Santa Elena: population, jobs, poverty, health, schools and the economy

Santa Elena is a province of Ecuador, number 14 of 25 by population. INEC projects that Santa Elena has 410,498 people in mid-2026, 2.3% of Ecuador's 18.24 million; 11th smallest of the 24 provinces. The projection is based on the 2022 census.

Population (INEC projection)

410,498

2026

Unemployment rate

2.0%

2025

Gross value added (US$ million, current prices)

US$1.5 billion

2024 (provisional)

Income poverty rate

29.8%

2025

General mortality rate (per 1,000 people)

4.97

2024

In depth

Economy, jobs and prices in Santa Elena: The unemployment rate in Santa Elena was 2.0% in 2025, below the national rate of 3.6%; 10th lowest of the 24 provinces. In 2019 it was 2.8%.
Health in Santa Elena: Life expectancy at birth in Santa Elena is projected at 75.9 years in 2026 (both sexes), 7th lowest of the 24 provinces; in 2010 it was 74.0 years. The national figure is 77.9 years (population-weighted average of the provinces).
Education in Santa Elena: People aged 24 and over in Santa Elena had 9.7 years of schooling on average in 2025, against 10.4 nationally; 12th lowest of the 24 provinces. In 2018 the average was 9.4 years.
Poverty and living standards in Santa Elena: 29.8% of people in Santa Elena lived in income poverty in 2025, above the national rate of 21.8%; 10th highest of the 23 provinces. In 2018 the rate was 26.0%.

Is the population of Santa Elena growing?

The population of Santa Elena was 311,046 in 2010 and is projected at 399,185 in 2022 and 410,498 in 2026. Over 2010 to 2026 it grew 1.7% a year, against 1.3% for the country; 5th fastest of the 24 provinces.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC) · saved copy

How old is the population of Santa Elena?

People aged 65 and over are 7.1% of the population of Santa Elena in 2026 and children under 15 are 26.2%, compared with 8.8% and 24.0% nationally. Its share of older people is 6th lowest of the 24 provinces. The average age is 31.4 years.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC) · saved copy

What is the fertility rate in Santa Elena?

The total fertility rate in Santa Elena is projected at 2.01 children per woman in 2026, 8th highest of the 24 provinces, down from 2.94 in 2010. The projected crude birth rate is 16.5 per 1,000 people.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC) · saved copy

Are people moving to or from Santa Elena?

INEC projects net migration for Santa Elena at -2.6 per 1,000 people in 2026 (more people leaving than arriving), 10th lowest of the 24 provinces. The dependency ratio is 50.0 dependants per 100 people of working age.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC) · saved copy

How provinces are governed in Ecuador

Provinces (24). Prefect (prefecto) directly elected; provincial council made up of the prefect, the mayors of the province and representatives of rural parish heads. Rural roads, irrigation, provincial planning, environmental management.

Every tier of government in Ecuador

Other provinces of Ecuador

Guayas 4,835,479
Pichincha 3,316,636
Manabi 1,731,039
Los Rios 988,852
Azuay 839,268
El Oro 757,938
Esmeraldas 609,590
Tungurahua 584,638
Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas 533,522
Imbabura 502,275
Loja 499,729
Cotopaxi 497,544
Chimborazo 486,213
Canar 237,517
Morona Santiago 213,457
Bolivar 204,620
Sucumbios 203,164
Orellana 199,171
Carchi 176,748
Napo 142,465
Pastaza 122,784
Zamora Chinchipe 120,221
Zona No Delimitada 38,000
Galapagos 30,448

Up a level: Ecuador · government and power in Ecuador · cities

Sources

Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC): Registro Estadístico de Defunciones Generales 2024: tabulados y series (mortality by province of residence, 2008-2024), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7cab0c22d7cd…)
Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC): ENEMDU Anual 2025 (Encuesta Nacional de Empleo, Desempleo y Subempleo): tabulados de mercado laboral, educación, vivienda, pobreza y desigualdad por provincia, 2018-2025, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 f969666762d3…)
Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC): Registro Estadístico de Nacidos Vivos y Defunciones Fetales 2024: tabulados y series históricas (births by province of residence), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 fa2d677df1e0…)
Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC): Estimaciones y Proyecciones de Población, revisión 2024 (Censo 2022 base): provincial tables by age and demographic indicators, 1990-2035, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 54951201c6d7…)
Banco Central del Ecuador: Valor Agregado Bruto per cápita provincial y cantonal 2018-2024(p), Cuentas Nacionales Regionales, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7cc7b914bc8b…)
Banco Central del Ecuador: Cuentas Provinciales 2024(p): valor agregado bruto por industria, valores corrientes, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 bfee6bc272cc…)

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