Puerto Rico population pyramid 2026
Latin America and the Caribbean · Caribbean
3,222,688 people in 2026 (projected). Emigration to the US mainland and fertility below one child per woman have inverted Puerto Rico’s pyramid: ages 60–64 outnumber ages 0–4 more than two to one.
- 2026 population
- 3.2Mrank 135 of 237
- Median age
- 46.2 yearsoldest rank 16
- Fertility rate
- 0.94births per woman · below replacement
- Structure
- Older25.8% age 65+
Puerto Rico population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Puerto Rico age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 10.9% of the population, while 25.8% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 63.3% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Puerto Rico’s age structure as older; the guide to constrictive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 58.0: about 58 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (17.2 children and 40.8 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Puerto Rico’s population pyramid
Seventy years of emigration
Puerto Ricans have been US citizens since 1917 and can move to the mainland without restriction, and they have done so on a very large scale. The UN series records a net outflow of about 860,000 people between 1950 and 1999, during the post-war migration to New York and other cities, and a further 630,000 between 2000 and 2023, when a prolonged economic downturn, a public-debt crisis and Hurricane Maria in 2017 all coincided with heavy departures. Emigration has been concentrated among young adults and appears to have been somewhat more common among men. In the 1975 pyramid women outnumber men in every band from 15 to 59, and in 2026 the deficit of men persists: about 89 men per 100 women at ages 40–54 and 83 at 60–64.
Fertility below one child per woman
The second force is the collapse in births. Fertility fell from about 5.2 children per woman in 1950 to around replacement level by 2000, and then dropped much further, to about 0.94 in 2023, a level matched by very few places anywhere. Because emigration has also removed many potential parents, the number of births has shrunk faster than the rate alone suggests. In 2026 about 19,000 births are expected against about 35,000 deaths, and the pyramid has the shape of an urn: the widest bands are at 55–69, and below them the bands narrow steadily towards the base, interrupted only by a small bulge at 25–29 (born about 1997–2001).
The current structure is most similar to Portugal and Italy, but Puerto Rico reached it far faster: its median age rose from about 31 in 2000 to about 46 in 2026.
A shrinking, very old future
Deaths have exceeded births since 2014, and the population, which peaked at about 3.8 million in 2001, is projected to fall to about 2.5 million by 2050 and roughly one million by 2100. The median age would reach about 55 in 2050, when more than a third of residents would be 65 or older. Puerto Rico is listed in the ranking of declining populations, and it is an extreme case of the constrictive pyramid. Its links with the United States mean that migration, more than births, will decide whether these projections hold.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
No five-year band under age 80 is more than 10% larger or smaller than both of its neighbours, so Puerto Rico’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
Deaths have exceeded births every year since 2014. People aged 65 and older came to outnumber children under 15 between 2010 and 2015.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Puerto Rico is projected to record 19,121 births (about 52 births a day) and 35,223 deaths, a natural decrease of 16,102. Net migration adds +1,056 people, ranking #84 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 896,696 births, 830,918 deaths, and cumulative net migration of −627,884. Over that period migration moved the total more than the balance of births and deaths did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of −141,736 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 85.6 years62.0 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 78.7 years58.9 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 21.7 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 4.6per 1,000 births · 68 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 6.2per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 28.1 yearssex ratio at birth 105.2
Women in Puerto Rico are projected to live 6.9 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 68 to 4.6 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #180 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 28.1 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Puerto Rico
The median age of 46.2 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 0.94 births per woman is below the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 82.3 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,222,688 | #135 | Largest first |
| Median age | 46.2 years | #16 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 0.94 | #232 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | -0.5% | #206 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 82.3 years | #42 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 25.8% | #6 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Puerto Rico
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 60–64 | 227,537 | 7.1% | 103.1K / 124.4K |
| 2 | 55–59 | 220,534 | 6.8% | 102.9K / 117.7K |
| 3 | 65–69 | 218,385 | 6.8% | 97.4K / 121K |
| 4 | 25–29 | 217,049 | 6.7% | 108.8K / 108.3K |
| 5 | 50–54 | 211,570 | 6.6% | 99.7K / 111.9K |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Puerto Rico has 1,514,939 males and 1,707,748 females. That is 88.7 males per 100 females, ranking #224 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 47.0% of the population and females for 53.0%. There are 192,809 more females than males overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 73.9 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 105.2 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, close to the biological norm of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Puerto Rico has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 2,229,089 in 1950 to 3,222,688 in 2026, a change of 45%. Over the same span, median age moved from 17.1 to 46.2 years.
