Colon: population, jobs, poverty, health and schools
Colon is a province of Panama, number 3 of 12 by population. Colon province had 281,956 people at the 2023 census, 6.9% of Panama's 4,064,780, 4th largest of 13 provinces and comarcas.
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Colon: The unemployment rate in Colon was 10.3% of the labour force in October 2024, 0.8 pp higher than the national figure (9.5%) and 3rd highest of 13 provinces and comarcas.
- Health in Colon: The infant mortality rate in Colon was 14.8 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2023 (62 infant deaths), against 14.8 nationally and 5th highest of 13 provinces and comarcas.
- Education in Colon: 1.9% of people aged 10 and over in Colon could not read and write at the 2023 census (4,382 people), against 3.7% nationally and 3rd lowest of 13 provinces and comarcas.
- Poverty and living standards in Colon: 16.2% of people in Colon lived in general poverty in 2025, 5.7 pp lower than the national figure (21.9%) and 5th lowest of 13 provinces and comarcas, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
How fast is the population of Colon growing?
The population of Colon rose from 241,928 at the 2010 census to 281,956 in 2023, a change of +16.5%, against +19.3% nationally. By growth since 2010 it was 5th fastest of 12 areas that existed in 2010 (Panama province and Panamá Oeste counted together).
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Censo (INEC), Contraloria General de la Republica de Panama · saved copyHow many women and men live in Colon?
At the 2023 census Colon had 101.6 women for every 100 men (142,083 women and 139,873 men); the national figure was 101.7.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Censo (INEC), Contraloria General de la Republica de Panama · saved copyHow many homes are there in Colon?
The 2023 census counted 82,747 occupied private dwellings in Colon, +30.3% on the 63,502 of 2010 (nationally +34.1%).
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Censo (INEC), Contraloria General de la Republica de Panama · saved copyHow many people live in each home in Colon?
Colon had 3.4 residents per occupied private dwelling at the 2023 census, 7th highest of 13 provinces and comarcas; the national figure was 3.4.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Censo (INEC), Contraloria General de la Republica de Panama · saved copyHow provinces are governed in Panama
Provinces (10). Governor appointed by the president. Deconcentrated central government.
Every tier of government in Panama
Other provinces of Panama
- Panama 1,439,575
- Chiriqui 471,071
- Cocle 268,264
- Veraguas 259,791
- Ngabe Bugle 212,084
- Bocas Del Toro 159,228
- Herrera 122,071
- Los Santos 98,466
- Darien 54,235
- Kuna Yala 32,016
- Embera 12,358
Up a level: Panama · government and power in Panama
Sources
- Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Censo (INEC), Contraloria General de la Republica de Panama: Censos 2000, 2010 y 2023, Cuadro 14: poblacion analfabeta de 10 y mas anos, segun provincia y comarca indigena, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e852c84390e0…)
- Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Censo (INEC), Contraloria General de la Republica de Panama: Censos 2010 y 2023, Cuadro 1: viviendas particulares ocupadas y poblacion por sexo, segun provincia y comarca indigena, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 ddf82049da8e…)
- Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Censo (INEC), Contraloria General de la Republica de Panama: Encuesta de Mercado Laboral, agosto 2023 y octubre 2024, Cuadro 2: poblacion de 15 y mas anos por condicion de actividad economica, provincia y comarca, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 49e795f2161c…)
- Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Censo (INEC), Contraloria General de la Republica de Panama: Censos 2010 y 2023, Cuadro 15: poblacion de 5 a 39 anos por asistencia escolar, segun provincia y comarca indigena, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 eaa4b877fbbe…)
- Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Censo (INEC), Contraloria General de la Republica de Panama: Estadisticas vitales 2023, Cuadro 26: defunciones y tasa de mortalidad infantil, neonatal y posneonatal, segun provincia y comarca de residencia, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5dd8bd5a556f…)
- Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Censo (INEC), Contraloria General de la Republica de Panama: Estadisticas vitales 2023, Cuadro 2: nacimientos vivos y tasa bruta de natalidad, 2019-23, segun provincia y comarca de residencia, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3f48a1d1b1fc…)
- Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Censo (INEC), Contraloria General de la Republica de Panama: Estadisticas vitales 2023, Cuadro 5: nacimientos vivos por peso al nacer, segun provincia y comarca de residencia, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3288c985d027…)
- 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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