San Juan, Puerto Rico — November 6, 2025 — The Institute of Statistics released the results of the Backwater Index for Puerto Rico, a study that offers a comprehensive look at the social and economic situation of Puerto Rico's municipalities. This index constitutes an analysis and planning tool that seeks to promote dialogue, reflection and informed action for the benefit of Puerto Rico's socioeconomic development.

El Lagging Index measures a multidimensional phenomenon using a summary data that allows us to compare the relative performance of municipalities in two dimensions: Economic Mobility and Demography. Five main variables were considered in its design: the percentage of people below the poverty level, the unemployment rate, the percentage of high school graduates (in a population aged 18 and over), the dependency rate by age and the median age.

The index was calculated for two comparative periods: 2014-2018 and 2019-2023, allowing us to observe changes in scores and relative positions of municipalities over time. Index values fluctuate between 0 and 1, with a higher score representing a higher relative level of lagging.

The analysis reveals that 42 municipalities showed a decrease in their score of the Lagging Index, which suggests a relative improvement in the conditions measured by the indicator. Of these, 22 municipalities registered a reduction of more than 5%. In the same way, there are concentrations of municipalities with higher scores —indicating greater relative lagging— in the center, south, southwest and southeast regions of Puerto Rico, while several municipalities in the metropolitan area and adjacent to it showed progress compared to the rest of the archipelago.

The municipalities of Culebra, Toa Alta, Gurabo, Juncos, Dorado, Trujillo Alto, Santa Isabel, Canóvanas, Toa Baja and Las Piedras performed better in their relative index in the last period analyzed (2019-2023). However, the Institute stresses that the index is a relative measure and not an absolute measure, so the results must be analyzed within the context and used as a basis for the development of more specific analyses.

“The value of the index is not in pointing out which municipality is better or worse, but in providing an objective basis for analysis, planning and decision-making. It is an opportunity for mayors and officials who participate in decision-making to know their social and economic reality and to develop strategies that respond to the specific needs of their municipalities,” said Dr. Ronald Hernández, Manager of Statistical Projects at the Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico.

For the elaboration of the Lagging Index, the Institute applied rigorous statistical methods —including exploratory factor analysis, normalization and aggregation of variables—using data from the five-year estimates of the Community Survey of the U.S. Census Bureau And the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Data

Table 1 shows the results of the Lagging Index at the municipal level for the periods 2014 - 2018 and 2019 - 2023. The table is ordered according to the position of the municipalities based on their index value for the period 2019 — 2023. The higher the index score, the worse or less favorable the outcome of the phenomenon.

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Table 1: Lagging Index Results

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According to Dr. Hernández, the results of the study highlight the need to design comprehensive public policies that address both the economic aspects and the demographic transformations of Puerto Rico. “The improvements seen in several municipalities are encouraging, but it is essential that socio-economic development efforts are integrated with strategies to respond to the ongoing demographic transition. This includes strengthening geriatric health services, care policies, retention of young people and urban planning adapted to long-lived communities,” said the Institute.”

Hernández indicated that, the Municipal Backwater Index seeks to promote an evidence-based dialogue between the different sectors of Puerto Rico. Its purpose is to serve as a planning and evaluation instrument, which facilitates the identification of areas of opportunity and guides investment decisions, municipal planning and public policy at the central and local levels.”

The full report of the Municipal Backwater Index is available in: Backwater Index for Puerto Rico

The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute is an autonomous governmental entity responsible for coordinating the Government's statistical production service to ensure that the data collection and statistics systems, on which public policies are based, are complete, reliable, and have quick and universal access.

For more information you can write to preguntas@estadisticas.pr. They can also follow social networks through Facebook (@estadisticas .pr), X (@EstadisticasPR), LinkedIn (Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico) and Instagram (@institutodeestadisticas) accounts.

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JUSTICE STUDY AND THE INSTITUTE OF STATISTICS REVEALS:

ONE OF FOUR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PLAINTIFFS FACES A RISK OF DEATH

Based on the findings of the pilot study of the Risk Assessment used by Department of Justice prosecutors analyzed by the Institute for Statistics

San Juan, Puerto Rico. Wednesday, December 11, 2024 -- The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute and the Puerto Rico Department of Justice presented the preliminary findings of the analysis of the Risk Assessment, a tool recently implemented by prosecutors in the criminal investigation process, to identify the levels of dangerousness of femicide faced by victims of domestic violence in Puerto Rico. The pilot study, which covered 2,021 cases during the first half of 2024, revealed worrying data that highlight the urgency of continuing to strengthen prevention and protection strategies against domestic violence in Puerto Rico.

