Puerto Rico’s population is aging at one of the fastest rates in the region, with new data from the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics showing a sharp rise in the Island’s Índice de Vejez (Aging Index) between 2020 and 2025. The indicator, which measures the number of adults aged 65 and older per 100 children […]
Puerto Rico’s population is aging at one of the fastest rates in the region, with new data from the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics showing a sharp rise in the Island’s Índice de Vejez (Aging Index) between 2020 and 2025.
The indicator, which measures the number of adults aged 65 and older per 100 children under 15, increased from 168 in 2020 to 237 in 2025. This represents a 41 percent jump in just five years, based on annual population estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau on June 25 and published by the Institute of Statistics.
The Institute noted that the upward trend was consistent across all 78 municipalities, underscoring the demographic pressures created by declining birth rates, sustained outmigration of younger residents, and longer life expectancy. The highest values were concentrated in smaller, mostly rural municipalities, particularly in the western and southeastern regions. Hormigueros reported the highest Aging Index at 380.2, meaning the number of adults 65 and older was nearly four times the number of children under 15. Rincón, Patillas, Yabucoa, and Lajas also posted elevated values, all above 297, while Mayagüez, Yauco, and Maunabo followed with indices close to 300.
Even the municipalities with the lowest values reflected an aging population. Juncos, Barranquitas, Toa Alta, Barceloneta, and Santa Isabel registered the lowest indices in 2025, yet all exceeded 168. In every case, the number of older adults surpassed the number of children, a pattern that held across the Island.
Some municipalities experienced particularly rapid aging during the five‑year period. Loíza recorded the largest percentage increase, rising nearly 68 percent from an index of 132 in 2020 to 222 in 2025. Las Marías, Peñuelas, Patillas and Yabucoa also saw significant growth, with increases ranging from 57 to 61 percent. By contrast, Culebra, Fajardo, Mayagüez, Barceloneta and Arecibo posted more moderate increases, between 29 and 32 percent. Still, all municipalities experienced some level of growth in their Aging Index.
Overall, the data point to a universal but uneven demographic shift, with some communities aging far more rapidly than others.
