On January29, 2026, the United States Census Bureau published the Puerto Rico CommunitySurvey (PRCS) new estimates, the data refer to the five-year period 2020-2024. Unlike the estimates of one year of information by the Survey, an important aspect of publishing the five-year periods of the survey is that estimates canbe produced for all municipalities in Puerto Rico, or areas with populations below 60,000 people.

Among the variety of topics collected in the PRCS, we address the median household incomeas ad the first (1/4) of four socioeconomic aspects. A comparison was made with theprevious period 2015-2019, which allows us to examine the variations by municipios and their distribution within the jurisdiction of Puerto Rico according to the socioeconomic characteristic.

Median Household Income by Municipalities

The measure shows the amount of income that came into the household, thus householdersand all other individuals aged 15 years or older in the household.

In the period 2015-2019, the level of income between municipalities ranged from $12 thousand to $36 thousand dollars per year, with Maricao and Guaynabo being the extreme points of the distribution, respectively. During the period 2020-2024, revenues ranged from $16,000 to $47,000 annually, with Las Marías being the onewith the lowest income and Guaynabo the one with the highest income. Regarding the change within the periods considered, it should be noted that only the municipio of Maunabo did not increase its median household income.

Among the 77 municipalities that showed an increase in household income, they can besummarized as:

• 55% (42) of the municipalities increased from five thousand ($5,203) to nine thousand ($9,700) dollars
• 40% (31) of the municipalities increased from one thousand ($1,223) to four thousand ($4,988) dollars
• 5% or (4) of the municipalities increased slightly more than ten thousand ($10,258 - $10,803) dollars.

Explore more details in the table with the comparison of household income between themost recent year periods, as well as the maps with the geographicaldistribution on the Institute Census Data andInformation (SDC-PR) page.

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To establish the Public Policy for Science, Technology and Innovation of the Government of Puerto Rico, define the mechanisms for implementing, measuring and evaluating public policy; ensure its effective execution and continuous review; establish clear metrics and promote multisectoral collaboration to strengthen the innovation ecosystem, strengthening the role of the Puerto Rico Trust for Science, Technology and Research, the Department of Economic Development and Commerce, universities and the private sector; and for other purposes related.

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The most recent annual resident population estimates for U.S. jurisdictions were released on Tuesday, January 27, 2026. These include a review of the previuos years of the current decade, as well as an estimate of the population aged 18 years and over.

In summary, the total population of Puerto Rico was estimated at 3,184,835 as of July 1, 2025. This represented a reduction of around 18,000 people compared to the previous year 2024 and of about 97,000 fewer people than in 2020. On the other hand, the components of population change considered indicate that from 2024 to 2025 there were about 17,950 births, about 32,857 deaths and a net migration of -2,779 people. You can access the most recent population estimates for Puerto Rico and its municipios in the following section: https://censo.estadisticas.pr/EstimadosPoblacionales.

The following infographic summarizes the published results for Puerto Rico:
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Francisco J. Pesante González

Statistical Project Manager

(created with https://gemini.google.com)

In the world of data analysis and decision-making, uncertainty is our greatest enemy. Knowing what the data says is vital, but knowing when it will be available is what allows us to plan with certainty. This is where a fundamental tool for transparency in Puerto Rico comes into play: the Calendar for the publication of statistics.

What exactly is this Calendar?

In simple terms, the Statistics Release Schedule is the official itinerary that governs the publication of statistics for Puerto Rico. It's not just a list of dates; it's a document that details the formal commitment that government entities have to us, the users, about when their statistics will be made public.

This instrument is not optional. It is the duty of the Statistics Institute, enshrined in its enabling law (Act No. 209 of 2003, as amended), to establish strict schedules and ensure that government agencies comply with them.

Beyond Dates: Measuring Efficiency

The interesting thing about this Calendar is that it works as an accountability tool using specific metrics. The Institute records three key moments for evaluating performance:

1. Reference date: when the statistical event or period occurred.
2. Anticipated date: The day the agency committed to publishing.
3. Date of receipt: the current day the information is made available.

From these dates, something critical called the Opportunity Interval (IO) is calculated. The IO measures the number of days that pass from when the statistic occurs until it is finally published.

Why does IoT matter? Because it serves as the basic measure of data “opportunity”. Also known as data lag, this interval directly affects how investors and economists can take advantage of information to make decisions. If we see IoT on the rise, it's a clear sign that the work processes in that unit of government need improvement.

The relevance: why do we need this Calendar?

The existence and compliance of this Calendar are vital for five main reasons:

1. Encourages updating: urges the Government to keep its statistics up to date, allowing us to measure the regularity of publications.
2. It empowers the user: it provides a frame of reference that ensures that we have up-to-date data, greatly facilitating the planning of our work.
3. It guarantees continuous flow: it promotes regular and constant statistical production, supporting the management of these processes within the government.
4. Transparency and accountability: makes data transparent and anticipated, serving as an instrument to monitor access to public information.
5. Quality and standardization: it advances the accreditation of statistics based on quality criteria such as timeliness (shortness between the event and publication) and punctuality (lack of delay compared to what was planned).

Conclusion

The Statistical Publication Schedule is more than an administrative agenda; it is the guarantee that Puerto Rico is governed by the same data dissemination standards used by jurisdictions such as Germany, Mexico or the U.S. Census Bureau. At the end of the day, greater regularity and frequency in publication allows us to make better use of statistical information to build a better future. Access this product at: https://www.estadisticas.pr.gov/calendario-de-publicacion

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Explanatory Memorial requested by the Joint Commission for the Continuous Review of the Puerto Rico Criminal Code for the public hearing entitled “Protecting Minors in Digital Environments: Identifying Legal Gaps in the Puerto Rico Criminal Code Regarding Grooming in Preparatory Stages, Cyberbullying as an Autonomous Crime and Sextortion of Minors

To amend Articles 3, 4, 6 and 8 of Law 209-2003, as amended, known as the “Puerto Rico Statistics Institute Act”, for the purpose of updating references to laws that have been repealed and replaced by existing legislation; increasing the threshold for approval of contracts by the Board of Directors; and for other related purposes.

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