Isabela, Puerto Rico
Area Profile
11,048 residents. Public schools, jobs, income, housing cost, climate and natural-hazard risk for Isabela, in Isabela Municipio.
How this area ranks
Data updated · 9 sourcesEmployment conditions sit below most comparable cities measured: unemployment is 6.6% and the Opportunity signal places Isabela in the bottom 29%. The unemployment rate is published for Isabela Municipio, PR, which contains Isabela, rather than for Isabela alone.
In the public schools here, 27% of students met the state standard in mathematics, with 10.8 students for every teacher.
Development activity is both elevated and accelerating — 291 housing units permitted over the past twelve months, up 172% on the prior year. The permit count and 1 other measure here are published for Isabela Municipio, PR, which contains Isabela, rather than for Isabela alone.
These sentences are written by fixed rules from the measurements below — a statement appears because a number crossed a stated threshold, and the values behind it are stored with it. No figure anywhere on this site is invented, estimated or inferred to fill a gap. How this works.
At a glance
Jobs & opportunity
Unemployment across Isabela Municipio, PR, which contains Isabela, is 6.6% — higher than in all but 5% of the 4,226 measured US cities.
Employment across Isabela Municipio, PR, which contains Isabela, grew 3.0% over the past year, to 14,714 employed residents.
Median household income of $21,796 is lower than in 99% of measured US cities.
| Metric | Value | Compared nationally | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income ±$4,4502024 ACS 5-Year | $21,796 | Bottom 1%of 29,223 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income ±$2,6992024 ACS 5-Year | $16,529 | Bottom 5%of 31,420 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate ±8%2024 ACS 5-Year | 41.0% | Bottom 5%of 31,773 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average commute ±4.5 min2024 ACS 5-Year | 29.6 min | Bottom 36%of 31,543 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher ±5%2024 ACS 5-Year | 27.7% | Top 34%of 31,919 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Drove alone to work ±9%2024 ACS 5-Year | 78.7% | 55th percentileof 31,433 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| EmploymentIsabela Municipio, PR’s figureJuly 2026 | 14,714 | Bottom 13%of 4,226 | July 2026 |
| Employment change (3 years)Isabela Municipio, PR’s figureJuly 2026 | +9.4% | Top 1%of 4,226 | July 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year)Isabela Municipio, PR’s figureJuly 2026 | +3.0% | Top 2%of 4,226 | July 2026 |
| Labor forceIsabela Municipio, PR’s figureJuly 2026 | 15,749 | 13th percentileof 4,226 | July 2026 |
| Labor force participation ±7%2024 ACS 5-Year | 61.8% | Bottom 14%of 31,513 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Mean annual wageAguadilla, PR Metro Area’s figure2025 OEWS | $36,610 | Bottom 1%of 3,729 | 2025 OEWS |
| Median annual wageAguadilla, PR Metro Area’s figure2025 OEWS | $26,480 | Bottom 1%of 3,729 | 2025 OEWS |
| Public transit to work ±0.6%2024 ACS 5-Year | 0.0% | 1st percentileof 31,433 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment change (year over year)Isabela Municipio, PR’s figureJuly 2026 | +1.5% | Bottom 1%of 4,226 | July 2026 |
| Unemployment rateIsabela Municipio, PR’s figureJuly 2026 | 6.6% | Bottom 5%of 4,226 | July 2026 |
| Worked from home ±2%2024 ACS 5-Year | 3.6% | 29th percentileof 31,433 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
Median household income, successive ACS releases
Largest occupations — Aguadilla, PR
| Occupation | People employed | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 2,860 | $24,960 |
| Retail Salespersons | 2,660 | $21,950 |
| Cashiers | 1,830 | $21,840 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,600 | $21,940 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,160 | $22,010 |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,100 | $22,240 |
Searches the 40 largest occupations here that have a published wage.
Occupational employment and wages are published for metropolitan areas rather than for individual cities or ZIP areas, so these describe the wider labor market this location sits in. 2025 OEWS, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes city-level labor data only for places of 25,000 or more. This is the figure for Isabela Municipio, PR, which contains this city.
27% of students met the state standard in mathematics and 42% in reading, across the schools here that reported results.
