Context:

Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory with a declining population of approximately 3.2 million as of 2025, faces significant demographic shifts and challenges. The island has seen a 17% decrease in population since 2004, primarily due to migration to the mainland U.S. and declining birth rates, with fertility rates dropping to just 1.0 in 2024. Meanwhile, 6.1 million Puerto Ricans reside on the mainland, with Florida, New York, and Pennsylvania having the highest concentrations. The economic disparity is notable, as median household incomes are significantly lower on the island compared to those living on the mainland. Moving forward, ongoing discussions about Puerto Rico's political status and its representation in Congress remain critical issues for its residents.

Dive Deeper:

• Puerto Rico's population peaked at 3.8 million in 2004 but fell by 17% by 2025, with migration to the mainland and natural decline being major factors.

• Between 2014 and 2018, the migration rate surged, with a peak net loss of around 110,000 residents in 2018, exacerbated by hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017.

• The fertility rate in Puerto Rico decreased from 1.9 children per woman in 2005 to 1.0 in 2024, well below the U.S. rate of 1.6 and the global replacement level of 2.1.

• As of 2024, 6.1 million Puerto Ricans live in the mainland U.S., making them the second-largest Hispanic group in the country, with 69% born there.

• Median household income for Puerto Ricans on the island was $26,700 in 2024, compared to $54,800 for those born on the island living on the mainland and $70,200 for those born and living on the mainland.

• The average age of Puerto Ricans on the island is 45.0 years, while those born on the island but living on the mainland average 49.9 years, compared to just 26.1 years for those born and living on the mainland.

• Puerto Rico has limited political representation in Congress, with only one non-voting delegate and no senators, and various nonbinding referendums have been held on its political status since 1967.