What share of Leon is urban?

65.1% of the population of Leon lived in urban areas in 2025 (280,168 urban and 150,399 rural residents), 5th highest of 17 by urban share; nationally the share is 59.4%.

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

Leon is a department of Nicaragua, number 7 of 17 by population. INIDE estimates the population of Leon at 430,567 in 2025, 6.2% of the national 6,946,351 and 7th highest of 17 departments and autonomous regions.

Population (INIDE estimate, 2025)

430,567

2025

In depth

Economy, jobs and prices in Leon: INSS recorded an average of 53,820 active insured workers at employers in Leon in 2023, 12.6 per 100 residents (3rd highest of 17) against 11.6 nationally. Insured employment counts formal jobs by the employer's location.
Health in Leon: The Supreme Electoral Council registered 6,238 births in Leon in 2023, 14.6 per 1,000 residents, 3rd lowest of 17; the national rate is 17.1. Records follow the place of registration.
Education in Leon: Schools in Leon enrolled 102,870 pupils in initial, primary and secondary education in 2023, 241 per 1,000 residents (7th lowest of 17) against 242 nationally.
Poverty and living standards in Leon: The National Police recorded 2,741 road accidents in Leon in 2023, 64.2 per 10,000 residents, 3rd highest of 17 against 76.4 nationally.
Government budget and revenue in Leon: The DGI collected C$ 607 million in taxes in Leon in 2023, 3.0% of the C$ 20,016 million collected through departments (2nd highest of 17). Large taxpayers, with C$ 72,862 million, are reported separately.

Is the population of Leon growing?

The population of Leon changed by +0.9% between 2023 (426,850) and 2025 (430,567), 2nd 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 Leon?

Leon covers 5,138 square kilometres and had 83.4 people per square kilometre in 2024, 8th lowest 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 Leon?

Leon had 104.0 women per 100 men in 2025 (219,532 women and 211,035 men), against 102.7 nationally.

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

How young is the population of Leon?

In 2025 23.9% of the people of Leon were aged 0 to 14 and 9.7% were 65 or older, against 28.0% and 6.9% nationally; the 0-14 share is 2nd 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
Masaya 421,132
Nueva Segovia 290,419
Esteli 235,138
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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