There are 10.8 students for every full-time teacher across 9 public schools, fewer than in most measured places.
| School | District | Students | Per teacher | Math | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Heriberto Domenech | PUERTO RICO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION | 762 | 11.5 | 3% | 37% |
| Francisco Mendoza | PUERTO RICO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION | 460 | 11.8 | 27% | 52% |
| Jose C. Rosario | PUERTO RICO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION | 453 | 11.6 | 19% | 34% |
| Jose A. Vargas | PUERTO RICO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION | 317 | 10.2 | 26% | 41% |
| Antonio Geigel Paredes | PUERTO RICO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION | 304 | 12.7 | 62% | 52% |
| Irma Deliz De Munoz | PUERTO RICO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION | 284 | 9.5 | 5% | 32% |
| Epifanio Estrada Isabela | PUERTO RICO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION | 207 | 10.3 | 82% | 67% |
| Ceferina Cordero | PUERTO RICO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION | 201 | 7.2 | 37% | 37% |
| Mateo Hernandez | PUERTO RICO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION | 197 | 10.4 | 57% | 42% |
87.4% of students here are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. That describes the circumstances families arrive with, not how the schools perform, so it is shown and not scored.
Public schools only, from the NCES Common Core of Data, placed by ZIP code — which schools are in this place, not which one a particular address is zoned for. A dash in a proficiency column is a gap in the federal file, not a bad result. Proficiency is measured against Puerto Rico’s own standard, so it is ranked within state. How to read school figures.
Housing & affordability
How it’s calculated — housing affordability →Homeowners here who pay a tax bill pay a median of $617 a year in real estate taxes, about 0.51% of the median home value.
HUD’s Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom, set near the 40th percentile of recent new leases, is $564, below the $633 tenants already here pay.
At HUD’s Fair Market Rent of $564 a month for a two-bedroom, keeping rent to 30% of income takes a household income of about $22,600 a year, about 104% of the median household income here of $21,796.
The typical renter household here spends 30% of its income on rent, at the 30% threshold at which a household is considered cost-burdened. Median gross rent runs $633 a month.
A median home at $121,300 costs 4.6 times the median income of its owner-occupied households, $26,215, above the historic benchmark of about 3 times income.
The figures above are measured against Isabela’s median household income of $21,796, which describes the place rather than you. Enter your own and the ratio is recomputed against it. It stays in this browser.
| Metric | Value | Compared nationally | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home price to income ±12024 ACS 5-Year | 4.6 | Bottom 11%of 26,815 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate ±6%2024 ACS 5-Year | 63.9% | 26th percentileof 31,717 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units ±4912024 ACS 5-Year | 5,826 | 90th percentileof 32,177 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Market rent, one bedroomFY2026 | $482 | Top 1%of 4,072 | FY2026 |
| Market rent, three bedroomFY2026 | $680 | Top 1%of 4,072 | FY2026 |
| Market rent, two bedroomFY2026 | $564 | Top 1%of 4,072 | FY2026 |
| Median gross rent ±$882024 ACS 5-Year | $633 | Top 10%of 23,120 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value ±$24,1332024 ACS 5-Year | $121,300 | 28th percentileof 29,111 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median property taxes ±$1532024 ACS 5-Year | $617 | 10th percentileof 26,440 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Owner household income ±$5,8292024 ACS 5-Year | $26,215 | Bottom 1%of 27,548 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Property tax rate ±0.16%2024 ACS 5-Year | 0.51% | 12th percentileof 20,543 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Rent as a share of income ±13%2024 ACS 5-Year | 29.7% | Bottom 42%of 22,950 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Seasonal and second homes ±1392024 ACS 5-Year | 347 | 96th percentileof 32,330 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Second homes2024 ACS 5-Year | 6.0% | 83rd percentileof 31,895 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Vacancy rate2024 ACS 5-Year | 25.9% | 93rd percentileof 31,769 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Vacant housing units ±2882024 ACS 5-Year | 1,857 | 97th percentileof 32,330 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
These measures come from the same ACS release as the income they are compared with. They compare housing cost with local earnings only: transport, groceries, healthcare, insurance and taxes are not in them. How to read affordability, the two rent figures.
Growth & development
How it’s calculated — growth →Development Momentum
An AreaProfile calculation combining permit volume per resident, its direction over one and three years, population change and employment growth. Permit volume alone is not the measure.
