Population growth in Puerto Rico
From 1960 to 2021 the population of Puerto Rico increased from 2.36 million to 3.26 million people. This is a growth of 38.4 percent in 61 years. The highest increase in Puerto Rico was recorded in 2020 with 2.75 percent. The biggest decrease in 2018 with -3.97 percent.In the same period, the total population of all countries worldwide increased by 160.2 percent.
The average age in Puerto Rico in 2020 was 43.60 years (median value).
Around 94 percent of the inhabitants live in the country's larger cities. This trend of urbanization is declining, decreasing by -0.5 percent per year.
› Population growth in worldwide comparison
Back to overview: Puerto Rico
Population development in Puerto Rico since 1960
(Data in millions of inhabitants)| Year | Population Puerto Rico | Change Puerto Rico | Birth rate | Death rate | Population World | Change World | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.40 M | 1.77 % | 31.4 ‰ | 6.8 ‰ | 3,072 M | 1.30 % | |
| 1962 | 2.45 M | 2.11 % | 31.3 ‰ | 6.8 ‰ | 3,125 M | 1.72 % | |
| 1963 | 2.50 M | 2.21 % | 31.0 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 3,190 M | 2.08 % | |
| 1964 | 2.55 M | 1.98 % | 31.0 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 3,255 M | 2.05 % | |
| 1965 | 2.59 M | 1.56 % | 30.7 ‰ | 6.8 ‰ | 3,322 M | 2.06 % | |
| 1966 | 2.62 M | 1.19 % | 28.9 ‰ | 6.7 ‰ | 3,392 M | 2.11 % | |
| 1967 | 2.65 M | 0.79 % | 26.7 ‰ | 6.3 ‰ | 3,462 M | 2.05 % | |
| 1968 | 2.66 M | 0.62 % | 25.5 ‰ | 6.5 ‰ | 3,533 M | 2.06 % | |
| 1969 | 2.68 M | 0.83 % | 24.9 ‰ | 6.5 ‰ | 3,607 M | 2.09 % | |
| 1970 | 2.72 M | 1.26 % | 24.8 ‰ | 6.7 ‰ | 3,682 M | 2.09 % | |
| 1971 | 2.76 M | 1.63 % | 25.6 ‰ | 6.5 ‰ | 3,761 M | 2.13 % | |
| 1972 | 2.82 M | 1.99 % | 24.0 ‰ | 6.6 ‰ | 3,837 M | 2.03 % | |
| 1973 | 2.88 M | 2.18 % | 23.3 ‰ | 6.5 ‰ | 3,913 M | 1.98 % | |
| 1974 | 2.94 M | 2.10 % | 24.3 ‰ | 6.7 ‰ | 3,988 M | 1.93 % | |
| 1975 | 2.99 M | 1.86 % | 23.8 ‰ | 6.5 ‰ | 4,063 M | 1.86 % | |
| 1976 | 3.04 M | 1.67 % | 24.2 ‰ | 6.6 ‰ | 4,135 M | 1.80 % | |
| 1977 | 3.09 M | 1.47 % | 24.5 ‰ | 6.4 ‰ | 4,208 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1978 | 3.13 M | 1.32 % | 24.1 ‰ | 6.3 ‰ | 4,281 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1979 | 3.17 M | 1.24 % | 23.4 ‰ | 6.4 ‰ | 4,357 M | 1.76 % | |
| 1980 | 3.21 M | 1.20 % | 22.8 ‰ | 6.4 ‰ | 4,433 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1981 | 3.24 M | 1.14 % | 22.0 ‰ | 6.5 ‰ | 4,511 M | 1.76 % | |
| 1982 | 3.28 M | 1.08 % | 21.1 ‰ | 6.5 ‰ | 4,592 M | 1.80 % | |
| 1983 | 3.31 M | 1.03 % | 20.1 ‰ | 6.5 ‰ | 4,674 M | 1.78 % | |
| 1984 | 3.34 M | 1.00 % | 19.3 ‰ | 6.6 ‰ | 4,756 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1985 | 3.38 M | 0.98 % | 19.4 ‰ | 7.1 ‰ | 4,839 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1986 | 3.41 M | 0.96 % | 19.5 ‰ | 7.2 ‰ | 4,925 M | 1.77 % | |
| 1987 | 3.44 M | 0.95 % | 19.5 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 5,013 M | 1.78 % | |
| 1988 | 3.47 M | 0.93 % | 19.3 ‰ | 7.4 ‰ | 5,101 M | 1.77 % | |
| 1989 | 3.51 M | 0.91 % | 19.1 ‰ | 7.4 ‰ | 5,190 M | 1.74 % | |
