Puerto Plata: population, poverty, schools, health, jobs and social spending
Puerto Plata is a province of the Dominican Republic, number 7 of 32 by population. The 2022 census counted 338,355 people in Puerto Plata, 3.1% of the Dominican Republic's 10,773,983; ranking 7th largest of 32 provinces by population.
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Puerto Plata: The vocational training institute INFOTEP recorded 30,582 participants in 1,402 training actions in Puerto Plata in 2025, 2.8% of the 1,083,421 participants nationwide.
- Health in Puerto Plata: The National Health Service lists 52 licensed public health facilities in Puerto Plata, 2.7% of the 1,911 nationwide, which is 15.4 per 100,000 residents (national: 17.7); ranking 5th lowest of 32 provinces on that measure.
- Education in Puerto Plata: The Ministry of Education lists 441 schools in Puerto Plata for 2023-24 with 80,363 students enrolled, 3.1% of the 2,617,801 nationwide.
- Poverty and living standards in Puerto Plata: Puerto Plata is in the Cibao Norte development region (with Santiago and Espaillat), where 15% of people were in general monetary poverty in 2024, down from 17% in 2023; the region ranks 4th lowest of the 10 development regions for poverty rate. The ONE publishes monetary poverty by development region, not by province, so this is the figure for the whole Cibao Norte region.
- Government budget and revenue in Puerto Plata: The Aliméntate subsidy paid out RD$806.24 million in Puerto Plata during 2025, 3.0% of the RD$27.0 billion paid nationwide, against 3.1% of the population.
Is the population of Puerto Plata growing?
Puerto Plata's population was 321,597 at the 2010 census and 338,355 in 2022, a change of +16,758 people (5.2% growth); growth ranks 4th slowest of 32 provinces, and 14.1% for the whole country.
Source: Instituto Dominicano de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Forestales (IDIAF), from Oficina Nacional de Estadística census data · saved copyHow fast is Puerto Plata's population growing each year?
That is an average of 0.42% a year between the two censuses, compared with 1.10% a year for the Dominican Republic as a whole.
Source: Instituto Dominicano de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Forestales (IDIAF), from Oficina Nacional de Estadística census data · saved copyHow urban is Puerto Plata?
57.8% of the people of Puerto Plata lived in urban areas at the 2022 census, against 58.3% in 2010 (national: 72.3%); ranking 14th least of 32 provinces for urban share.
Source: Instituto Dominicano de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Forestales (IDIAF), from Oficina Nacional de Estadística census data · saved copyHow many people live in rural areas of Puerto Plata?
142,940 people lived in rural areas of Puerto Plata in 2022, against 134,044 in 2010 (up 6.6%), and 195,415 in urban areas, against 187,553 (up 4.2%).
Source: Instituto Dominicano de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Forestales (IDIAF), from Oficina Nacional de Estadística census data · saved copyHow much of the Dominican Republic's rural population lives in Puerto Plata?
Puerto Plata holds 2.5% of the country's urban population and 4.8% of its rural population, against 3.1% of all people.
Source: Instituto Dominicano de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Forestales (IDIAF), from Oficina Nacional de Estadística census data · saved copyHow provinces are governed in the Dominican Republic
Regions (10) and provinces (31). Provincial governors appointed by the president. Represent the executive; no technical powers.
Every tier of government in the Dominican Republic
Other provinces of the Dominican Republic
- Santo Domingo 2,769,588
- Santiago 1,074,679
- Distrito Nacional 1,029,110
- San Cristobal 688,828
- La Altagracia 446,060
- La Vega 442,719
- San Pedro de Macoris 337,146
- Duarte 308,353
- La Romana 287,914
- San Juan 244,667
- Espaillat 241,058
- Azua 240,209
- Peravia 209,372
- Monte Plata 205,498
- Barahona 200,884
- Monsenor Nouel 195,547
- Valverde 184,069
- Sanchez Ramirez 162,642
- Maria Trinidad Sanches 156,633
- Monte Cristi 123,519
- Samana 114,468
- Baoruco 108,717
- Hato Mayor 100,133
- El Seibo 99,169
- Hermanas Mirabal 96,441
- Dajabon 74,810
- San Jose de Ocoa 69,082
- Santiago Rodriguez 64,635
- Elias Pina 64,614
- Independencia 60,689
- Pedernales 34,375
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Sources
- Dirección de Desarrollo Social Supérate (Gabinete de Políticas Sociales): Nómina beneficiarios ALIMÉNTATE, 2017-2026: beneficiaries and amount paid by province and month, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 45d2b47a33bd…)
- Oficina Nacional de Estadística (ONE): Nacimientos Registrados por Año de Registro, según Provincia de Registro, 2001-2024, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 af85968b70ae…)
- Ministerio de Educación (MINERD): Relación de Centros Educativos de República Dominicana, school year 2023-2024: schools, level, sector and enrolment, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 01c6494be07e…)
- Sistema Único de Beneficiarios (SIUBEN): Hogares según el Nivel de Hacinamiento, SIUBEN, 2017-2026 (by province, quarterly), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5a7bd6da722f…)
- Instituto Nacional de Formación Técnico Profesional (INFOTEP): Ejecución por Región-Provincia, INFOTEP, 2025-2026: training actions and participants, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 6292f3969b36…)
- Sistema Único de Beneficiarios (SIUBEN): Distribución de Jefes/as de Hogar según Condición de Alfabetismo, SIUBEN, 2018-2026 (by province, quarterly), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7541355137f8…)
- Instituto Dominicano de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Forestales (IDIAF), from Oficina Nacional de Estadística census data: Cambios demográficos en República Dominicana, 2010-2022, Table 6: population by province and zone of residence (2010 and 2022 censuses of the ONE), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0f1ac7e645f8…)
- Oficina Nacional de Estadística (ONE): Tasa de Pobreza Monetaria General y Extrema por Regiones de Desarrollo, 2000-2024, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d57e287d3474…)
- Servicio Nacional de Salud (SNS): Establecimientos de Salud Habilitados, SNS, 1878-2026 (licensed public health facilities by province), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7033aa14538c…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.