Urban population growth (annual %) in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico: Urban population growth (annual %) was -0.5% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population growth in Puerto Rico, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population growth in Puerto Rico is -0.5%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1,213.7% on the previous year and up 66.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population growth in Puerto Rico peaked at 4.7% in 1963 and was at its lowest, -3.5%, in 2018.
That places Puerto Rico 207th out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population growth (annual %) in Puerto Rico, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 3.4% | — |
| 1962 | 4.3% | +24.2% |
| 1963 | 4.7% | +10.4% |
| 1964 | 4.7% | -0.2% |
| 1965 | 4.4% | -6.3% |
| 1966 | 4.1% | -8.1% |
| 1967 | 3.6% | -12.0% |
| 1968 | 3.2% | -9.3% |
| 1969 | 3.2% | -0.9% |
| 1970 | 3.3% | +4.1% |
| 1971 | 3.5% | +4.7% |
| 1972 | 3.7% | +7.2% |
| 1973 | 3.8% | +2.7% |
| 1974 | 3.7% | -3.7% |
| 1975 | 3.4% | -7.4% |
| 1976 | 3.2% | -6.0% |
| 1977 | 3.0% | -5.6% |
| 1978 | 2.9% | -4.1% |
| 1979 | 2.9% | -1.2% |
| 1980 | 2.9% | +1.4% |
| 1981 | 3.0% | +3.6% |
| 1982 | 3.2% | +4.2% |
| 1983 | 3.2% | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 3.3% | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 3.4% | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 3.4% | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 3.3% | -0.9% |
| 1988 | 3.3% | -1.8% |
| 1989 | 3.2% | -2.7% |
| 1990 | 3.1% | -3.7% |
| 1991 | 2.7% | -9.9% |
| 1992 | 2.5% | -7.4% |
| 1993 | 2.6% | +1.4% |
| 1994 | 2.5% | -3.6% |
| 1995 | 2.3% | -8.2% |
| 1996 | 2.3% | -0.8% |
| 1997 | 1.8% | -18.9% |
| 1998 | 1.2% | -33.2% |
| 1999 | 0.9% | -28.5% |
| 2000 | 0.4% | -58.6% |
| 2001 | 0.2% | -48.6% |
| 2002 | 0.1% | -62.5% |
| 2003 | -0.0% | -127.1% |
| 2004 | -0.1% | +298.1% |
| 2005 | -0.2% | +226.1% |
| 2006 | -0.5% | +112.4% |
| 2007 | -0.7% | +29.0% |
| 2008 | -0.7% | -2.6% |
| 2009 | -0.6% | -10.3% |
| 2010 | -0.4% | -25.8% |
| 2011 | -0.8% | +90.5% |
| 2012 | -0.9% | +5.2% |
| 2013 | -0.8% | -8.3% |
| 2014 | -1.3% | +58.2% |
| 2015 | -1.4% | +8.5% |
| 2016 | -1.5% | +11.0% |
| 2017 | -2.0% | +29.4% |
| 2018 | -3.5% | +78.4% |
| 2019 | 0.4% | -111.9% |
| 2020 | -0.6% | -237.2% |
| 2021 | -0.5% | -8.2% |
| 2022 | -1.3% | +136.6% |
| 2023 | -0.4% | -65.0% |
| 2024 | 0.0% | -109.5% |
| 2025 | -0.5% | -1213.7% |
Puerto Rico compared with similar countries
- Puerto Rico's -0.5% is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.6%. (85 countries reporting)
- Puerto Rico's -0.5% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 0.7%. (42 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Urban population growth (annual %) in Puerto Rico changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | -1213.7% | 0.0% | -0.5% |
| 2004 | -298.1% | -0.0% | -0.1% |
| 2020 | -237.2% | 0.4% | -0.6% |
| 2005 | -226.1% | -0.1% | -0.2% |
| 2022 | -136.6% | -0.5% | -1.3% |
| 2003 | -127.1% | 0.1% | -0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 4.0% | 3.2% | 4.7% | 9 |
| 1970s | 3.4% | 2.9% | 3.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.2% | 2.9% | 3.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.2% | 0.9% | 3.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.2% | -0.7% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.2% | -3.5% | 0.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.5% | -1.3% | 0.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Puerto Rico
More climate change data for Puerto Rico
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 2.50 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 1,291 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 329.16 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 961.57 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 1.24 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 34.34 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 13.91 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 13.89 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 0.0196 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.0524 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population growth in Puerto Rico?
- Urban population growth in Puerto Rico was -0.5% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population growth recorded in Puerto Rico?
- The highest recorded value was 4.7% in 1963.
- What is the lowest urban population growth recorded in Puerto Rico?
- The lowest recorded value was -3.5% in 2018.
- How does Puerto Rico rank for urban population growth?
- Puerto Rico ranks 207th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population growth rising or falling in Puerto Rico?
- Over the last ten years it is up 66.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Puerto Rico data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Urban population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual urban population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear urban population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank total population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects.