Puerto Rico Population Overview (2026 Projection)
Puerto Rico, officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Caribbean island and an unincorporated territory of the United States. The first U.S. census in 1899 reported a population of 1 million, with 61.8% White, 31.9% mixed, and 6.3% Black.
Historical European immigration and the importation of enslaved Africans contributed to Puerto Rico’s population growth from 155,426 in 1800 to nearly 1 million by the end of the 19th century.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population of Puerto Rico in 2020 was 3,285,874 (3.28 million). As of July 1, 2024, the estimated population is 3,203,295 (≈3.2 million).
👉 Projected Population of Puerto Rico (2026): ~3.18 million
Puerto Rico Census Snapshot (2020)
| Puerto Rico | 2020 Census |
| Total Population | 3,285,874 |
| Caribbean Rank | 4 |
| Sovereignty | Territory of US |
| Land Area | 311,888 sq.km (120,421 sq. mi) |
| Area Rank | – |
| Pop. Density | 350 people/sq. km |
| Capital City | San Juan |
also read about the Puerto Ricans population in US
Religion in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico has a many religious beliefs and Christianity is the majority religion and is followed by 97% 0f the population. Among Christians, Catholicism is the most prevalent professed faith followed by Protestants.
The Roman Catholic Church estimates that 69 percent of the population is Catholic. Protestants are estimated to be 25 percent and include Baptists, Pentecostals, Seventh-day Adventists, Presbyterians, Anglicans, Methodists, Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), and Lutherans. Other Christian denominations include the Greek Orthodox Church, the Russian Orthodox Church, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
1.89% of Puerto Ricans declared themselves to Irreligious and 1.4% are other religions. It has small communities of Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, and members of the Baháʼí Faith.
| Religion/Affiliations | Percentage |
| Christians | 97% |
| – Catholics | – 69% |
| – Protestants | – 25% |
| – Other Christians | – 2 % |
| Irreligious | 1.9% |
| Buddhist | <1% |
| Hindu | <1% |
| Jewish | <1% |
| Muslim | <1% |
| Others | 1% |
Ethnicity in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic, religious, and national backgrounds. The racial composition is as follows
- White – 75.8%
- Black/ Africans- 12.4%
- Mixed – 3.3%
- Others – 8.5%
According to US Census Bureau 2020, the data for Puerto Rico was as follows
- Hispanic or Latino (of any race) -3,249,043 ( 98.9%)
- White alone – 24,548 (0.7%)
- Black or African American alone – 4,286 (0.1%)
- Others – (0.3%)
Top Cities in Puerto Rico by Population
| # | City | Population |
| 1 | San Juan | 395,326 |
| 2 | Bayamón | 208,116 |
| 3 | Carolina | 176,762 |
| 4 | Ponce | 166,327 |
| 5 | Caguas | 142,893 |
| 6 | Guaynabo | 97,924 |
| 7 | Arecibo | 96,440 |
| 8 | Toa Baja | 89,609 |
| 9 | Mayagüez | 89,080 |
| 10 | Trujillo Alto | 74,842 |
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