Poverty and living standards in Colon, Panama: official figures
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.
What is the extreme poverty rate in Colon?
Extreme poverty affected 6.0% of people in Colon in 2025, against 10.0% nationally (5th lowest 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 Colon?
General poverty in Colon fell from 17.1% in 2024 to 16.2% in 2025 (-0.9 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 Colon?
Extreme poverty in Colon rose from 5.6% in 2024 to 6.0% in 2025 (+0.4 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 Colon are in extreme poverty?
Of every 100 people in general poverty in Colon in 2025, about 37 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 Colon compare with the rest of Panama?
The general poverty rate in Colon was 0.7 times the national rate in 2025 (16.2% 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 Colon compares with other provinces
General poverty rate (2025)
Colon ranks 9 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | General poverty rate |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Veraguas | 29.6% |
| 7 | Cocle | 25.1% |
| 8 | Chiriqui | 19.9% |
| 9 | Colon | 16.2% |
| 10 | Panama | 14.7% |
| 11 | Herrera | 13.7% |
| 12 | Los Santos | 10.6% |
Extreme poverty rate (2025)
Colon ranks 9 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Extreme poverty rate |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Veraguas | 13.6% |
| 7 | Cocle | 10.3% |
| 8 | Chiriqui | 7.1% |
| 9 | Colon | 6.0% |
| 10 | Panama | 4.4% |
| 11 | Herrera | 3.3% |
| 12 | Los Santos | 1.8% |
Change in general poverty rate, 2024 to 2025 (points) (2024-2025)
Colon ranks 7 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Change in general poverty rate, 2024 to 2025 (points) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Panama | -0.6 pts |
| 5 | Veraguas | -0.7 pts |
| 6 | Embera | -0.8 pts |
| 7 | Colon | -0.9 pts |
| 8 | Chiriqui | -1.5 pts |
| 9 | Darien | -1.9 pts |
| 10 | Kuna Yala | -2.1 pts |
More on Colon: 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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