Zona urbana · Puerto Rico
Vega Alta zona urbana, Puerto Rico
Vega Alta zona urbana, zona urbana, in Vega Alta Municipio, Puerto Rico. Vega Alta zona urbana had 8,388 people in the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (±929). GEOID 7285197.
Residents, 2020-2024
8,388
±929 (90% margin)
2020 Census count: 8,811
Median household income
$25,197
±$3,823 (90% margin)
Puerto Rico: $26,297
Median home value
$123,900
±$7,237 (90% margin)
Puerto Rico: $131,500
Median gross rent
$666
±$42 (90% margin)
Puerto Rico: $578
Where is Vega Alta zona urbana and what county is it in?
Vega Alta zona urbana is a zona urbana in Vega Alta Municipio, Puerto Rico. It covers 1.9 square miles of land, 4,657 residents per square mile in 2020.
Vega Alta zona urbana is the urban core of Vega Alta Municipio, which had 34,351 residents on July 1, 2025: the municipio, a county equivalent, is what most sources mean by Vega Alta.
Vega Alta zona urbana is in the San Juan-Bayamón-Caguas, PR metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 40 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Vega Alta zona urbana, and is it growing?
The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts Vega Alta zona urbana's population at 8,388 (±929). The 2020 Census counted 8,811 residents.
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Vega Alta zona urbana is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Vega Alta zona urbana | Vega Alta Municipio | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 8,388 ±929 | 34,921 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 4,492 ±376 | 17,058 | +494 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Vega Alta zona urbana?
The median resident of Vega Alta zona urbana is 46.8 years old; 13.3% are under 18 and 27.1% are 65 or older. The largest group is Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 99.7%, then non-Hispanic residents of some other race at 0.3%.
| Measure | Vega Alta zona urbana | Vega Alta Municipio | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.8 ±4.9 | 42.4 | +7.3 |
| Under 18 years | 13.3% ±3.4 pts | 17.6% | – |
| 65 years and over | 27.1% ±4.0 pts | 21.0% | – |
| Male | 48.2% ±3.6 pts | 48.0% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 99.7% ±0.5 pts | 99.6% | +1.7 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.7 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 0.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.6% ±1.6 pts | 4.1% | −3.2 pts |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Vega Alta zona urbana earn?
Half of Vega Alta zona urbana's households earn less than $25,197 a year (±$3,823), against $25,538 in Vega Alta Municipio and $26,297 in Puerto Rico. In 2015-2019 it was $23,927 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 40.1% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Vega Alta zona urbana | Vega Alta Municipio | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $25,197 ±$3,823 | $25,538 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $31,714 ±$2,941 | $41,686 | – |
| Per capita income | $15,536 ±$1,749 | $18,289 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 40.1% ±6.5 pts | 40.8% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 59.6% ±15.7 pts | 51.9% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 52.1% ±6.5 pts | 49.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Vega Alta zona urbana?
Owners occupy 63.8% of Vega Alta zona urbana's occupied homes and renters 36.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $123,900 by its owner (±$7,237). The median renter pays $666 a month including utilities, and 55.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Vega Alta zona urbana | Vega Alta Municipio | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $123,900 ±$7,237 | $140,700 | −$17,261 |
| Median gross rent | $666 ±$42 | $667 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 55.1% ±20.0 pts | 52.4% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $856 ±$78 | $1,034 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 63.8% ±5.6 pts | 69.5% | +9.7 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 36.2% ±5.6 pts | 30.5% | – |
| Housing units | 4,492 ±376 | 17,058 | +494 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±2.2 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±3.9 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 69.6% ±4.9 pts | 72.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.2% ±0.4 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±1.2 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.7% ±2.7 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 2.6% ±2.1 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 14.9% ±4.2 pts | 11.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Vega Alta zona urbana work and get to work?
83.9% of Vega Alta zona urbana's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 30.3 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 18.2%.
| Measure | Vega Alta zona urbana | Vega Alta Municipio | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 44.8% ±4.7 pts | 47.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 18.2% ±8.7 pts | 15.5% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 83.9% ±6.1 pts | 82.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 4.8% ±3.2 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Walked | 3.4% ±3.3 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Worked from home | 6.9% ±5.6 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 30.3 min ±3.6 | 31.2 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Vega Alta zona urbana?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Vega Alta zona urbana, and 3 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $19,811 (Tract 5504) to $26,754 (Tract 5505).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 5505Vega Alta Municipio | 4,964 | $26,754 |
| Tract 5504Vega Alta Municipio | 3,301 | $19,811 |
| Tract 5506.01Vega Alta Municipio | 3,576 | $18,938 |
| Tract 5502Vega Alta Municipio | 5,012 | $23,915 |
| Tract 5503Vega Alta Municipio | 4,743 | $22,349 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Vega Alta zona urbana) · Census block assignment files
How does Vega Alta zona urbana compare with other places in Puerto Rico?
Vega Alta zona urbana ranks 57th of 198 places in Puerto Rico with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 37th | 213 |
| Residents per square mile | 67th | 213 |
| Median household income | 57th | 198 |
| Per capita income | 53rd | 211 |
| Median home value | 49th | 204 |
| Median gross rent | 26th | 140 |
| Poverty rate | 150th | 201 |
| Median age | 83rd | 209 |
| Owner-occupied share | 138th | 212 |
| Travel time to work | 57th | 202 |
Vega Alta zona urbana's figures with every place in Puerto Rico (CSV)
Every place in Puerto Rico, sortable · Compare Vega Alta zona urbana with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Vega Alta zona urbana?
17 of the 43 figures for Vega Alta zona urbana on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Vega Alta zona urbana are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' school search.