| 1990 | 3.54 M | 0.89 % | 18.5 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 5,280 M | 1.74 % | |
| 1991 | 3.56 M | 0.71 % | 18.1 ‰ | 7.4 ‰ | 5,368 M | 1.67 % | |
| 1992 | 3.59 M | 0.65 % | 17.8 ‰ | 7.6 ‰ | 5,453 M | 1.57 % | |
| 1993 | 3.62 M | 0.85 % | 17.9 ‰ | 7.8 ‰ | 5,538 M | 1.56 % | |
| 1994 | 3.65 M | 0.93 % | 17.5 ‰ | 7.7 ‰ | 5,622 M | 1.52 % | |
| 1995 | 3.68 M | 0.93 % | 17.0 ‰ | 8.1 ‰ | 5,707 M | 1.51 % | |
| 1996 | 3.72 M | 1.13 % | 16.9 ‰ | 8.0 ‰ | 5,790 M | 1.45 % | |
| 1997 | 3.76 M | 0.93 % | 16.2 ‰ | 7.7 ‰ | 5,872 M | 1.43 % | |
| 1998 | 3.78 M | 0.58 % | 15.7 ‰ | 7.8 ‰ | 5,954 M | 1.39 % | |
| 1999 | 3.80 M | 0.50 % | 15.6 ‰ | 7.7 ‰ | 6,034 M | 1.35 % | |
| 2000 | 3.81 M | 0.28 % | 15.6 ‰ | 7.5 ‰ | 6,114 M | 1.32 % | |
| 2001 | 3.82 M | 0.21 % | 14.6 ‰ | 7.5 ‰ | 6,194 M | 1.30 % | |
| 2002 | 3.82 M | 0.13 % | 13.7 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 6,273 M | 1.28 % | |
| 2003 | 3.83 M | 0.06 % | 13.1 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 6,352 M | 1.26 % | |
| 2004 | 3.83 M | 0.02 % | 13.2 ‰ | 7.5 ‰ | 6,432 M | 1.25 % | |
| 2005 | 3.82 M | -0.14 % | 13.0 ‰ | 7.6 ‰ | 6,512 M | 1.25 % | |
| 2006 | 3.81 M | -0.42 % | 12.4 ‰ | 7.3 ‰ | 6,593 M | 1.24 % | |
| 2007 | 3.78 M | -0.58 % | 11.9 ‰ | 7.4 ‰ | 6,674 M | 1.24 % | |
| 2008 | 3.76 M | -0.58 % | 11.8 ‰ | 7.6 ‰ | 6,757 M | 1.24 % | |
| 2009 | 3.74 M | -0.54 % | 11.7 ‰ | 7.8 ‰ | 6,840 M | 1.22 % | |
| 2010 | 3.72 M | -0.50 % | 11.3 ‰ | 7.8 ‰ | 6,922 M | 1.20 % | |
| 2011 | 3.68 M | -1.15 % | 11.1 ‰ | 8.0 ‰ | 7,004 M | 1.18 % | |
| 2012 | 3.63 M | -1.20 % | 10.6 ‰ | 8.1 ‰ | 7,089 M | 1.22 % | |
| 2013 | 3.59 M | -1.14 % | 10.1 ‰ | 8.1 ‰ | 7,176 M | 1.22 % | |
| 2014 | 3.53 M | -1.62 % | 9.7 ‰ | 8.5 ‰ | 7,262 M | 1.20 % | |
| 2015 | 3.47 M | -1.74 % | 9.0 ‰ | 8.1 ‰ | 7,405 M | 1.97 % | |
| 2016 | 3.41 M | -1.92 % | 8.3 ‰ | 8.9 ‰ | 7,492 M | 1.18 % | |
| 2017 | 3.33 M | -2.39 % | 7.3 ‰ | 9.2 ‰ | 7,578 M | 1.15 % | |
| 2018 | 3.19 M | -3.97 % | 6.7 ‰ | 9.1 ‰ | 7,662 M | 1.10 % | |
| 2019 | 3.19 M | 0.01 % | 6.4 ‰ | 9.2 ‰ | 7,743 M | 1.06 % | |
| 2020 | 3.28 M | 2.75 % | 5.6 ‰ | 9.6 ‰ | 7,821 M | 1.01 % | |
| 2021 | 3.26 M | -0.55 % | 7,888 M | 0.86 % |
Birth and death rate in Puerto Rico
Population growth is the result of the birth rate, the mortality rate and the migration rate. For example, the year 2020 in the graph: The population in Puerto Rico increased by about 87,800 inhabitants. In the same year, the death rate was 9.6 per 1,000 people (~ 30,700 deaths) and the birth rate was 5.6 per 1,000 people (~ 17,900 births). As a result, around 100,600 inhabitants have to be added by migration from other countries.Over the past 10 years, the number of average deaths per year was 29,675 in Puerto Rico. The number of births was 29,396 annually.
The changes in births and deaths is displayed in the following graph. All data refer to births or deaths per 1,000 inhabitants.
Birth rate Death rate
Comparison of the global population density
Quality of life in country comparison
Active volcanoes and eruptions in the United States