Sincelejo: population and official figures
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Sincelejo: DANE estimates the value added produced in Sincelejo at COP 5.70 trillion in 2024 (provisional, current prices), 32nd largest of 74 Colombian cities on this site, 0.37% of the national total of COP 1550.97 trillion.
- Health in Sincelejo: ADRES's affiliate register showed 334,601 people actively affiliated to the health system in Sincelejo in October 2026 (102,099 contributory and 232,502 subsidised), equal to 101.1% of DANE's projected population, 28th highest of 74 Colombian cities on this site (the register counts people by municipality of affiliation, which can differ from where they live).
- Education in Sincelejo: The Ministry of Education counted 60,154 children aged 5 to 16 in Sincelejo in 2024, of whom 96.7% were enrolled in school (net coverage), 27th highest of 74 Colombian cities on this site; the rate was 102.5% in 2019.
- Poverty and living standards in Sincelejo: DANE's census-based measure put the multidimensional poverty rate in Sincelejo at 30.4% in 2018, joint 19th highest of 74 Colombian cities on this site; across all Colombian municipalities, weighted by population, the rate was 26.1%.
- Government budget and revenue in Sincelejo: The Sincelejo municipal government reported total revenue of COP 1.03 trillion for 2025 to the Comptroller General's CUIPO system, 27th largest of 74 Colombian cities on this site; that was up 2.6% on 2024 (COP 1.00 trillion) and up 20.5% on 2023.
What is the population of Sincelejo?
The municipality of Sincelejo, in Sucre department, had a projected 331,045 residents in 2026 according to DANE, the national statistics office, 23rd largest of 74 Colombian cities on this site; the projection, based on the 2018 census, put it at 277,775 in 2018.
Source: Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE) · saved copyHow fast is Sincelejo growing?
Between 2018 and 2026 the projected population of Sincelejo changed by +19.2%, 18th fastest growth of 74 Colombian cities on this site; Colombia as a whole grew 10.7%.
Source: Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE) · saved copyHow many people in Sincelejo live in the countryside?
DANE projects that 88.8% of Sincelejo's residents in 2026, 294,007 people, live in the urban centre (cabecera municipal) and 37,038 in small settlements and dispersed rural areas, 35th most urban of 74 Colombian cities on this site.
Source: Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE) · saved copyWhat will the population of Sincelejo be in 2035?
DANE projects the population of Sincelejo to reach 371,683 in 2035 and 393,773 in 2042, up 18.9% on 2026 (Colombia, 2026 to 2042: up 4.9%).
Source: Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE) · saved copyIs the population of Sincelejo growing?
In the year to mid-2026 the projected population of Sincelejo changed by +1.65%, from 325,685 to 331,045.
Source: Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE) · saved copyNotes from the UN table: Data are revised projections taking into consideration also the results of the 2018 census. Data are revised projections taking into consideration also the results of the 2018 census. Data are revised projections taking into consideration also the results of the 2018 census. Surface area includes interior waters.
The UN marks this figure as an estimate of lower reliability.
Who runs Sincelejo?
In Colombia, cities and towns are run by municipalities and districts: Mayor (alcalde) and municipal council (concejo) directly elected for four years. Local services, planning, schools and health within national rules.
How local power works in Colombia
Cities of a similar size in Colombia
- Bello 609,168
- Santa Marta 588,662
- Villavicencio 588,645
- Montería 585,029
- Ibagué 557,317
- Pereira 487,820
- Manizales 475,690
- Neiva 408,218
- Pasto 404,775
- Palmira 382,703
- Popayán 355,347
- Buenaventura 335,217
- Floridablanca 315,194
- Armenia 307,103
- Itagüí 306,397
- San Andrés de Tumaco 277,065
Up a level: all cities in Colombia · Colombia · government and power
Sources
- Administradora de los Recursos del Sistema General de Seguridad Social en Salud (ADRES): Base de Datos Única de Afiliados (BDUA), contributory regime: affiliates by municipality, October 2026 (datos.gov.co aggregate query; saved as bdua-contributivo.request.txt), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 8a3f30af6e50…)
- Administradora de los Recursos del Sistema General de Seguridad Social en Salud (ADRES): Base de Datos Única de Afiliados (BDUA), subsidised regime: affiliates by municipality, October 2026 (datos.gov.co aggregate query; saved as bdua-subsidiado.request.txt), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 04b3a3bd7839…)
- Contraloría General de la República: OVCF - CUIPO - Ejecución de ingresos: year-end cumulative revenue collected by each municipal government, 2023-2025 (datos.gov.co aggregate query; saved as cuipo.request.txt), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7255e8150122…)
- Ministerio de Defensa Nacional (Policía Nacional): HOMICIDIO: victims of homicide by municipality, year and sex, 2015-2025 (datos.gov.co aggregate query; saved as homicidio.request.txt), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7d12dcde8b9b…)
- Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE): Medida de pobreza multidimensional municipal de fuente censal 2018: municipal incidence (urban and rural) and household deprivations by indicator, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a3ac3a60498a…)
- Ministerio de Educación Nacional (MinEducación): MEN estadísticas en educación en preescolar, básica y media por municipio, 2011-2024: net and gross coverage, dropout, approval, failure and repetition rates (datos.gov.co API response for the 74 municipalities; query saved as men-municipal-2011-2024.request.txt), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 8de3c5ca5744…)
- Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE): Proyecciones de población municipal por área, 2018-2042 (based on the 2018 census, updated 30 July 2025), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1ea83594ad30…)
- Instituto Colombiano para la Evaluación de la Educación (ICFES): Resultados únicos Saber 11: average scores by municipality of the school and school type, 2019-4 and 2022-4 sittings (datos.gov.co aggregate query; saved as saber11.request.txt), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 6b32c41e9323…)
- Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE): Valor agregado por municipio, base 2015, serie 2011-2024 provisional (current prices, thousands of millions of pesos; updated 3 July 2026), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 083bb4b8501d…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.