Puerto Rico Income Statistics
Puerto Rico Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a state's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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F
Puerto Rico Well below averageLeast wealthy state in US
Source: Map AI Methodology
Wealthiest and Least Wealthy Counties in Puerto Rico
- Guaynabo Municipio (80% of U.S. avg)
- Gurabo Municipio (75% of U.S. avg)
- Culebra Municipio (73% of U.S. avg)
- Lajas Municipio (46% of U.S. avg)
- Jayuya Municipio (47% of U.S. avg)
- Adjuntas Municipio (47% of U.S. avg)
Ranked by the Map AI Wealth Index, which combines income, employment, and income inequality metrics.
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Puerto Rico | US Average |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $26,331 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $28,218 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.8% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 2.2% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 1.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Puerto Rico is about 67% lower than in US. Income has been growing slower in Puerto Rico (3.8%/yr) than in US (4.8%/yr).
About 2% of adults in Puerto Rico earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the US average of 14%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Puerto Rico grew by 40.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $26,331 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Puerto Rico
| Metric | Puerto Rico | US Average |
|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.607 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $29,755 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $29,692 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 0.2% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Puerto Rico, it is 0.607, higher than US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 0% more than women's income in Puerto Rico.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Puerto Rico has narrowed from about -1% to 0% in 2024. Over that period the gap in 2017 women out-earned men by 3%. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $251 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Puerto Rico widened by 1.1 points while US's narrowed by 4.0 points.
Employment
| Metric | Puerto Rico | US Average |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 10.7% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 6.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 138,442 people are unemployed in Puerto Rico.
The average commute time in Puerto Rico is 23 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in US.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Puerto Rico has fallen from 17.3% to 10.7% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 18.4% in 2013.
Puerto Rico Wealth Compared With Nearby States
Puerto Rico is the smallest of the 5 states compared here, 3,229,809 residents against a local median of 10,832,120. The measure that sets Puerto Rico apart most is unemployment: 10.7%, 123% above the local median of 4.8%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $26,331 against a local median of $73,509, 64% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Puerto Rico reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The states themselves sit within 0.5% of each other on unemployment, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Puerto Rico, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Puerto Rico has the 5th lowest unemployment of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Puerto Rico | 3,229,809 | $26,331 #5/5 | 3.8%/yr #5/5 | 10.7% #5/5 | 0.607 #5/5 |
| Florida | 22,388,905 | $74,580 | 5.4%/yr | 4.8% | 0.551 |
| South Carolina | 5,295,781 | $69,383 | 5.0%/yr | 4.8% | 0.547 |
| North Carolina | 10,724,323 | $72,438 | 5.2%/yr | 4.6% | 0.547 |
| Georgia | 10,939,918 | $77,523 | 5.3%/yr | 5.1% | 0.561 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Puerto Rico has an overall wealth index grade of F, making it worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Puerto Rico.
How Rich Is Puerto Rico?
Puerto Rico has a wealth index grade of F. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; an F grade means residents are well below the U.S. average. The median household income is $26,331, about 67% lower than the US average of $80,455.
How fast is household income rising in Puerto Rico?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Puerto Rico rose 41%, from $18,729 to $26,331. Over the same years, income here lagged behind the U.S. as a whole: +41% against +57%.
What was the median household income in Puerto Rico in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Puerto Rico was $25,101, up 4% from $24,032 in 2022. The US median that year was $78,147.
What was the median household income in Puerto Rico in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Puerto Rico was $21,101. By 2024 it had risen 25% to $26,331.
Is unemployment high in Puerto Rico?
Unemployment in Puerto Rico is 10.7%, well above the US rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Puerto Rico?
The Gini coefficient in Puerto Rico is 0.607. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Puerto Rico?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Puerto Rico has narrowed from about -1% to 0% in 2024. Over that period the gap in 2017 women out-earned men by 3%. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $251 since 2009.
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