Federal statistical bias costs $120 million annually in Medicare funding for Puerto Rico's economy

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IEPR
29 December 2025

Federal statistical bias costs $120 million annually in Medicare funding for Puerto Rico's economy

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Scotiabank, the Association of Industrialists and the Institute of Statistics present the Puerto Rico Manufacturing - Purchasing Managers Index

Scotiabank, the Association of Industrialists and the Institute of Statistics present the Puerto Rico Manufacturing - Purchasing Managers Index

Strong increase in households with people aged 65 and over in Puerto Rico
PRESS RELEASE
PUERTO RICO STATE DATA CENTER NETWORK (SDC-PR)
Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics

Strong increase in households with people aged 65 and over in Puerto Rico

It is estimated that in 50 municipalities, four out of ten households have this trait.

San Juan, PR, December 8, 2022 — The U.S. Census Bureau released today the most recent data from the Puerto Rico Community Survey. These statistics refer to information collected over a period of five years, from 2017 to 2021. The new publication provides data on demographic, social, economic and housing characteristics for Puerto Rico and municipalities, as well as for specific geographical levels such as neighborhoods and census tracts. As part of the U.S. State Data Center Network. Census Bureau in Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rico Statistics Institute (Institute) presents several interesting results:

  1. During the period 2017-2021, four out of ten households in fifty municipalities had one or more people aged 65 or older. This trait was reflected in only twelve municipalities in the period 2012-2016.
  2. In a comparison of the previous five-year period 2012-2016, compared to the most recent period 2017-2021, estimates indicate that:
    • Among the total number of households in Puerto Rico, the percentage of households with one or more people aged 65 years or older increased from 35.1% to 40.6%, this change being statistically significant.
    • At the municipal level, the 78 municipalities showed an increase in this trait of households with one or more people aged 65 and over.
      • It should be noted that in 69 of the 78 municipalities, the increases were statistically significant.
      • The municipalities of Las Marías, Naranjito, Comerío, Aguada and Corozal showed the highest increase in this characteristic, this change being close to or greater than 10 percentage points.
    • On the other hand, the median income in Puerto Rico was reflected between periods;
      • A decrease in household income of 0.8% or from $22,136 to $21,967, not a statistically significant difference.
      • An increase in household income of 1.2% or from $26,439 to $26,745, a difference not statistically significant.

“The population aged 65 and over is increasingly present in the homes of our jurisdiction; this is partly a reflection of the peak of births that occurred in Puerto Rico in the 1940s and 1960s. Those generations active in our society require and will require support and services for their needs in the present and near future, whether from the immediate family circle, as well as from government programs aimed at this population, said Alberto L. Velázquez-Estrada, Senior Manager of Statistical Projects at the Institute.

Tables with interesting characteristics can be accessed in the data dissemination tool of the U.S. Census Bureau data.census.gov. In addition, as the leading entity of the State Data Center of Puerto Rico, the Institute manages the SDC portal, which contains the main statistical reports and publications of the U.S. Census Bureau on Puerto Rico, specifically those that are most in demand, such as municipal profiles, estimated annual population; the Puerto Rico Community Survey (Puerto Rico Community Survey) and official statistics on Puerto Rico's decennial population and housing censuses, among others. The Puerto Rico SDC portal can be accessed through: censo.estadisticas.pr.

Puerto Rico Statistics Institute is an autonomous governmental entity tasked with 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.gov or write to preguntas@estadisticas.pr They can also follow social networks through Facebook (@estadisticas .pr), Twitter (@EstadisticasPR), LinkedIn (Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico) and Instagram (@institutodeestadisticas) accounts.

No significant change in income in households and families in Puerto Rico

No significant change in income in households and families in Puerto Rico

PRESS RELEASE

PUERTO RICO STATE DATA CENTER NETWORK (SDC-PR)

No significant change in income in households and families in Puerto Rico

Based on the most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau's Community Survey

San Juan, PR, September 14, 2022 — During the calendar year 2022, the median household income in Puerto Rico increased slightly, about $76, while the median family income fell by $363 compared to what was reported in 2021. This is revealed by the most recent Community Survey data released today by the U.S. Census Bureau, covering the 2022 calendar year. As a local liaison entity with the U.S. Census Bureau, the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics shared several findings from the new 2022 survey data:

  1. The estimated median income for households and families showed no significant change, from $24,036 to $24,112 in households, and from $29,907 to $29,544 in families. This represented a change in household income of 0.3% and -1.3% in families.
  2. Regarding the migratory indicators for Puerto Rico, the estimates for 2022 showed the following changes compared to the most recent year of available information (2021):
    • Nearly 16,000 people immigrated to other jurisdictions in the United States in net terms, a decrease compared to the previous available year (2021) where the net balance was close to 27,000 people emigrating.
    • Some 26,989 people immigrated from the United States, reflecting a slight decrease in immigrants of -1.4% compared to 2021, where an estimated immigration of 27,380 people was estimated.
    • In the other direction, some 42,990 people migrated from Puerto Rico to other jurisdictions in the United States, showing a decrease of 21.4% compared to the figure for 2021, which was 54,669 people.
  3. Compared to the previous year 2021, during 2022, the following selected socioeconomic characteristics of Puerto Rico reflected statistically significant changes:
    • The unemployment rate fell from 13.1% to 9.9%, while the labor force increased by about 3.4%.
    • On the other hand, the percentages related to poverty increased in individuals (40.5% to 41.7%), in those under 18 years of age (54.9% to 57.6%) and in families (36.7% to 38.8%).
    • The percentage of grandparents who are responsible for their grandchild or granddaughter under 18 increased about seven points from 31.8% to 38.8%.
    • Among the total population aged 25 and over, the percentage of people with a higher education level or higher increased (79.6% to 81.7%), as well as those with a baccalaureate level or higher (28.5% to 29.8%).

“The survey information provides us with a recent overview of our society. Several of the indicators contrast with the reduction in the unemployment rate, while incomes (in households and families) remained unchanged. On the other hand, net emigration estimates were reduced for the third consecutive year since the post-hurricane emigration peak of 2018,” said Alberto L. Velázquez-Estrada, Manager of Statistical Projects at the Institute.

The main difference between household income and family income is that household income is considered to be the income of the head of household and any other individual in the household aged 15 years or older, even if not related to the head of the household. Family income, on the other hand, considers the income of all individuals in the household aged 15 years or older than if they are related to the head of the household.

Velázquez also indicated that as the leading entity of the Puerto Rico SDC, the Institute manages the SDC page, which contains the main statistical reports and publications of the U.S. Census Bureau on Puerto Rico, specifically those that are most in demand, such as annual population estimates; the Puerto Rico Community Survey (Puerto Rico Community Survey) and official statistics on Puerto Rico's decennial population and housing censuses, among others.

For more details, data and information about the 2022 Community Survey and previous years, interested parties can access: data.census.gov. The Puerto Rico State Data Center (SDC) page can be accessed at: https://censo.estadisticas.pr/.

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.gov on social networks through Facebook (@estadisticas .pr), Twitter (@EstadisticasPR) and LinkedIn (Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico) accounts.