Child mortality rate in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico: Child mortality rate was 0.6% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Child mortality rate in Puerto Rico, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of children.
Analysis
Puerto Rico recorded 0.6% for child mortality rate in 2023. That is the lowest value across all 74 years on record.
The figure is down 3.6% on the previous year and down 20.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, child mortality rate in Puerto Rico peaked at 8.4% in 1950 and was at its lowest, 0.6%, in 2023.
That places Puerto Rico 178th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Child mortality rate in Puerto Rico, year by year
| Year | % of children | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 8.4% | — |
| 1951 | 8.3% | -0.7% |
| 1952 | 7.7% | -7.8% |
| 1953 | 6.7% | -13.4% |
| 1954 | 6.2% | -6.8% |
| 1955 | 6.0% | -3.5% |
| 1956 | 6.0% | -0.7% |
| 1957 | 5.6% | -5.4% |
| 1958 | 5.7% | +0.4% |
| 1959 | 5.3% | -6.9% |
| 1960 | 5.0% | -5.1% |
| 1961 | 4.9% | -1.1% |
| 1962 | 4.8% | -2.2% |
| 1963 | 4.9% | +1.8% |
| 1964 | 5.2% | +5.8% |
| 1965 | 4.7% | -9.6% |
| 1966 | 4.2% | -10.1% |
| 1967 | 3.9% | -7.2% |
| 1968 | 3.8% | -4.2% |
| 1969 | 3.7% | -0.4% |
| 1970 | 3.7% | -1.0% |
| 1971 | 3.5% | -5.8% |
| 1972 | 3.5% | -1.0% |
| 1973 | 3.3% | -4.0% |
| 1974 | 3.2% | -3.6% |
| 1975 | 3.0% | -6.2% |
| 1976 | 3.0% | -1.3% |
| 1977 | 2.9% | -1.4% |
| 1978 | 2.8% | -2.5% |
| 1979 | 2.8% | -0.2% |
| 1980 | 2.7% | -4.5% |
| 1981 | 2.7% | -1.2% |
| 1982 | 2.6% | -3.0% |
| 1983 | 2.5% | -3.2% |
| 1984 | 2.4% | -4.1% |
| 1985 | 2.7% | +12.1% |
| 1986 | 2.3% | -15.0% |
| 1987 | 2.3% | -1.0% |
| 1988 | 2.2% | -4.2% |
| 1989 | 2.4% | +11.2% |
| 1990 | 2.3% | -5.2% |
| 1991 | 2.0% | -12.7% |
| 1992 | 2.0% | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 2.0% | -0.5% |
| 1994 | 1.8% | -9.1% |
| 1995 | 1.8% | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 1.6% | -11.1% |
| 1997 | 1.6% | -2.9% |
| 1998 | 1.4% | -8.7% |
| 1999 | 1.4% | -6.2% |
| 2000 | 1.3% | -7.3% |
| 2001 | 1.1% | -9.0% |
| 2002 | 1.1% | -5.4% |
| 2003 | 1.1% | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 1.0% | -8.6% |
| 2005 | 1.1% | +10.5% |
| 2006 | 1.0% | -5.2% |
| 2007 | 1.0% | -3.8% |
| 2008 | 0.9% | -3.5% |
| 2009 | 0.9% | -6.2% |
| 2010 | 0.9% | -0.5% |
| 2011 | 0.9% | +5.3% |
| 2012 | 1.0% | +4.8% |
| 2013 | 0.8% | -22.1% |
| 2014 | 0.7% | -1.4% |
| 2015 | 0.7% | -1.2% |
| 2016 | 0.8% | +7.2% |
| 2017 | 1.1% | +44.4% |
| 2018 | 0.7% | -38.9% |
| 2019 | 0.7% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 0.6% | -10.8% |
| 2021 | 0.6% | +2.0% |
| 2022 | 0.6% | -2.2% |
| 2023 | 0.6% | -3.6% |
Puerto Rico compared with similar countries
- Puerto Rico's 0.6% is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.6%, 1.1× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Puerto Rico's 0.6% is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 1.4%, 43% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Child mortality rate in Puerto Rico changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | +44.4% | 0.8% | 1.1% |
| 2018 | -38.9% | 1.1% | 0.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 6.6% | 5.3% | 8.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 4.5% | 3.7% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.2% | 2.8% | 3.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.5% | 2.2% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.8% | 1.4% | 2.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.0% | 0.9% | 1.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.8% | 0.7% | 1.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Puerto Rico
- 175 Andorra 0.6% compare
- 176 Saint Barthelemy 0.6% compare
- 177 French Polynesia 0.6% compare
- 179 United Arab Emirates 0.6% compare
- 180 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.6% compare
- 181 Romania 0.6% compare
More health data for Puerto Rico
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -20 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 1.45 % change on previous year (2090)
- Number of infants who die before age 1 4 deaths (2100)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.4804 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0145 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.8484 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0152 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 05-09, female, annual growth rate -6.19 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is child mortality rate in Puerto Rico?
- Child mortality rate in Puerto Rico was 0.6% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest child mortality rate recorded in Puerto Rico?
- The highest recorded value was 8.4% in 1950.
- What is the lowest child mortality rate recorded in Puerto Rico?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.6% in 2023.
- How does Puerto Rico rank for child mortality rate?
- Puerto Rico ranks 178th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is child mortality rate rising or falling in Puerto Rico?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Puerto Rico data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Child mortality rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of children who die before reaching the age of 5.