What share of Esteli is urban?

64.8% of the population of Esteli lived in urban areas in 2025 (152,343 urban and 82,795 rural residents), 6th highest of 17 by urban share; nationally the share is 59.4%.

Esteli: population, births and deaths, health services, schools, insured workers, wages, taxes, roads and crime

Esteli is a department of Nicaragua, number 10 of 17 by population. INIDE estimates the population of Esteli at 235,138 in 2025, 3.4% of the national 6,946,351 and 8th lowest of 17 departments and autonomous regions.

Population (INIDE estimate, 2025)

235,138

2025

In depth

Economy, jobs and prices in Esteli: INSS recorded an average of 50,354 active insured workers at employers in Esteli in 2023, 21.6 per 100 residents (2nd highest of 17) against 11.6 nationally. Insured employment counts formal jobs by the employer's location.
Health in Esteli: The Supreme Electoral Council registered 3,849 births in Esteli in 2023, 16.5 per 1,000 residents, 8th lowest of 17; the national rate is 17.1. Records follow the place of registration.
Education in Esteli: Schools in Esteli enrolled 56,490 pupils in initial, primary and secondary education in 2023, 242 per 1,000 residents (9th highest of 17) against 242 nationally.
Poverty and living standards in Esteli: The National Police recorded 2,098 road accidents in Esteli in 2023, 90.0 per 10,000 residents, 2nd highest of 17 against 76.4 nationally.
Government budget and revenue in Esteli: The DGI collected C$ 520 million in taxes in Esteli in 2023, 2.6% of the C$ 20,016 million collected through departments (3rd highest of 17). Large taxpayers, with C$ 72,862 million, are reported separately.

Is the population of Esteli growing?

The population of Esteli changed by +0.9% between 2023 (233,077) and 2025 (235,138), 3rd slowest growth of 17, against +2.1% for Nicaragua as a whole.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Informacion de Desarrollo (INIDE) · saved copy

What is the population density of Esteli?

Esteli covers 2,230 square kilometres and had 105.0 people per square kilometre in 2024, 6th highest of 17 by density; the national figure is 57.1.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Informacion de Desarrollo (INIDE) · saved copy

How many women and men live in Esteli?

Esteli had 106.2 women per 100 men in 2025 (121,127 women and 114,011 men), against 102.7 nationally.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Informacion de Desarrollo (INIDE) · saved copy

How young is the population of Esteli?

In 2025 24.5% of the people of Esteli were aged 0 to 14 and 8.3% were 65 or older, against 28.0% and 6.9% nationally; the 0-14 share is 5th lowest of 17.

Source: Instituto Nacional de Informacion de Desarrollo (INIDE) · saved copy

How departments are governed in Nicaragua

Departments (15). No elected government; administrative units of central government. Deliver national services.

Every tier of government in Nicaragua

Other departments of Nicaragua

Managua 1,612,321
Matagalpa 626,590
Atlantico Norte 585,941
Jinotega 515,630
Chinandega 449,553
Atlantico Sur 448,392
Leon 430,567
Masaya 421,132
Nueva Segovia 290,419
Granada 222,496
Carazo 203,361
Chontales 195,788
Boaco 191,308
Rivas 187,377
Madriz 185,807
Rio San Juan 144,531

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Sources

Instituto Nacional de Informacion de Desarrollo (INIDE): Anuario Estadistico 2023, tables III.2.2, III.3.6 and V.6.6: road network (MTI), tourist lodging (INTUR) and free-zone firms (CNZF) by department, 2023, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 47c54be057f9…)

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