Puerto Rico is aging rapidly: Aging Index increases by 41% in five years

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30 September 2026

Puerto Rico is aging rapidly: Aging Index increases 41% in five years

Demographic, migration, and health trends are among the key findings in the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics' 2025-2026 Results Report

Puerto Rico is aging rapidly, experiencing significant shifts in migration patterns, and facing health trends that pose new challenges for service planning and public policy. The Aging Index rose 41% between 2020 and 2025, while recent estimates pointed to a slowdown in net emigration, with fewer residents leaving combined with stable numbers of people arriving in Puerto Rico. Added to this are findings related to type 1 diabetes in adolescents and other social and health indicators that help define the profile of a population in transition.

These findings are part of the work developed, analyzed, or released by the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics during the 2025-2026 fiscal year, a period in which the entity strengthened its tools for documenting demographic changes, health conditions, economic statistics, and other issues of social impact. The work carried out during this period is compiled in its 2025-2026 Results Report.

One of the most significant changes is observed in the age composition. Puerto Rico's Aging Index went from 168 in 2020 to 237 in 2025, representing a 41% increase in just five years. This means that there are currently about 237 people aged 65 or older for every 100 people under 15, and the index increased in all 78 municipalities. This transformation is occurring simultaneously with a sustained reduction in the young and working-age population.

The population estimate for Puerto Rico stood at 3,184,835 inhabitants as of July 1, 2025, while most regions continue to show a loss of working-age population. Vital indicators add another dimension to the phenomenon. Data released by the Institute show that births in Puerto Rico fell 70% between 2000 and 2025, dropping from 59,460 to 18,003. Since 2016, deaths have consistently exceeded births, consolidating a negative natural population growth.

“The data is showing us a different Puerto Rico than just a few years ago. A rapidly aging population, accompanied by changes in its composition and needs, requires us to think and act differently in how we plan health services, the care of our elderly, and the development of our communities. The 2025-2026 Results Report captures part of the work we have done to generate, analyze, and make accessible information that allows us to better understand these transformations. Having reliable statistics allows us to anticipate these changes and make evidence-based decisions,” said Dr. Orville M. Disdier Flores, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics.

Health indicators that require attention

In the area of health, one of the notable findings during the period is related to type 1 diabetes among adolescents aged 15 to 19. The Type 1 Pediatric Diabetes platform, developed in conjunction with the Pediatric Diabetes Foundation, gathers information corresponding to the 2009-2024 period and identified an upward trend in the incidence rate of this condition among adolescents. The results were presented during the Endocrine Society's annual conference, ENDO 2026, held in Chicago.

The Institute also continued to expand the information available on other issues affecting the health and safety of the population. Among these are statistics on violent deaths, gender-based violence, and femicides. During the fiscal year, the Gender-Based Violence Statistics Platform was expanded, and femicide statistics for the years 2021 to 2025 were published. Among the data examined regarding domestic violence, the Danger Assessment analysis found that extreme and constant jealousy is the most frequently identified risk factor, present in 50% of the cases analyzed. Meanwhile, one in four women filing a complaint (25%) was in severe or extreme danger of suffering a femicide. Likewise, the Puerto Rico Violent Death Reporting System strengthened its capabilities during the fiscal year to collect and analyze information on homicides and suicides. The system developed a statistical data platform and published periodic bulletins with updated data on violent deaths. The system integrates data from the Puerto Rico Police, the Institute of Forensic Sciences, and the Demographic Registry, and during the period, it incorporated spatial analysis to identify areas of higher and lower incidence of violent deaths.

Data to anticipate Puerto Rico's needs

The 2025-2026 Results Report also documents the development and strengthening of tools to make this data more accessible. Among these are the Demographic Observatory, which integrates indicators of population, fertility, mortality, and migration, as well as new interactive platforms related to violent deaths and femicides.

“Our goal is not only to produce statistics, but to ensure that this data becomes useful knowledge. When we can identify how our population is aging, what is happening with certain health conditions, or where populations with particular needs exist, we put information into the hands of Puerto Rico that can help direct resources and develop better responses,” added Disdier.

As part of this work, during the 2025-2026 fiscal year, the Institute also developed priority research, including the Profile of Sexual Aggression Behavior against Minors in Puerto Rico, the first Registry of the Deaf Community in Puerto Rico, as well as the strengthening of the Needs Study of the Deaf Community. The latter seeks to expand the database to understand the characteristics and needs of this population and contribute to the planning of accessible services.

Essential statistics to face economic challenges

The Institute published the study Tariffs in Puerto Rico 2025, which revealed that total import tariffs reached $919.7 million (an increase of $683.1 million compared to 2024, equivalent to a year-over-year growth of 288.7%) and a record effective tariff rate of 4.81%, with the greatest burden concentrated in key sectors such as construction, manufacturing, and food. Likewise, the Lag Index for Puerto Rico was published, a multidimensional tool based on economic mobility and demographic indicators that showed relative improvement in 42 municipalities.

Specialized training to improve statistics

The Institute held 14 online workshops and offered 7 webinars to more than 1,000 people, the recordings of which were published on YouTube to expand their reach. It also provided a specialized workshop on “R for Economic Statistics” to the statistical staff of the Puerto Rico Department of Economic Development, which resulted in improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of their statistical processes.

The 2025-2026 Results Report compiles these and other initiatives developed by the Institute in ten strategic areas and is available in the “Results Report” section at: 2025-2026 Results Report.

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Puerto Rico is aging rapidly: Aging Index increases by 41% in five years

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

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

Enterprise Broadband Adoption Survey

Press Release

The results of the fifth edition of the Survey on the Adoption of Broadband Technology in Companies in Puerto Rico are available

76% of businesses make sales or receive payments through online transactions.

