Rural population growth in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico: Rural population growth was -2.1% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Rural population growth in Puerto Rico, 1961–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in annual %.
Analysis
Puerto Rico recorded -2.1% for rural population growth in 2025.
The figure is down 52.0% on the previous year and down 23.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population growth in Puerto Rico peaked at 1.6% in 2004 and was at its lowest, -12.6%, in 1995.
Puerto Rico ranks 191st of 209 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Rural population growth in Puerto Rico, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.4% | — |
| 1962 | 0.3% | -34.6% |
| 1963 | -0.0% | -110.4% |
| 1964 | -0.6% | +2057.7% |
| 1965 | -1.2% | +114.1% |
| 1966 | -1.8% | +43.5% |
| 1967 | -2.2% | +27.7% |
| 1968 | -2.4% | +6.9% |
| 1969 | -2.1% | -13.8% |
| 1970 | -1.4% | -31.7% |
| 1971 | -0.9% | -35.8% |
| 1972 | -0.5% | -44.4% |
| 1973 | -0.3% | -40.8% |
| 1974 | -0.4% | +30.8% |
| 1975 | -0.7% | +72.3% |
| 1976 | -1.0% | +41.1% |
| 1977 | -1.3% | +33.2% |
| 1978 | -1.6% | +25.7% |
| 1979 | -1.9% | +19.4% |
| 1980 | -2.3% | +18.5% |
| 1981 | -2.8% | +26.2% |
| 1982 | -3.6% | +26.4% |
| 1983 | -4.3% | +20.1% |
| 1984 | -5.0% | +16.6% |
| 1985 | -5.8% | +14.3% |
| 1986 | -6.5% | +12.9% |
| 1987 | -7.3% | +11.8% |
| 1988 | -8.1% | +10.9% |
| 1989 | -8.9% | +10.1% |
| 1990 | -9.7% | +9.4% |
| 1991 | -10.7% | +10.2% |
| 1992 | -11.5% | +7.8% |
| 1993 | -12.0% | +4.2% |
| 1994 | -12.4% | +3.4% |
| 1995 | -12.6% | +1.4% |
| 1996 | -12.0% | -4.6% |
| 1997 | -11.0% | -8.3% |
| 1998 | -9.1% | -17.7% |
| 1999 | -5.5% | -38.8% |
| 2000 | -1.2% | -79.0% |
| 2001 | 0.7% | -158.2% |
| 2002 | 1.1% | +63.8% |
| 2003 | 1.4% | +26.6% |
| 2004 | 1.6% | +12.3% |
| 2005 | 1.5% | -5.7% |
| 2006 | 1.2% | -22.6% |
| 2007 | 0.8% | -29.9% |
| 2008 | 0.5% | -37.2% |
| 2009 | 0.1% | -73.6% |
| 2010 | -0.3% | -294.7% |
| 2011 | -0.9% | +226.2% |
| 2012 | -0.9% | +9.8% |
| 2013 | -0.9% | -1.4% |
| 2014 | -1.5% | +59.7% |
| 2015 | -1.7% | +14.3% |
| 2016 | -2.0% | +16.5% |
| 2017 | -2.6% | +30.5% |
| 2018 | -4.3% | +67.6% |
| 2019 | -0.5% | -88.0% |
| 2020 | -1.6% | +217.9% |
| 2021 | -1.3% | -20.1% |
| 2022 | -2.3% | +73.3% |
| 2023 | -1.6% | -27.3% |
| 2024 | -1.4% | -17.0% |
| 2025 | -2.1% | +52.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -1.1% | -2.4% | 0.4% | 9 |
| 1970s | -1.0% | -1.9% | -0.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | -5.4% | -8.9% | -2.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | -10.7% | -12.6% | -5.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.8% | -1.2% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | -1.5% | -4.3% | -0.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | -1.7% | -2.3% | -1.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Puerto Rico
More agriculture & rural data for Puerto Rico
- Rural population, per capita 0.0566 units per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 0.4415 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0069 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 278.57 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -2.05 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population 180,246 (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added 887.20 million current US$ (2025)
- Rural population 5.7% (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 0.7% (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population growth in Puerto Rico?
- Rural population growth in Puerto Rico was -2.1% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population growth recorded in Puerto Rico?
- The highest recorded value was 1.6% in 2004.
- What is the lowest rural population growth recorded in Puerto Rico?
- The lowest recorded value was -12.6% in 1995.
- How does Puerto Rico rank for rural population growth?
- Puerto Rico ranks 191st out of 209 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population growth rising or falling in Puerto Rico?
- Over the last ten years it is down 23.3%. 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 Rural population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Annual rural population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear rural population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.