Among the data, the following stand out:

• The injured parties have an average age of 36.3 years, with the group from 20 to 39 years old being the most represented (62.1% of cases).
• One in four victims faced a level of danger from severe to extreme.
  • Women with severe or extreme danger are almost 13 times more likely to have been attacked or threatened with a weapon, compared to those who are of varying or increasing danger.
  • When evaluating the group of women with severe or extreme dangerousness, it was due to the fact that the partner or former partner was jealous of them and shows it violently and constantly (82.6%). 79.1% fear that their partner or ex-partner is capable of killing them.
  • The municipalities with the highest adjusted rates of victims, aged 15 and over with severe or extreme danger, were Barranquitas, Salinas and Patillas.

The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute and the Puerto Rico Department of Justice reaffirmed their commitment to continue working together so that the Government of Puerto Rico uses these findings as a basis for the design and implementation of effective public policies that prioritize the safety of victims of domestic violence.

“These data not only represent a picture of reality, but they are the result of a rigorous statistical analysis process led by the Institute of Statistics, in which the risk assessment sheets were validated, integrated into a centralized database and the necessary analyses were carried out to identify the most critical risk factors. This work is a key tool to guide government agencies' efforts toward more effective and targeted interventions,” said Dr. Orville M. Disdier Flores, executive director of the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics. For his part, the Secretary of Justice, Domingo Emanuelli Hernández, pointed out that “these data are not just numbers, they are an urgent call for joint action to reinforce prevention, protection and justice strategies for victims of domestic violence. This preliminary report provides us with a path of action to identify areas that need to be reinforced in the fight to eradicate domestic violence. The analysis of data from the Department of Justice's Risk Assessment will allow the development of public policies and measures in addition to those that have already been implemented to meet the needs of the complainants and prevent femicide. My commitment, as part of the justice system, is to work tirelessly to turn these statistics into tangible solutions that prioritize the safety, dignity and rights of victims. It is extremely important that it be continued, as it is an effective initiative to continue building a future where no woman fears for her life in her own home.”

On the other hand, Dr. Idania R. Rodríguez Ayuso, Deputy Executive Director of the Institute of Statistics, noted that “The analysis of these data allowed us to identify patterns and critical risk factors that highlight the seriousness of domestic violence in Puerto Rico. This process, which included the validation and detailed analysis of risk assessment sheets, is essential for generating reliable information that serves as a basis for designing more effective prevention and protection strategies. These findings call on us to act urgently to prioritize high-risk cases and ensure the safety of victims.”

“The Risk Assessment analysis allows prosecutors to make determinations with greater certainty and can be inserted into prevention efforts. In turn, it helps them to guide victims and channel the aid and services they require, including security measures,” said the chief prosecutor, Jessika Correa González.

“The results of the Department of Justice's pilot Risk Assessment study confirm an alarming reality that we cannot ignore: one in four female complainants faces a level of danger that puts their lives at risk. As a society, we cannot allow fear and violence to continue to mark the lives of so many women. However, this effort cannot fall solely on government institutions. The active collaboration of communities is essential to identify risks, provide support to victims and promote a culture of respect,” said prosecutor Laura Hernández Gutiérrez, director of the Coordination Division of the Specialized Units for Domestic Violence, Sexual Offences and Child Abuse of the Department of Justice.

The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute and the Puerto Rico Department of Justice reiterated their call to continue government and community collaboration, as well as to continue strengthening the collection and analysis of regional data to eventually eradicate domestic violence in Puerto Rico. For his part, the Secretary of the Department of Justice reported that the results obtained will allow law and order agencies to strengthen the response in municipalities with high rates of danger, thus allowing for more focused and effective interventions. In addition, he explained that it will be essential to continue the specialized training that the Department of Justice implemented to train professionals who work directly with victims of domestic violence, ensuring that they have the necessary tools to identify and manage risky situations appropriately. Finally, the leaders of both agencies said that these findings will make it possible to design better prevention and education campaigns aimed at raising awareness of the risk factors associated with the risk of intimate femicide.

For more information you can visit the website www.estadisticas.pr.gov or the social media accounts of Facebook (@estadisticas .pr), Twitter (@EstadisticasPR) and LinkedIn (Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico).

To access the study: Risk Assessment Sheet Findings Report.

About the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics

The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute is an autonomous governmental entity responsible for coordinating the Government's statistical production service to ensure that the data collection and statistics systems, on which public policies are based, are complete, reliable, and have quick and universal access.

About the Puerto Rico Department of Justice

The Department of Justice has the mission of ensuring faithful compliance with the Constitution and laws of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and aspiring to the highest principles of equality and human dignity. It also represents the people of Puerto Rico in civil and criminal cases, and provides certainty to the legal trafficking of real estate on the island. It performs these functions with effectiveness, integrity, a sense of justice and the strongest commitment to public service.

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Statistics Institute and the EPA release a tool to report on the sources of toxic emissions around each community