Potosí: population and official figures
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Potosí: 96.6% of residents of Potosí municipality lived in a home with electricity at the 2024 census, 2nd lowest of 10 Bolivian cities on this site; it was 96.0% in 2012 and 92.2% for Bolivia in 2024.
- Health in Potosí: 82.2% of residents of Potosí municipality were covered by a health insurance scheme or the public Sistema Único de Salud in 2024, 3rd highest of 10 Bolivian cities on this site; the figure for Bolivia was 79.1%.
- Education in Potosí: In 2024 the literacy rate for residents of Potosí municipality aged 15 or over was 96.7%, 5th lowest of 10 Bolivian cities on this site; it was 95.6% in 2012 and 95.9% for Bolivia in 2024.
- Poverty and living standards in Potosí: INE's unmet basic needs index (NBI) classed 16.8% of the population of Potosí municipality as poor in 2024 (35,518 of 212,009 people), 5th highest of 10 Bolivian cities on this site for poverty on this measure; the national figure was 29.8%.
What is the population of Potosí?
The municipality of Potosí had 218,702 residents at the 2024 census, according to INE Bolivia; this is 2nd smallest of 10 Bolivian cities on this site. It was 191,302 at the 2012 census and 145,057 in 2001. The figure covers the whole municipality, not only the built-up city.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyHow fast is Potosí growing?
Between the 2012 and 2024 censuses the population of Potosí municipality changed by +14.3%, from 191,302 to 218,702, an average of 1.18% a year, 3rd highest of 10 Bolivian cities on this site for growth; Bolivia as a whole changed by +13.0% (1.08% a year).
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyHow many men and women live in Potosí?
The 2024 census counted 114,163 women and 104,539 men in Potosí municipality, 91.6 men for every 100 women, 2nd lowest of 10 Bolivian cities on this site on that ratio; Bolivia had 100.0.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyHow urban is Potosí?
INE counts 90.7% of the residents of Potosí municipality as urban in 2024, 4th lowest of 10 Bolivian cities on this site for urban share, against 69.0% for Bolivia.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyWhat is the median age in Potosí?
The median age in Potosí municipality was 25 years in 2024, the lowest of 10 Bolivian cities on this site on that measure; the national median was 27.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyHow many older people live in Potosí?
People aged 60 or over were 8.1% of the population of Potosí municipality in 2024 (17,819), 2nd lowest of 10 Bolivian cities on this site for that share; it was 7.0% in 2012 and 10.8% for Bolivia in 2024.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyHow old is the population of Potosí?
INE's ageing index for people aged 65 or over in Potosí municipality was 19.2 in 2024, 2nd lowest of 10 Bolivian cities on this site on that measure (Bolivia 27.5); the demographic dependency ratio was 52.3 (Bolivia 52.3).
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyWho runs Potosí?
In Bolivia, cities and towns are run by municipalities: Mayor and municipal council directly elected in separate ballots for five years; AIOC authorities chosen by the community's own rules under its statute. Local services, school buildings, health posts, local roads; AIOCs hold municipal-level powers plus Indigenous self-government.
How local power works in Bolivia
Cities of a similar size in Bolivia
- Santa Cruz 1,610,982
- El Alto 885,825
- La Paz 757,431
- Cochabamba 665,505
- Oruro 298,350
- Sucre 296,746
- Tarija 238,749
- Sacaba 219,092
- Yacuiba 97,634
Up a level: all cities in Bolivia · Bolivia · government and power
Sources
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE): Censo 2024, tabulados por municipio: Educación (alfabetismo, asistencia, nivel de instrucción, años promedio de estudio), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 40d32703b5ac…)
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE): Censo 2024, tabulados por municipio: Salud (cobertura de salud, fecundidad, atención del parto), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7ef0ac4dd55f…)
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE): Censo 2024, tabulados por municipio: Vivienda y hogar (viviendas por mil habitantes, hacinamiento), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4b7a3d4e292e…)
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE): Censo 2024, tabulados por municipio: Necesidades básicas insatisfechas, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 01b9098442d8…)
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE): Censo 2024, tabulados por municipio: Población (cuadros 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10 y 14), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 8fb22232a3f1…)
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE): Censo 2024, tabulados por municipio: Servicios básicos (electricidad, agua, saneamiento), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c548d62d0f85…)
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE): Censo 2024, tabulados por municipio: Tecnologías de la información y comunicación en el hogar, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c84599101f17…)
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