Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico: Population density (people per sq. km of land area) was 361.05 people per sq. km of land area in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
361.05 people per sq. km of land area
Change on year
down 0.0%
World rank
32nd
of 216 countries
All-time high
431.44 people per sq. km of land area
in 2004
All-time low
270.54 people per sq. km of land area
in 1961
Years of data
64
1961–2024
Population density in Puerto Rico, 1961–2024
Source: FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in people per sq. km of land area.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population density in Puerto Rico is 361.05 people per sq. km of land area, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of down 10.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population density in Puerto Rico peaked at 431.44 people per sq. km of land area in 2004 and was at its lowest, 270.54 people per sq. km of land area, in 1961.
That places Puerto Rico 32nd out of 216 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 64 years of available data.
Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in Puerto Rico, year by year
| Year | people per sq. km of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 270.54 people per sq. km of land area | — |
| 1962 | 276.25 people per sq. km of land area | +2.1% |
| 1963 | 282.36 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 1964 | 287.94 people per sq. km of land area | +2.0% |
| 1965 | 292.45 people per sq. km of land area | +1.6% |
| 1966 | 295.94 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 1967 | 298.27 people per sq. km of land area | +0.8% |
| 1968 | 300.12 people per sq. km of land area | +0.6% |
| 1969 | 302.61 people per sq. km of land area | +0.8% |
| 1970 | 306.43 people per sq. km of land area | +1.3% |
| 1971 | 311.41 people per sq. km of land area | +1.6% |
| 1972 | 317.62 people per sq. km of land area | +2.0% |
| 1973 | 324.55 people per sq. km of land area | +2.2% |
| 1974 | 331.38 people per sq. km of land area | +2.1% |
| 1975 | 337.54 people per sq. km of land area | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 343.16 people per sq. km of land area | +1.7% |
| 1977 | 348.22 people per sq. km of land area | +1.5% |
| 1978 | 352.81 people per sq. km of land area | +1.3% |
| 1979 | 357.17 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 1980 | 361.44 people per sq. km of land area | +1.2% |
| 1981 | 365.56 people per sq. km of land area | +1.1% |
| 1982 | 369.5 people per sq. km of land area | +1.1% |
| 1983 | 373.3 people per sq. km of land area | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 377.02 people per sq. km of land area | +1.0% |
| 1985 | 380.72 people per sq. km of land area | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 384.39 people per sq. km of land area | +1.0% |
| 1987 | 388.03 people per sq. km of land area | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 391.65 people per sq. km of land area | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 395.23 people per sq. km of land area | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 398.76 people per sq. km of land area | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 401.59 people per sq. km of land area | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 404.19 people per sq. km of land area | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 407.61 people per sq. km of land area | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 411.41 people per sq. km of land area | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 415.23 people per sq. km of land area | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 419.92 people per sq. km of land area | +1.1% |
| 1997 | 423.84 people per sq. km of land area | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 426.28 people per sq. km of land area | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 428.42 people per sq. km of land area | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 429.61 people per sq. km of land area | +0.3% |
| 2001 | 430.53 people per sq. km of land area | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 431.08 people per sq. km of land area | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 431.35 people per sq. km of land area | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 431.44 people per sq. km of land area | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 430.82 people per sq. km of land area | -0.1% |
| 2006 | 429 people per sq. km of land area | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 426.49 people per sq. km of land area | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 424 people per sq. km of land area | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 421.69 people per sq. km of land area | -0.5% |
| 2010 | 419.89 people per sq. km of land area | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 416.4 people per sq. km of land area | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 412.75 people per sq. km of land area | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 409.41 people per sq. km of land area | -0.8% |
| 2014 | 404.17 people per sq. km of land area | -1.3% |
| 2015 | 398.55 people per sq. km of land area | -1.4% |
| 2016 | 392.38 people per sq. km of land area | -1.5% |
| 2017 | 384.54 people per sq. km of land area | -2.0% |
| 2018 | 370.99 people per sq. km of land area | -3.5% |
| 2019 | 372.34 people per sq. km of land area | +0.4% |
| 2020 | 369.96 people per sq. km of land area | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 367.84 people per sq. km of land area | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 363.04 people per sq. km of land area | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 361.19 people per sq. km of land area | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 361.05 people per sq. km of land area | -0.0% |
Puerto Rico compared with similar countries
- Puerto Rico's 361.05 people per sq. km of land area is above the median for high income countries, which is 147 people per sq. km of land area, 2.5× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Puerto Rico's 361.05 people per sq. km of land area is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 103.62 people per sq. km of land area, 3.5× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 289.61 people per sq. km of land area | 270.54 people per sq. km of land area | 302.61 people per sq. km of land area | 9 |
| 1970s | 333.03 people per sq. km of land area | 306.43 people per sq. km of land area | 357.17 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1980s | 378.68 people per sq. km of land area | 361.44 people per sq. km of land area | 395.23 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 1990s | 413.72 people per sq. km of land area | 398.76 people per sq. km of land area | 428.42 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2000s | 428.6 people per sq. km of land area | 421.69 people per sq. km of land area | 431.44 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2010s | 398.14 people per sq. km of land area | 370.99 people per sq. km of land area | 419.89 people per sq. km of land area | 10 |
| 2020s | 364.62 people per sq. km of land area | 361.05 people per sq. km of land area | 369.96 people per sq. km of land area | 5 |
Countries ranked near Puerto Rico
- 29 Belgium 388.88 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 30 Philippines 388.52 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 31 Tuvalu 371 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 33 Sri Lanka 354.28 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 34 Curacao 351.28 people per sq. km of land area compare
- 35 Grenada 340.72 people per sq. km of land area compare
More urban development data for Puerto Rico
- Population in the largest city 81.0% (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 7.84 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.7641 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 2.43 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual -0.1207 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 275.04 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 2.43 million (2025)
- Crude steelmaking capacity 0 Tonnes (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 3.7% (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population density in Puerto Rico?
- Population density in Puerto Rico was 361.05 people per sq. km of land area in 2024, according to FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest population density recorded in Puerto Rico?
- The highest recorded value was 431.44 people per sq. km of land area in 2004.
- What is the lowest population density recorded in Puerto Rico?
- The lowest recorded value was 270.54 people per sq. km of land area in 1961.
- How does Puerto Rico rank for population density?
- Puerto Rico ranks 32nd out of 216 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population density rising or falling in Puerto Rico?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Puerto Rico data come from?
- The figures come from FAO population estimates, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Population density (people per sq. km of land area). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 64 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.