No. 25 Puerto Rico*

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No. 25 Puerto Rico*


2010 Population: 3,978,000
Forecast 2050 Population: 3,697,000
Percent Decrease: 7.1 percent
2010 Population over age 65: 14 percent**
Fertility Rate: 1.6***
Net Migration Rate: -1****

World Bank data shows that the fertility rate in Puerto Rico has gradually declined for decades. While the economic landscape has improved, people continue to leave the island for work. The unemployment rate was 16.3 percent in June, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The Population Reference Bureau expects Puerto Rico's population to grow through 2032 and then fall below current levels by 2050.

Source on all slides: Population Reference Bureau

*Although Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the U.S., the Population Reference Bureau counts it as a country.

**Globally, the average population over age 65 stands at 8 percent, according to Population Reference Bureau data. By 2050, the U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division projects, nearly 17 percent of the world population will be at least 65 years old.

***A fertility rate of two children per woman is considered the replacement rate for a population, resulting in relative stability in terms of total numbers, according to the CIA World Factbook. The global fertility rate is 2.5.

**** The net migration rate is the difference between the number of persons entering and leaving a country per 1,000 persons, according to the CIA World Factbook. An excess of persons leaving the country results in a negative net migration rate.