The short version
- Metro Puerto Rico reports the gap has stayed around 7.5 years since 2010 with no sign of narrowing
- Instituto de Estadísticas de Puerto Rico data shows 9 out of 10 women reach age 70 compared with 7 out of 10 men
- WAPA.tv notes violent deaths among young men and violence as key factors behind the difference
- Both sexes gained years overall from 2010 to 2023 though men saw drops in 2017 2018 2020 and 2021
Consistent 7.5-year gap
Women in Puerto Rico have a life expectancy of 84.1 years while men have 76.6 years according to 2023 data published by the Instituto de Estadísticas de Puerto Rico in collaboration with the Departamento de Salud. Metro Puerto Rico reported that the difference has remained around 7.5 years since 2010 with no indication of closing. The overall population life expectancy stood at 80.4 years. The tables covering 2010-2023 are the first official ones released since 2013 and each annual figure is a three-year average.
The report shows both sexes have gained years of life since 2010. Men rose from 74.9 to 76.6 years and women from 82.4 to 84.1 years. Metro Puerto Rico said men recorded reductions in four years of the period: 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2021 with the largest drop of 0.5 years between 2020 and 2021. Women only saw declines in 2020 and 2021. The institute attributed the overall drops to excess mortality after the 2017 hurricanes, slow recovery in 2018 and the pandemic in 2020-2021.
Higher survival rates for women
The advantage for women increases with age. Almost nine out of ten women reach age 70 compared with seven out of ten men, according to the data cited by both Metro Puerto Rico and WAPA.tv. At age 85 the figures are six out of ten women and four out of ten men. A 20-year-old man has a 0.80 percent chance of dying before age 25, nearly 4.5 times higher than the 0.18 percent for a woman. A woman reaching 65 can expect about 23 more years of life while a man can expect about 20.
WAPA.tv reported that the difference mirrors patterns seen in other Latin American countries. Alberto Velázquez Estrada of the Instituto de Estadísticas de Puerto Rico told analyst Jay Fonseca that the main factors include violent deaths among young men and violence in general.
Where the sources differ
Metro Puerto Rico and WAPA.tv both cite the Instituto de Estadísticas de Puerto Rico and Alberto Velázquez Estrada for the 84.1-year female and 76.6-year male life expectancies in 2023 and the roughly seven-year gap. Metro Puerto Rico provides the most detailed figures including exact 2010 baselines, three-year averaging method, probability of death between ages 20-25, remaining years at 65, and specific years of decline. WAPA.tv adds that the pattern is similar across other Latin American countries and explicitly names violence and violent deaths among young men as leading factors. Both outlets agree the gap shows no sign of narrowing and that women have higher survival rates at older ages.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not provide breakdowns by municipality or socioeconomic group, nor do they quantify how much of the gap is due to violence versus other behavioral risks or health conditions. They also do not discuss any government programs or public-health initiatives aimed at closing the difference or projections for future years beyond the existing trend.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Official Mujeres viven 7 años más que los hombres en Puerto Rico
- Reporting Mujeres viven 7 años más que los hombres en Puerto Rico
- Reporting ¿Por qué las mujeres viven más tiempo que los hombres en Puerto Rico?
How we checked this
Metro Puerto Rico published the most comprehensive account based on the new official tables from the Instituto de Estadísticas de Puerto Rico and Departamento de Salud. WAPA.tv covered the same statistics in a segment with Jay Fonseca and Alberto Velázquez Estrada, adding a regional Latin American comparison. All specific numbers and trends rest on the single institute report released in 2026.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.
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