Proportion of total government spending on essential services in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico: Proportion of total government spending on essential services was 16.0% in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)
16.0%
Change on year
down 6.9%
World rank
42nd
of 170 countries
All-time high
17.5%
in 2023
All-time low
0.0%
in 2013
Years of data
13
2013–2025

Proportion of total government spending on essential services in Puerto Rico, 2013–2025

0510152013201920252013: 02014: 02015: 12.32016: 10.12017: 10.92018: 10.32019: 13.82020: 16.72021: 14.12022: 16.42023: 17.52024: 17.12025: 16

Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.

Analysis

In 2025, proportion of total government spending on essential services in Puerto Rico stood at 16.0%.

That represents a change of down 6.9% on the previous year and up 30.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, proportion of total government spending on essential services in Puerto Rico peaked at 17.5% in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 2013.

That places Puerto Rico 42nd out of 170 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 13 years of available data.

Proportion of total government spending on essential services in Puerto Rico, year by year

Annual values for Proportion of total government spending on essential services, education [UIS methodology] (%) in Puerto Rico, 2013 to 2025.
Year Value Change
2013 0.0%
2014 0.0%
2015 12.3%
2016 10.1% -17.9%
2017 10.9% +8.0%
2018 10.3% -5.6%
2019 13.8% +34.4%
2020 16.7% +20.7%
2021 14.1% -15.6%
2022 16.4% +16.3%
2023 17.5% +6.8%
2024 17.1% -1.9%
2025 16.0% -6.9%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 8.2% 0.0% 13.8% 7
2020s 16.3% 14.1% 17.5% 6

Countries ranked near Puerto Rico

  1. 39 Panama 16.3% compare
  2. 40 Israel 16.1% compare
  3. 41 Malawi 16.0% compare
  4. 43 El Salvador 15.9% compare
  5. 44 Afghanistan 15.7% compare
  6. 45 Iceland 15.7% compare

See the full ranking of 204 places →

More education data for Puerto Rico

All data for Puerto Rico →

Frequently asked questions

What is proportion of total government spending on essential services in Puerto Rico?
Proportion of total government spending on essential services in Puerto Rico was 16.0% in 2025, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
What is the highest proportion of total government spending on essential services recorded in Puerto Rico?
The highest recorded value was 17.5% in 2023.
What is the lowest proportion of total government spending on essential services recorded in Puerto Rico?
The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 2013.
How does Puerto Rico rank for proportion of total government spending on essential services?
Puerto Rico ranks 42nd out of 170 countries with data for 2025.
Is proportion of total government spending on essential services rising or falling in Puerto Rico?
Over the last ten years it is up 30.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Puerto Rico data come from?
The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of total government spending on essential services, education [UIS methodology] (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Proportion of total government spending on essential services in Puerto Rico. Statizoid, drawing on United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database. Retrieved 01 September 2026, from https://education.statizoid.com/stat/proportion-of-total-government-spending-on-essential-services-education-uis-methodology/puerto-rico-us/

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About this data

Indicator
Proportion of total government spending on essential services, education [UIS methodology] (%)
Source
United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database
Licence
UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested)
Coverage
204 places, 3,724 data points, 2000–2025
Last refreshed