The latest available figures put Puerto Rico’s population at 3,706,690. This is based on a US Census Bureau estimate from July 2011. At the time of writing in 2014, the estimated population is 3.68 million.
Puerto Rico is located in North America between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean. It borders the Dominican Republic 237 miles to the west and the Virgin Islands 40 miles to the east.
If Puerto Rico were a full state in the United States (remember, it is actually a Commonwealth), this would make it the 29th largest state in the US, sandwiched between Oklahoma and Connecticut. It is, by some considerable distance, the largest US territory - the next largest being Guam with a population of 159,358.
The figures above show that the population of Puerto Rico has begun to decline after a long period of steady and fairly rapid growth (as can be seen in this table).
The last full US census results, from 2010, showed that there were 3,725,789 people in Puerto Rico, so the population decrease was 19,099 in a single year. The previous census, conducted in 2000, showed that at that point, Puerto Rico had 3,808,610 people, so as well as losing just over 100,000 people in a decade, it appears as though the rate of population reduction is actually increasing.
There are a number of reasons for this decline including lower birth rates and lower death rates as the island becomes more prosperous. Increased emigration to the continental United States is also a factor, as people move to improve their economic prospects and sometimes – because Puerto Rico is a densely populated territory – to improve quality of life in other ways.
The largest city in Puerto Rico is San Juan, the island’s capital. It has a population of 395,326, making it the 46th largest city in the USA.
Puerto Rico is one of the most densely populated areas of the United States and, as a result there are quite a few other fairly large towns and cities on the island.
The second largest city is Bayamon, which has 208,116 people and is the 103rd largest city in America. Other major cities include Carolina (176,762), Ponce (166,327) and Caguas (142,893).
Is Puerto Rico a country? Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States. That said, it is neither a sovereign country nor a state of the United States.
The Island of Puerto Rico measures 9,104 square kilometers. It is the third-largest island in the United States and the 82nd globally. It is the smallest member of the Greater Antilles, which constitutes about 90% of the total West Indies land area.
The population of Puerto Rico is roughly 3.2 million. The majority of the population, 75.8%, is white, followed by African Americans, 12.4%, while other ethnicities like American Indians, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders make up the rest. Since it is a territory of the United States, all Puerto Ricans are considered native-born Americans. However, they cannot vote in presidential elections and are not presented in the congress.
Puerto Rico has a high-income economy. The island has the most competitive economy in Latin America. Its main industries include manufacturing, electronics, textiles, the service industry, real estate, and tourism. Puerto Rico receives significant financial aid from the United States' federal government every year.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Puerto Rico was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 1,425,430 | 43.56% |
| Other race | 786,315 | 24.03% |
| Two or more races | 762,608 | 23.3% |
| Black or African American | 286,388 | 8.75% |
| Asian | 6,295 | 0.19% |
| Native American | 5,066 | 0.15% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 279 | 0.01% |
White
Other race
Two or more races
Black or African American
Asian
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 1,219,660 | 2.65 | 68 | 32 |
| Married | 440,016 | 3.3 | 83.5 | 16.5 |
| Non Family | 423,705 | 1.17 | 61.1 | 38.9 |
| Female | 274,304 | 3.58 | 56 | 44 |
| Male | 81,633 | 3.79 | 61.4 | 38.6 |
3.33
Average Family Size
2.65
Average Household Size
68.0%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 174,544 | 7.27% |
| Associates Degree | 271,432 | 11.31% |
| Bachelors Degree | 482,139 | 20.09% |
| Graduate Degree | 196,312 | 8.18% |
| High School Graduate | 672,281 | 28.01% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 318,394 | 13.26% |
| Some College | 285,291 | 11.89% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 2,368,970 | 1,880,140 | 666,574 |
| 2+ Races | 573,168 | 463,689 | 176,640 |
| Other Race | 560,083 | 440,032 | 146,995 |
| Black | 215,176 | 166,216 | 47,916 |
| White | 20,750 | 18,547 | 8,863 |
| Asian | 4,675 | 3,514 | 1,531 |
| Native American | 3,874 | 3,201 | 1,341 |
| Islander | 130 | 106 | 25 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 89.38%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among white people with a rate of 42.71%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $27,844 | $32,032 | $26,018 |
| Graduate Degree | $39,102 | $46,872 | $35,091 |
| High School Graduate | $16,442 | $17,471 | $14,007 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $12,135 | $12,922 | $9,311 |
| Overall | $21,198 | $21,246 | $21,147 |
| Some College | $19,395 | $21,603 | $17,529 |
$21,198
Average Earnings
$21,246
Average Male
$21,147
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
5.05% of Puerto Rico residents speak only English, while 94.95% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 94.79% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 3,202,290 | 1,355,190 | 42.32% |
| Other | 781,886 | 358,370 | 45.83% |
| Multiple | 752,587 | 299,659 | 39.82% |
| Black | 283,866 | 123,502 | 43.51% |
| White | 27,022 | 8,515 | 31.51% |
| Native | 5,043 | 2,262 | 44.85% |
| Asian | 6,187 | 2,166 | 35.01% |
| Islander | 279 | 201 | 72.04% |
42.2%
Overall Poverty Rate
40.12%
Male Poverty Rate
44.05%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Puerto Rico is Islander, with 72.04% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Puerto Rico is White, with 31.51% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 10.68%. Among those working part-time, it was 44.27%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 51.29%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 61.69% |
| High School | 46.55% |
| Some College | 35.18% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 16.32% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 68.56% |
| Male Unemployed | 60.52% |
| Female Employed | 22.76% |
| Male Employed | 21.56% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $29,240 | $44,020 |
| Households | $24,002 | $38,227 |
| Married Families | $39,080 | $56,729 |
| Non Families | $14,644 | $24,045 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
34.6%
Overall Marriage Rate
36.7%
Male Marriage Rate
32.7%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
69,744
Number of Veterans
66,774
Male Veterans
2,970
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 26,263 |
| Second Gulf War | 11,509 |
| Korea | 10,799 |
| First Gulf War | 9,818 |
| World War II | 948 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 75+ | 27,464 |
| 65 to 74 | 18,111 |
| 55 to 64 | 12,062 |
| 35 to 54 | 8,934 |
| 18 to 34 | 3,173 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Hispanic | 68,030 | 2.55% |
| White | 32,878 | 2.8% |
| 2+ Races | 17,282 | 2.7% |
| Other Race | 13,454 | 2.1% |
| Black | 5,795 | 2.4% |
| Native American | 205 | 4.91% |
| Asian | 130 | 2.54% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
18.03%
Veteran Poverty Rate
45.52%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
44.9%
Labor Force Participation
38.8%
Employment Rate
13.3%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
0%
Born in Puerto Rico
97.27%
Native Born
2.73%
Foreign Born
1.37%
Non Citizen
1.36%
Naturalized
97.27% of Puerto Rico residents were born in the United States, with 0% having been born in Puerto Rico. 1.37% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.