76% of businesses make sales or receive payments through online transactions, the main sector in this regard being wholesalers and warehousing businesses, of which 86% carry out transactions through these means. This is based on data published in the fifth edition of the Puerto Rico Business Broadband Technology Adoption Survey (2019); this survey was conducted by the Puerto Rico Statistics Institute (Institute) in collaboration with the non-profit organization Connect Puerto Rico. This product includes statistics related to the availability, access and use of information technologies and broadband Internet in companies in Puerto Rico. The data were obtained through telephone surveys conducted with nearly 800 local companies.

“Having data, such as those provided by this type of survey, helps to know the availability and limitations of access to this technology in the economic sector. In the same way, it allows us to know the indicators on electronic commerce in Puerto Rico,” said Francisco Pesante, Assistant for Statistical Projects at the Institute.

From the 2019 edition of the Survey on the Adoption of Broadband Technology in Companies in Puerto Rico, the following findings are highlighted:

93% of the companies surveyed reported using the Internet for their operations.
99% of establishments dedicated to the financial and professional services sector reported using the Internet for their operations.
87% of establishments reported using broadband Internet to conduct their businesses.
77% of the establishments surveyed reported that their bandwidth is adequate to meet their needs.
70% of retail establishments reported using social networks such as Facebook or Twitter.
The main activities of commercial establishments, in which the use of the Internet is involved, are:
- Communicate with your customers (76%)
- Billing and collection (73%)
- Purchases of goods and services (71%)

47% of the establishments surveyed are owned by a woman or a woman is one of the owners, if there are co-owners.

The acting executive director of the Institute of Statistics, Dr. Orville M. Disdier said that “At the Institute of Statistics, we are pleased to collaborate in the collection of data that serve as indicators for economic sectors. According to our vision, we work to guarantee Puerto Rico that it has complete, reliable statistics, and quick and universal access.”

Some of the findings of the report are summarized in the visualization accessible through the following link: https://tabsoft.co/32ZXdM3.

For more information about this survey, as well as previous surveys, interested individuals can access: https://cutt.ly/ieue8ZY. To learn about the data sets you can visit: https://cutt.ly/Neue4hy.

To learn more about the Institute of Statistics, you can access the website: www.estadisticas.pr.gov. On social media through Facebook accounts (@statistics.pr), Twitter (@EstadisticasPR) and LinkedIn (Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico).

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Contacts:

Idia M. Martinez, R-28

787-603-3200

Lourdes Burgos, R-27

787-562-2932

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They present economic and social indicators for Puerto Rico

They present economic and social indicators for Puerto Rico

In activity between the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics and the United States Census Bureau

San Juan, Puerto Rico. October 24, 2024. The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute, in collaboration with the United States Census Bureau, presented the conference “Economic and Social Indicators on Puerto Rico: Exploring the Economic and Social Reality of Puerto Rico”, in which they examined the main economic and social indicators that impact Puerto Rico. Experts from the United States Census Bureau and the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics presented key issues, such as the cost of living, labor force, community resilience and migratory flow, among others. The activity took place on October 4. “Knowing some of the indicators that reflect the economic and social reality of Puerto Rico is essential for the development of effective public policies. This collaboration with the Census Bureau helps us to have more accurate and reliable data that will help us better understand the challenges and opportunities facing Puerto Rico,” said the executive director of the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics, Dr. Orville M. Disdier.

For his part, Michael López-Pelliccia, (Chief of Staff, Economic Department) of the United States Census Bureau in Puerto Rico, said that, “The opening of the first Federal Center for Statistical Data Research in Puerto Rico (FSRDC) and events such as this conference are part of an ongoing effort to strengthen technical capacity in Puerto Rico. Through seminars, workshops, and webinars, we seek to provide local people with a more practical and accessible approach to using Census data. This type of technical assistance is key to ensuring that Puerto Rico can make the most of the wealth of information we offer.”

The conference included presentations by experts such as Ana G. Jara Castro, Clara E. Santiago Bello, Javier Gómez and Marijulie Martínez from the United States Census Bureau, who addressed issues such as building permit indicators and the “Census Business Builder” tool, among others. On behalf of the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics, Dr. Ronald G. Hernández Maldonado presented the Cost of Living Index, while Alberto L. Velázquez Estrada spoke about the migratory flow and the structure of the labor group in Puerto Rico.

Among the various indicators presented at the conference, the following stood out:

El Quarterly Workforce Indicators which includes 32 labor force indicators that cover employment, job changes and income. This is a single work-level data source that provides demographic information on the labor market.
The Community Resilience Estimates (CRE), which are modeled estimates of vulnerability factors in the population such as functional diversity, poverty level, access to vehicles and internet, employment, education, and others, combining data from the Community Survey.
The tool Census Business Builder, which is a customer-focused application. It provides access to data to develop business plans, request financial assistance, study economic development, plan strategies and create emergency plans.
The Internet page Puerto Rico Profile which links between its tools automated profiles for municipalities with data on employment, poverty, income, education and health, among others.
The Cost of Living Index (COLI). This reflected in the most recent results for Puerto Rico, that the cost of grocery items in San Juan, Bayamón and Caguas is 12.2% more expensive than the average of the participating urban areas in the United States.
Regarding the Migratory Flow and Structure of the Working Age Group in Puerto Rico, it was highlighted that emigration has been a constant in the history of Puerto Rico, but this has taken a deep toll on the working population in recent years. About 70% of working-age emigration occurred at ages 16 to 44.

The presentations and materials used during the conference are available through the following link: https://estadisticas.pr/en/Conferencia-Indicadores-Económicos-y-Sociales.

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 visit the website: www.estadisticas.pr or 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.

Authorized by the Office of the Electoral Comptroller OCE-SA-2024-12788

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