how many puerto ricans live in the united states
About 5.8 to 6.1 million people of Puerto Rican origin live in the 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., depending on the exact year and estimate used.
Quick Scoop
The core number
- A widely cited figure from the U.S. Census Bureau (via Pew Research Center) estimates about 5.8 million Hispanics of Puerto Rican origin in the United States in 2021.
- Other recent demographic summaries round this up to around 6 million–6.1 million Puerto Ricans living in the 50 states plus D.C. by the mid‑2020s.
Island vs. mainland
- Puerto Ricans living in the mainland U.S. now outnumber those living on the island of Puerto Rico.
- Recent estimates put the island’s resident population at roughly 3.1–3.2 million , while the diaspora in the states is close to 6 million+.
Why the number keeps growing
- Since the early 2000s, economic struggles, natural disasters (like Hurricane Maria), and better job prospects in the states have driven steady migration to the mainland.
- At the same time, Puerto Rico’s own population has been shrinking due to both migration and low birth rates.
A quick historical snapshot
- Around 2000 , there were roughly 3.4 million people of Puerto Rican origin in the U.S.
- By 2012 , estimates for Puerto Ricans on the mainland had climbed to about 4.9 million.
- By 2018–2022 , estimates clustered around 5.8–5.9 million , with projections and newer summaries describing “about six million” by the mid‑2020s.
Mini HTML table: Puerto Ricans in the U.S.
| Year / period | Puerto Rican origin in U.S. (50 states + D.C.) | Source note |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | ≈3.4 million | [5]U.S. Census-based analysis (Pew) |
| 2012 | ≈4.9 million | [1]Demographic profile of mainland Puerto Ricans |
| 2018 | ≈5.8 million | [10][7]U.S. Census Bureau estimates of stateside Puerto Ricans |
| 2021 | ≈5.8 million | [5]Pew Research Center fact sheet |
| Mid‑2020s (general) | ≈5.8–6.1 million | [3][1]Recent demographic summaries of the Puerto Rican diaspora |
Tiny TL;DR
- If you’re asking “how many Puerto Ricans live in the United States?” , a clear, current phrasing is:
“Around six million people of Puerto Rican origin live in the 50 U.S. states and D.C., and they now outnumber the population living on the island of Puerto Rico.”
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.