The under-15 share changed from 43.8% to 10.9%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 3.6% to 25.8%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Puerto Rico’s population is projected to decline by about 22%, reaching 2,503,994 in 2050. The median age changes from 46.2 to 54.7 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 11.2 percentage points to 37.0%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 7.9%. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The annual UN series reaches its highest estimated population of 3,813,013 in 2001. Historical population totals are estimates rather than exact head counts. Compare timing across countries in the population peak ranking.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 2,229,089 | 17.1 | 5.21 | 60.4 | 87,390 | 23,019 | −44,985 | +0.9% |
| 1960 | 2,363,917 | 17.4 | 4.59 | 68.6 | 76,171 | 15,823 | −26,328 | +1.4% |
| 1970 | 2,734,422 | 20.3 | 3.17 | 70.4 | 67,526 | 20,050 | −6,440 | +1.5% |
| 1980 | 3,213,680 | 23.5 | 2.70 | 73.1 | 73,030 | 22,737 | −5,094 | +1.4% |
| 1990 | 3,541,048 | 27.4 | 2.29 | 72.8 | 66,470 | 27,778 | −6,865 | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 3,809,866 | 31.3 | 2.04 | 75.5 | 59,510 | 32,668 | −19,394 | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 3,714,836 | 36.1 | 1.62 | 78.7 | 42,286 | 37,911 | −30,960 | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 3,275,805 | 44.3 | 0.93 | 80.0 | 18,771 | 33,990 | −7,410 | -0.7% |
| 2023 | 3,242,022 | 45.3 | 0.94 | 81.7 | 18,851 | 34,664 | +19,833 | +0.1% |
| 2024* | 3,242,204 | 45.5 | 0.94 | 81.9 | 19,051 | 34,273 | +11,561 | -0.1% |
| 2026* | 3,222,688 | 46.2 | 0.94 | 82.3 | 19,121 | 35,223 | +1,056 | -0.5% |
| 2030* | 3,140,742 | 47.7 | 0.97 | 82.9 | 18,879 | 37,269 | −7,330 | -0.8% |
| 2040* | 2,853,786 | 51.1 | 1.05 | 84.3 | 15,240 | 41,155 | −6,983 | -1.1% |
| 2050* | 2,503,994 | 54.7 | 1.13 | 85.5 | 10,584 | 41,781 | −5,041 | -1.4% |
| 2060* | 2,143,639 | 59.2 | 1.19 | 86.7 | 8,644 | 39,597 | −4,521 | -1.7% |
| 2070* | 1,812,187 | 63.7 | 1.24 | 87.8 | 7,349 | 35,963 | −2,337 | -1.7% |
| 2080* | 1,517,758 | 67.2 | 1.28 | 88.9 | 5,691 | 33,125 | −826 | -1.9% |
| 2090* | 1,244,166 | 67.9 | 1.32 | 90.0 | 4,893 | 31,340 | −70 | -2.1% |
| 2100* | 995,626 | 65.8 | 1.35 | 91.0 | 4,529 | 27,199 | +190 | -2.3% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 49,245 | 46,922 | 96,167 | 3.0% |
| 5–9 | 56,002 | 52,960 | 108,962 | 3.4% |
| 10–14 | 74,651 | 70,691 | 145,342 | 4.5% |
| 15–19 | 90,547 | 85,466 | 176,013 | 5.5% |
| 20–24 | 103,241 | 98,640 | 201,881 | 6.3% |
| 25–29 | 108,790 | 108,259 | 217,049 | 6.7% |
| 30–34 | 96,071 | 101,371 | 197,442 | 6.1% |
| 35–39 | 89,769 | 98,674 | 188,443 | 5.8% |
| 40–44 | 89,234 | 100,654 | 189,888 | 5.9% |
| 45–49 | 97,895 | 110,978 | 208,873 | 6.5% |
| 50–54 | 99,657 | 111,913 | 211,570 | 6.6% |
| 55–59 | 102,856 | 117,678 | 220,534 | 6.8% |
| 60–64 | 103,125 | 124,412 | 227,537 | 7.1% |
| 65–69 | 97,423 | 120,962 | 218,385 | 6.8% |
| 70–74 | 86,474 | 110,996 | 197,470 | 6.1% |
| 75–79 | 73,554 | 97,912 | 171,466 | 5.3% |
| 80–84 | 52,018 | 72,779 | 124,797 | 3.9% |
| 85–89 | 28,259 | 44,431 | 72,690 | 2.3% |
| 90–94 | 12,166 | 22,259 | 34,425 | 1.1% |
| 95–99 | 3,325 | 7,691 | 11,016 | 0.3% |
| 100+ | 639 | 2,099 | 2,738 | 0.1% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Puerto Rico’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Portugal95% overlap · median age 47.2
- Italy95% overlap · median age 48.6
- Isle of Man95% overlap · median age 46.3
- Guernsey95% overlap · median age 44.5
- Finland95% overlap · median age 43.4
- Croatia94% overlap · median age 45.5
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Puerto Rico.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Puerto Rico Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/puerto-rico/
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“Puerto Rico Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/puerto-rico/.
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World Population Pyramid. “Puerto Rico Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/puerto-rico/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Puerto Rico in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Puerto Rico's population in 2026 is projected at 3,222,688.
What is the median age in Puerto Rico?
The projected median age in Puerto Rico in 2026 is 46.2 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Puerto Rico?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 0.94 births per woman, below the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Puerto Rico's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will decline by about 22%, from 3.2M to 2.5M.
What share of Puerto Rico is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 25.8% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 37.0%.
How many babies are born in Puerto Rico each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 19,121 births and 35,223 deaths in 2026, about 52 births a day. Deaths exceed births by 16,102.
What is life expectancy in Puerto Rico for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 85.6 years for women and 78.7 years for men, a gap of 6.9 years in favour of women.
Does Puerto Rico have more immigrants or emigrants?
Puerto Rico is projected to gain about 1,056 more people through migration than it loses in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of −627,884.
What is the sex ratio in Puerto Rico?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 88.7 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.