Santa Cruz: population and official figures
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Santa Cruz: 99.7% of residents of Santa Cruz municipality lived in a home with electricity at the 2024 census, the highest of 10 Bolivian cities on this site; it was 99.0% in 2012 and 92.2% for Bolivia in 2024.
- Health in Santa Cruz: 64.4% of residents of Santa Cruz municipality were covered by a health insurance scheme or the public Sistema Único de Salud in 2024, the lowest of 10 Bolivian cities on this site; the figure for Bolivia was 79.1%.
- Education in Santa Cruz: In 2024 the literacy rate for residents of Santa Cruz municipality aged 15 or over was 98.7%, 2nd highest of 10 Bolivian cities on this site; it was 98.6% in 2012 and 95.9% for Bolivia in 2024.
- Poverty and living standards in Santa Cruz: INE's unmet basic needs index (NBI) classed 10.4% of the population of Santa Cruz municipality as poor in 2024 (161,452 of 1,551,843 people), 2nd lowest of 10 Bolivian cities on this site for poverty on this measure; the national figure was 29.8%.
What is the population of Santa Cruz?
The municipality of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, which contains Santa Cruz, had 1,610,982 residents at the 2024 census, according to INE Bolivia; this is the largest of 10 Bolivian cities on this site. It was 1,444,425 at the 2012 census and 1,131,778 in 2001. The figure covers the whole municipality, not only the built-up city.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyHow fast is Santa Cruz growing?
Between the 2012 and 2024 censuses the population of Santa Cruz municipality changed by +11.5%, from 1,444,425 to 1,610,982, an average of 0.96% a year, 5th lowest 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 Santa Cruz?
The 2024 census counted 811,152 women and 799,830 men in Santa Cruz municipality, 98.6 men for every 100 women, 2nd highest of 10 Bolivian cities on this site on that ratio; Bolivia had 100.0.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyHow urban is Santa Cruz?
INE counts 99.4% of the residents of Santa Cruz municipality as urban in 2024, 4th highest 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 Santa Cruz?
The median age in Santa Cruz municipality was 28 years in 2024, joint 4th highest 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 Santa Cruz?
People aged 60 or over were 9.1% of the population of Santa Cruz municipality in 2024 (146,519), 3rd lowest of 10 Bolivian cities on this site for that share; it was 6.3% in 2012 and 10.8% for Bolivia in 2024.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyHow old is the population of Santa Cruz?
INE's ageing index for people aged 65 or over in Santa Cruz municipality was 23.0 in 2024, 3rd lowest of 10 Bolivian cities on this site on that measure (Bolivia 27.5); the demographic dependency ratio was 46.4 (Bolivia 52.3).
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyThe UN marks this figure as an estimate of lower reliability.
Who runs Santa Cruz?
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
- El Alto 885,825
- La Paz 757,431
- Cochabamba 665,505
- Oruro 298,350
- Sucre 296,746
- Tarija 238,749
- Sacaba 219,092
- Potosí 218,702
- 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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