Costa Rica Population (LIVE)

retrieving data...
Costa Rica Population (1950 - 2024)
Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)
  • The current population of Costa Rica is 5,138,476 as of Thursday, November 14, 2024, based on Worldometer's elaboration of the latest United Nations data1.
  • Costa Rica 2024 population is estimated at 5,129,910 people at mid year.
  • Costa Rica population is equivalent to 0.06% of the total world population.
  • Costa Rica ranks number 127 in the list of countries (and dependencies) by population.
  • The population density in Costa Rica is 100 per Km2 (260 people per mi2).
  • The total land area is 51,060 Km2 (19,714 sq. miles).
  • 84.5 % of the population is urban (4,332,482 people in 2024).
  • The median age in Costa Rica is 34.6 years.
1. U.N. Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs - Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Population of Costa Rica (2024 and historical)

YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationCountry's Share of
World Pop
World PopulationCosta Rica
Global Rank
2024 5,129,910 0.48 % 24,385 967 34.6 1.32 100 84.5 % 4,332,482 0.06 % 8,161,972,572 127
2023 5,105,525 0.47 % 23,760 995 34.1 1.33 100 83.7 % 4,271,646 0.06 % 8,091,734,930 125
2022 5,081,765 0.43 % 21,777 1,006 33.5 1.34 100 82.8 % 4,208,353 0.06 % 8,021,407,192 125
2020 5,034,320 0.70 % 34,767 1,029 32.5 1.45 99 80.9 % 4,074,214 0.06 % 7,887,001,292 123
2015 4,818,038 1.12 % 52,415 1,617 30.2 1.80 94 76.7 % 3,695,430 0.06 % 7,470,491,872 120
2010 4,555,962 1.35 % 58,944 2,357 28.0 1.83 89 71.6 % 3,260,590 0.06 % 7,021,732,148 120
2005 4,261,240 1.59 % 64,700 4,567 26.0 2.04 83 65.5 % 2,789,638 0.06 % 6,586,970,132 121
2000 3,937,739 2.18 % 80,5138,826 24.2 2.41 77 58.9 % 2,318,040 0.06 % 6,171,702,993 122
1995 3,535,176 2.52 % 82,694 16,609 22.9 2.78 69 54.2 % 1,915,604 0.06 % 5,758,878,982 125
1990 3,121,706 2.63 % 75,962 7,949 21.7 3.17 61 49.6 % 1,548,102 0.06 % 5,327,803,110 127
1985 2,741,894 2.78 % 70,252 2,357 20.6 3.51 54 45.3 % 1,240,768 0.06 % 4,868,943,465 128
1980 2,390,633 2.70 % 59,583 2,387 19.3 3.58 47 43.1 % 1,029,757 0.05 % 4,447,606,236 130
1975 2,092,719 2.62 % 50,754 1,992 17.8 3.80 41 41.4 % 867,261 0.05 % 4,070,735,277 130
1970 1,838,949 3.00 % 50,548 1,137 16.4 4.59 36 39.0 % 717,853 0.05 % 3,694,683,794 131
1965 1,586,208 3.63 % 51,742 932 15.6 5.96 31 35.9 % 568,941 0.05 % 3,334,533,703 134
1960 1,327,496 3.77 % 44,889 910 15.7 6.71 26 34.4 % 456,615 0.04 % 3,015,470,894 133
1955 1,103,049 3.54 % 35,258 734 16.3 6.57 22 34.4 % 379,324 0.04 % 2,740,213,792 134
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).
back to top ↑

