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Population Review

Updated April 2026

Puerto Rico Demographics 2026: Population, Income, Race & Trends

By PopulationReview Editorial Team · Updated

Puerto Rico has a population of 3,254,885, ranking 31st among US states (Census ACS 2023). The state is 35.2% White, 7.3% Black, 0.0% Asian, 2.0% Hispanic or Latino. Median household income: $25,096. Median age: 44.2 years.

Population & Growth

Puerto Rico's 3,254,885 residents make it the 31st-most populous US state. Annual growth-rate data is published separately by the Census Bureau Population Estimates Program for the periods between full ACS releases.

Population density: 950 people per square mile. By comparison, the US national average is roughly 94/sq mi, while New Jersey leads with ~1,260/sq mi and Alaska is the lowest at ~1.3/sq mi.

Race & Ethnicity

By Census ACS classification, Puerto Rico is:

  • 35.2% White (alone)
  • 7.3% Black or African American
  • 0.0% Asian
  • 2.0% Hispanic or Latino (any race)
  • 0.0% two or more races

Hispanic/Latino is counted as an ethnicity separate from race under Census methodology, so totals can exceed 100% in some breakdowns. The full racial composition (including Native Hawaiian, American Indian, etc.) is available on the Puerto Rico state page.

Income & Economy

Median household income in Puerto Rico is $25,096, with per-capita income at $16,794. 38.2% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Unemployment rate: 5.5%.

Income is concentrated in metro counties — see the county-level rankings on the cities ranking page and counties ranking page for sub-state variation.

Age & Households

Median age in Puerto Rico: 44.2 years (US median ~39). The population is 47.3% male and 52.7% female. Puerto Rico skews older than the US median, often a sign of out-migration of younger residents or high retiree population.

Largest Cities in Puerto Rico

  1. San Juan zona urbana — population 320,691
  2. Bayamón zona urbana — population 167,312
  3. Carolina zona urbana — population 139,051
  4. Ponce zona urbana — population 109,765
  5. Caguas zona urbana — population 72,862

Largest Counties in Puerto Rico

  1. San Juan Municipio — population 338,661
  2. Bayamón Municipio — population 183,456
  3. Carolina Municipio — population 153,226
  4. Ponce Municipio — population 134,676
  5. Caguas Municipio — population 126,239

How Puerto Rico Compares Nationally

By population: ranked 31st of 50 states. By median household income: see the richest states ranking. By population growth: see fastest growing states. By cost of living: see cheapest states to live.

See the complete Puerto Rico state page with full demographic breakdown, age pyramid, languages, education, housing, and commute data →

Frequently Asked Questions

Puerto Rico has a population of 3,254,885 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, ranking 31st among the 50 states. Population density is 950 people per square mile.

Puerto Rico's current population is 3,254,885 per the 2023 ACS. Annual growth-rate data is published by the Census Bureau Population Estimates Program.

35.2% of Puerto Rico's population identifies as White, 7.3% as Black or African American, 0.0% as Asian, and 2.0% as Hispanic or Latino (any race). Hispanic/Latino is counted as an ethnicity separate from race under Census methodology, so totals may exceed 100%.

Median household income in Puerto Rico is $25,096 per the 2023 ACS. Per-capita income: $16,794. 38.2% of residents live below the federal poverty line.

The median age in Puerto Rico is 44.2 years. The population is 47.3% male and 52.7% female. Age distribution and population pyramids by 5-year age bands are visible on the Puerto Rico state page.

The largest cities in Puerto Rico by population: San Juan zona urbana (320,691), Bayamón zona urbana (167,312), Carolina zona urbana (139,051), Ponce zona urbana (109,765), Caguas zona urbana (72,862).

California is the most populous US state at roughly 39 million, followed by Texas (~30M), Florida (~22M), New York (~20M), and Pennsylvania (~13M). Puerto Rico ranks 31st. Detailed rankings update each ACS release cycle.

Across recent Census Population Estimates, West Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Illinois have shown the largest sustained population declines. Puerto Rico's own trend is available in the historical chart above. National state-by-state rankings are published annually by the Census Population Estimates Program.

All demographic data on this page comes from the US Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, currently the 2023 release. Historical population figures use Census Population Estimates Program annual estimates. Data is public domain and freely available at census.gov.

Sources: US Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, US Census Population Estimates Program
Last updated:

Demographic data is from the most recent ACS 5-year release. Historical population figures use Census Population Estimates Program annual estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, 2026.

The Puerto Rico category groups every U.S. state demographics and population data entity sharing this attribute. The list above is the data; the paragraphs below explain what the grouping means against the broader the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey distribution and how to read the relative rankings within the category.

For readers using this category as a starting point, the per-entity detail pages linked from the table above carry the underlying the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey data in full. The category-level view is the filter; the per-entity pages are the actual answer.