Puerto Plata: population and official figures

Population (city proper, official estimate)

164,517

1 July 2020

Area (km²)

211

1 July 2020

Density (people per km²)

781

1 July 2020

In depth

Health in Puerto Plata: The Ministry of Public Health lists 21 public health establishments in the municipality of Puerto Plata in its 2026 register, 5th fewest among the 19 Dominican cities on this site; that is 1.1% of the 1,910 public establishments in the Dominican Republic.
Education in Puerto Plata: The Ministry of Education counts 35,787 pupils enrolled in education district Puerto Plata (1102) in 2024-25, 2nd fewest among the 15 cities with matching education districts; the country total in the file is 2,612,882.
Government budget and revenue in Puerto Plata: The municipal government of Puerto Plata recorded revenue of RD$ 595.04 million in 2025 in the Ministry of Finance's local government report, 9th lowest among the 19 Dominican cities on this site; the 2024 figure was RD$ 504.23 million, so revenue was up 18.0%.

What is the population of Puerto Plata?

Puerto Plata had 164,517 inhabitants (city proper) on 1 July 2020, according to the official estimate the Dominican Republic reported to the United Nations Statistics Division, 5th smallest among the 19 Dominican cities on this site.

Source: United Nations Statistics Division · saved copy

How big is Puerto Plata compared with other Dominican cities?

The 19 cities on this site together had 6,869,249 inhabitants in 2020 on the same basis, and Puerto Plata accounts for 2.4% of them; the next larger city, Baní, had 168,484 and the next smaller, La Romana, 155,143.

Source: United Nations Statistics Division · saved copy

How many women and men live in Puerto Plata?

Women and girls made up 50.2% of residents of Puerto Plata in 2020 (82,547 female, 81,970 male), 7th lowest among the 19 Dominican cities on this site on that share.

Source: United Nations Statistics Division · saved copy

How densely populated is Puerto Plata?

The city proper of Puerto Plata covers 211 km², which gives 781 people per km², 9th least densely populated among the 19 Dominican cities on this site.

Source: United Nations Statistics Division · saved copy

Who runs Puerto Plata?

In the Dominican Republic, cities and towns are run by municipalities: Mayor (alcalde) and council (concejo de regidores) elected for four years. Waste, markets, local roads, urban planning, municipal police (Law 176-07).

How local power works in the Dominican Republic

Cities of a similar size in the Dominican Republic

Santiago de los Caballeros 750,011
Santo Domingo North - Santo Domingo Norte 647,894
Santo Domingo West - Santo Domingo Oeste 444,681
Los Alcarrizos 333,836
Higüey 325,011
San Cristóbal 260,332
La Vega 258,857
San Pedro de Macorís 205,067
San Francisco de Macoris 194,198
Moca 185,572
Boca Chica 173,812
Baní 168,484
La Romana 155,143
Bajos de Haina 138,906
Bonao 132,206
San Juan de la Maguana 126,143

Up a level: all cities in the Dominican Republic · the Dominican Republic · government and power

Sources

Ministerio de Educación (MINERD): Relación de centros educativos, según regional y distrito educativo, período escolar 2024-2025 (schools, sector, shift, level and enrolment), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 02554931716d…)
Dirección General de Presupuesto (DIGEPRES), Ministerio de Hacienda y Economía: Ejecución de los Gobiernos Locales 2025 (annexes 1 to 3: revenue by source, transfers under Law 166-03 and spending by economic class, by municipal entity), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a066651704c3…)
Ministerio de Hacienda y Economía: Estadísticas de Proyectos de Inversión por Ubicación Geográfica, 2017-2025 (central government capital projects, budget and amount incurred by municipality; saved gzip-compressed, unchanged), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0af8bb8bf987…)
Ministerio de Educación (MINERD): Estadísticas de Pruebas Nacionales 2016-2024: results by school (average scores, students, promoted and failed), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 666197a33f38…)
Ministerio de Salud Pública y Asistencia Social (MISPAS): Establecimientos de Salud Públicos, 1878-2026 (list of public health establishments with level of care, type, province, municipality and opening year), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 89e347229ca0…)
United Nations Statistics Division: Demographic Yearbook 2024, Table 8: Population of capital cities and cities of 100 000 or more inhabitants (Dominican Republic: official estimates for 1 July 2020 reported by the country), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0c6784df022e…)

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