Costa Rica Population Forecast

YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationCountry's Share of
World Pop
World PopulationCosta Rica
Global Rank
2025 5,152,950 0.47 % 23,726 1,000 35.2 1.31 101 85.2 % 4,390,911 0.06 % 8,231,613,070 127
2030 5,251,497 0.38 % 19,709 1,026 37.8 1.31 103 88.5 % 4,647,468 0.06 % 8,569,124,911 128
2035 5,324,699 0.28 % 14,640 1,089 40.3 1.33 104 91.0 % 4,846,325 0.06 % 8,885,210,181 127
2040 5,369,806 0.17 % 9,021 1,074 42.7 1.35 105 93.1 % 4,996,908 0.06 % 9,177,190,203 127
2045 5,381,019 0.04 % 2,243 1,113 44.9 1.37 105 95.1 % 5,116,679 0.06 % 9,439,639,668 128
2050 5,354,150 -0.10 % -5,374   47.0 1.38 105 97.2 % 5,204,720 0.06 % 9,664,378,587 128
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Costa Rica Demographics

Main Page: Demographics of Costa Rica
Life Expectancy
81.00 years
(life expectancy at birth, both sexes)
View by sex and historical chart
Infant Mortality
6.4
(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)
View historical chart
Deaths under age 5
7.5
(per 1,000 live births)
View historical chart

Main Cities by Population in Costa Rica

(includes boroughs, districts, urban agglomerations, etc.)

# CITY NAME POPULATION
1 San Jose 335,007
2 Limon 63,081
3 San Francisco 55,923
4 Alajuela 47,494
5 Liberia 45,380
6 Paraiso 39,702
7 Puntarenas 35,650
8 San Isidro 34,877
9 Curridabat 34,586
10 San Vicente de Moravia 34,447
10 San Vicente 34,447
11 San Jose 31,430
12 Purral 30,034
13 Turrialba 28,955
14 San Miguel 28,827
15 San Pedro 27,477
16 San Rafael Abajo 27,419
17 Quesada 27,310
18 Ipis 26,669
19 Cartago 26,594
20 Chacarita 26,354
21 San Juan 26,047
22 Mercedes Norte 26,007
23 Guadalupe 26,005
24 Aserri 25,874
25 San Rafael 25,410
26 San Felipe 24,985
27 Patarra 23,983
28 Tejar 22,433
29 Heredia 21,947
30 San Pablo 21,662
31 Calle Blancos 20,710
32 Canas 20,306
33 Guapiles 19,092
34 Siquirres 18,231
35 San Diego 16,991
36 Colima 15,875
37 Esparza 15,575
38 San Juan de Dios 15,469
39 Nicoya 15,313
40 San Rafael Arriba 15,051

See also

Notes

The Costa Rica Population (Live) counter shows a continuously updated estimate of the current population of Costa Rica delivered by Worldometer's RTS algorithm, which processes data collected from the United Nations Population Division.

The Population of Costa Rica (1950 - 2023) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2023.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2023. This value can differ from the Yearly % Change shown in the historical table, which shows the last year equivalent percentage change assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period.

Definitions

Year: as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Population: Overall total population (both sexes and all ages) in the country as of July 1 of the year indicated, as estimated by the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.


Yearly % Change: For 2023: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2022 to June 30 2023). For all other years: latest year annual percentage change equivalent assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period, calculated through reverse compounding.

Yearly Change: For 2023: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2022 to June 30 2023). For all other years: average annual numerical change over the preceding five year period.

Migrants (net): The average annual number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants over the preceding five year period (running from July 1 to June 30 of the initial and final years), or subsequent five year period (for 2016 data). A negative number means that there are more emigrants than immigrants.

Median Age: age that divides the population into two numerically equal groups: half of the people are older than the median age indicated and half are younger. This parameter provides an indication of age distribution.

Fertility Rate: (Total Fertility Rate, or TFR), it is expressed as children per woman. It is calculated as the average number of children an average woman will have during her reproductive period (15 to 49 years old) based on the current fertility rates of every age group in the country, and assuming she is not subject to mortality.

Density (P/Km²): (Population Density) Population per square Kilometer (Km²).

Urban Pop % : Urban population as a percentage of total population.

Urban Population: Population living in areas classified as urban according to the criteria used by each country.

Country's Share of World Pop: Total population in the country as a percentage of total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

World Population: Total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Global Rank: Position held by Costa Rica in the list of all countries worldwide ranked by population (from the highest population to the lowest population) as of July 1 of the year indicated.