.4% | 90.9% | 5.0% |
| New Jersey | 2.76 | 40.9 | 11.3% | 36.2% | 6.6% | 1969 | $1,896 | 43.4% | 90.2% | 6.4% |
| Alabama | 2.56 | 40.2 | 12.2% | 29.8% | 13.5% | 1986 | $1,091 | 29.0% | 88.7% | 4.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
States with similar populations: California · Arkansas · Indiana · Illinois · Idaho · Hawaii · Georgia · Florida · District of Columbia · Delaware
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 Puerto Rico. 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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