Poverty and living standards in Bocas Del Toro, Panama: official figures
38.9% of people in Bocas Del Toro lived in general poverty in 2025, 17.0 pp higher than the national figure (21.9%) and 4th highest of 13 provinces and comarcas, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
What is the extreme poverty rate in Bocas Del Toro?
Extreme poverty affected 19.4% of people in Bocas Del Toro in 2025, against 10.0% nationally (4th highest of 13 provinces and comarcas).
Source: Ministerio de Economia y Finanzas (MEF), Direccion de Analisis Economico y Social, con base en la Encuesta de Hogares del INEC · saved copyIs poverty falling in Bocas Del Toro?
General poverty in Bocas Del Toro rose from 38.7% in 2024 to 38.9% in 2025 (+0.2 points); the national rate went from 22.9% to 21.9%.
Source: Ministerio de Economia y Finanzas (MEF), Direccion de Analisis Economico y Social, con base en la Encuesta de Hogares del INEC · saved copyIs extreme poverty falling in Bocas Del Toro?
Extreme poverty in Bocas Del Toro rose from 17.9% in 2024 to 19.4% in 2025 (+1.5 points), while the national rate went from 10.3% to 10.0%.
Source: Ministerio de Economia y Finanzas (MEF), Direccion de Analisis Economico y Social, con base en la Encuesta de Hogares del INEC · saved copyHow many of the poor in Bocas Del Toro are in extreme poverty?
Of every 100 people in general poverty in Bocas Del Toro in 2025, about 50 were in extreme poverty (nationally about 46).
Source: Ministerio de Economia y Finanzas (MEF), Direccion de Analisis Economico y Social, con base en la Encuesta de Hogares del INEC · saved copyHow does poverty in Bocas Del Toro compare with the rest of Panama?
The general poverty rate in Bocas Del Toro was 1.8 times the national rate in 2025 (38.9% against 21.9%).
Source: Ministerio de Economia y Finanzas (MEF), Direccion de Analisis Economico y Social, con base en la Encuesta de Hogares del INEC · saved copyHow Bocas Del Toro compares with other provinces
General poverty rate (2025)
Bocas Del Toro ranks 4 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | General poverty rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ngabe Bugle | 84.4% |
| 2 | Kuna Yala | 74.0% |
| 3 | Embera | 64.3% |
| 4 | Bocas Del Toro | 38.9% |
| 5 | Darien | 32.8% |
| 6 | Veraguas | 29.6% |
| 7 | Cocle | 25.1% |
Extreme poverty rate (2025)
Bocas Del Toro ranks 4 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Extreme poverty rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ngabe Bugle | 64.5% |
| 2 | Kuna Yala | 47.4% |
| 3 | Embera | 31.0% |
| 4 | Bocas Del Toro | 19.4% |
| 5 | Darien | 13.6% |
| 6 | Veraguas | 13.6% |
| 7 | Cocle | 10.3% |
Change in general poverty rate, 2024 to 2025 (points) (2024-2025)
Bocas Del Toro ranks 1 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Change in general poverty rate, 2024 to 2025 (points) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bocas Del Toro | +0.2 pts |
| 2 | Los Santos | +0.1 pts |
| 3 | Ngabe Bugle | -0.4 pts |
| 4 | Panama | -0.6 pts |
| 5 | Veraguas | -0.7 pts |
| 6 | Embera | -0.8 pts |
| 7 | Colon | -0.9 pts |
More on Bocas Del Toro: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · Panama
Sources
- Ministerio de Economia y Finanzas (MEF), Direccion de Analisis Economico y Social, con base en la Encuesta de Hogares del INEC: Pobreza e Indigencia, Ano 2025 (Cuadro 4: porcentaje de personas en pobreza segun provincias y comarcas indigenas, 2024 y 2025), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 da3b189a8b36…)
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