USUNITED STATES
Factbook

DRAFT · October 2026
A Factbook library volume

UNITED STATES · TERRITORIES · DRAFT

Puerto Rico

PR

United States national overview in the World Factbook ↗

DRAFT · Dated statistical and subject baseline. Figures retain their individual reference years.

Introduction

Background ⓘ

Puerto Rico became a United States possession in 1898. Its constitution established internal self-government in 1952, and its official name is the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Geography

Total area ⓘ

5,324.843 square miles (13,791.28 square kilometres) (2025)

Land area ⓘ

3,424.612 square miles (8,869.704 square kilometres) (2025)

Water area ⓘ

1,900.231 square miles (4,921.576 square kilometres) (2025)

Setting ⓘ

Puerto Rico lies between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Dominican Republic.

People

Resident population ⓘ

3,184,835 people (2025)

Resident population estimate, 2020 ⓘ

3,281,591 people (2020)

Population change, 2020–2025 ⓘ

-2.95% (2025)

Government

Capital ⓘ

San Juan

Political status ⓘ

Organized, unincorporated territory of the United States; commonwealth

Commonwealth established ⓘ

July 25, 1952

Economy

Median household income ⓘ

29,272 2025 USD ± 654 (90% confidence) (2025)

Per capita income ⓘ

20,203 2025 USD ± 382 (90% confidence) (2025)

People below poverty level ⓘ

1,116,333 people ± 25,859 (90% confidence) (2025)

Population with poverty status determined ⓘ

3,159,233 people ± 449 (90% confidence) (2025)

Poverty rate ⓘ

35.3% (2025)

Housing

Housing units ⓘ

1,629,422 housing units ± 11,278 (90% confidence) (2025)

National Park Service places

Places associated with this state or territory in the NPS directory.

Further reading

Source records
  1. Background

    Library of Congress, Puerto Rico research guide ↗

    Reference period: Not supplied by source.

    Retrieved: 2026-10-31.

  2. Total area

    U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 National States Gazetteer ↗

    Reference period: 2025. 2025 Gazetteer geography. Land and water area in square miles, published to three decimal places. Total is calculated as land plus water; territory boundaries are statistical geography.

    Retrieved: 2026-10-31T17:11:28.1089007Z.

    Original source value: 5,324.843 square miles.

  3. Land area

    U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 National States Gazetteer ↗

    Reference period: 2025. 2025 Gazetteer geography. Land and water area in square miles, published to three decimal places. Total is calculated as land plus water; territory boundaries are statistical geography.

    Retrieved: 2026-10-31T17:11:28.1089007Z.

    Original source value: 3,424.612 square miles.

  4. Water area

    U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 National States Gazetteer ↗

    Reference period: 2025. 2025 Gazetteer geography. Land and water area in square miles, published to three decimal places. Total is calculated as land plus water; territory boundaries are statistical geography.

    Retrieved: 2026-10-31T17:11:28.1089007Z.

    Original source value: 1,900.231 square miles.

  5. Setting

    U.S. Geological Survey, Puerto Rico General Information ↗

    Reference period: Not supplied by source.

    Retrieved: 2026-10-31.

  6. Resident population

    U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025 ↗

    Reference period: 2025-07-01. July 1 resident population estimate; Vintage 2025. Includes all ages. Earlier vintages are revised by this release.

    Retrieved: 2026-10-31T17:09:32.917713Z.

    Original source value: 3,184,835 people.

  7. Resident population estimate, 2020

    U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025 ↗

    Reference period: 2020-07-01. July 1, 2020 resident population estimate from the same Vintage 2025 series; not the April 1 decennial census count.

    Retrieved: 2026-10-31T17:09:32.917713Z.

    Original source value: 3,281,591 people.

  8. Population change, 2020–2025

    U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025 ↗

    Reference period: 2020-07-01/2025-07-01. Calculated percentage change between July 1 population estimates in the same Vintage 2025 series.

    Retrieved: 2026-10-31T17:09:32.917713Z.

    Original source value: -2.95%.

  9. Capital

    Library of Congress, Puerto Rico research guide ↗

    Reference period: Not supplied by source.

    Retrieved: 2026-10-31.

  10. Political status

    Library of Congress, Puerto Rico research guide ↗

    Reference period: Not supplied by source.

    Retrieved: 2026-10-31.

  11. Commonwealth established

    U.S. Census Bureau, Guide to 2010 State and Local Census Geography: Puerto Rico ↗

    Reference period: Not supplied by source.

    Retrieved: 2026-10-31.

  12. Median household income

    U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 ACS 1-year, B19013 ↗

    Reference period: 2025 ACS 1-year. Median household income in the past 12 months, in 2025 inflation-adjusted dollars. Universe: households. Sampling estimate; margin of error uses a 90% confidence level.

    Retrieved: 2026-10-31T17:12:11.8995582Z.

    Original source value: 29,272 2025 USD ± 654 (90% confidence).

  13. Per capita income

    U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 ACS 1-year, B19301 ↗

    Reference period: 2025 ACS 1-year. Per capita income in the past 12 months, in 2025 inflation-adjusted dollars. Universe: total population. Sampling estimate; margin of error uses a 90% confidence level.

    Retrieved: 2026-10-31T17:12:16.6293232Z.

    Original source value: 20,203 2025 USD ± 382 (90% confidence).

  14. People below poverty level

    U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 ACS 1-year, B17001 ↗

    Reference period: 2025 ACS 1-year. People whose income in the past 12 months was below the poverty level. Universe: population for whom poverty status is determined. Sampling estimate; margin of error uses a 90% confidence level.

    Retrieved: 2026-10-31T17:12:16.8869346Z.

    Original source value: 1,116,333 people ± 25,859 (90% confidence).

  15. Population with poverty status determined

    U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 ACS 1-year, B17001 ↗

    Reference period: 2025 ACS 1-year. Denominator for the poverty count. Excludes people for whom poverty status is not determined. Sampling estimate; margin of error uses a 90% confidence level.

    Retrieved: 2026-10-31T17:12:16.8869346Z.

    Original source value: 3,159,233 people ± 449 (90% confidence).

  16. Poverty rate

    U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 ACS 1-year, B17001 ↗

    Reference period: 2025 ACS 1-year. Calculated as B17001_E002 / B17001_E001 × 100. Population for whom poverty status is determined. Rounded to one decimal. Source counts and their 90% margins of error are retained as separate facts; a margin of error for this derived rate has not been calculated.

    Retrieved: 2026-10-31T17:12:16.8869346Z.

    Original source value: 35.3%.

  17. Housing units

    U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 ACS 1-year, B25001 ↗

    Reference period: 2025 ACS 1-year. Total housing units, occupied and vacant. ACS estimate; not the annual Population Estimates Program housing-unit series. Sampling estimate; margin of error uses a 90% confidence level.

    Retrieved: 2026-10-31T17:12:17.0506096Z.

    Original source value: 1,629,422 housing units ± 11,278 (90% confidence).

Comparison
Source information
Draft edition