At 6.8 permitted units per 1,000 residents, building activity is above the median for measured US cities. The permit rate is published for Isabela Municipio, PR, which contains Isabela, rather than for Isabela alone.
The Census Bureau's Building Permits Survey lists only jurisdictions that issue their own permits, and Isabela, PR is not one. This is the figure for Isabela Municipio, PR, which contains this city.
Weather & climate
12 of the twelve months have a normal average temperature between 55°F and 80°F. July averages a high of 86°F and January a low of 67°F.
Normal annual precipitation is 64.1 inches.
Precipitation
| Metric | Value | Source period |
|---|---|---|
| Annual precipitation1991-2020 Normals | 64.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual snowfall1991-2020 Normals | 0.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low1991-2020 Normals | 67°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average July high1991-2020 Normals | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Comfortable months1991-2020 Normals | 12 | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Seasonal temperature swing1991-2020 Normals | 6°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
Climate figures are thirty-year normals, not current conditions. How to read climate and air quality.
Physical risk
The hazards accounting for most of this area's expected annual loss are hurricane, earthquake and tsunami, with hurricane alone responsible for 43% of it. Tsunami is independently rated low or minimal nationally, so this describes how the loss is composed, not how large that hazard is.
Low or minimal exposure: avalanche, coastal flooding, cold wave, drought, hail, heat wave, ice storm, inland flooding, lightning, strong wind, tornado, tsunami, volcanic activity, wildfire, winter weather.
Hazard ratings are AreaProfile calculations derived from the FEMA National Risk Index v1.20.0 (December 2025). FEMA publishes at county level. City values are the population-weighted mean of the counties the city overlaps, using AreaProfile place-to-county land-area weights. FEMA does not endorse this presentation. Higher physical resilience means lower exposure.
What this profile does not cover
Each of these is absent for a reason, not by oversight. The Area Score is calculated without them; the weighting is on the methodology page.
- Reported crime
- Offenses reported to police are published by department rather than by town, so AreaProfile shows a rate only on city profiles, and only where that city’s department submitted every month of a year. Either no municipal department reports for this place — many smaller communities are policed by the county — or its department did not report every month of the year. Either way there is no figure to show. A partial year is never scaled up to look complete, and arrest counts or news volume are never substituted for it.
- Cost of living
- Regional price parities are published by the Bureau of Economic Analysis for the fifty states, the District of Columbia and their metropolitan areas. Puerto Rico is outside that program.
- Death-certificate rates
- The CDC provisional county file covers the fifty states and the District of Columbia. Puerto Rico is not in it, so the homicide, firearm, overdose and suicide rates shown elsewhere on this site have no counterpart here.
- Air quality
- The EPA publishes an air-quality index only where a monitor sits. There is none in this county, and a modeled value would be a different kind of number from the measured ones everywhere else on this page.
- Taxes
- Income and sales taxes are not published: no source covers them nationally with a method open enough to check. Property taxes are shown in the housing section but are not part of the score. Cost of living is published where the Bureau of Economic Analysis measures it, though not for this place. Nothing here is individualized tax advice.
- Anything about a specific address
- Every figure describes an area, not a street or a house.
Access
2 major airports lie within 100 miles, the nearest Mercedita at 45 miles.
| Metric | Value | Compared nationally | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broadband access ±4%2024 ACS 5-Year | 50.7% | Bottom 3%of 31,588 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Distance to major airportNASR current cycle | 45 mi | Bottom 15%of 4,226 | NASR current cycle |
| Major airports within 100 milesNASR current cycle | 2 | Bottom 8%of 4,226 | NASR current cycle |
| No internet access ±6%2024 ACS 5-Year | 43.0% | Bottom 3%of 31,588 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Airport | Code | Distance | Longest runway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedita | PSE | 45 mi | 8,002 ft |
| Luis Munoz Marin Intl | SJU | 67 mi | 10,400 ft |
| Henry E Rohlsen | STX | 156 mi | 10,002 ft |
Airport identity, position and runway data come from the FAA. “Major airport” is an AreaProfile classification — a public-use civil airport with a paved runway of at least 8,000 feet — not an FAA hub designation. Distances are straight-line, not driving distance.
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Other cities in Aguadilla, PR
Same metropolitan area, measured the same way| City | County | Population | Area Score | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aguadilla | Aguadilla Municipio | 11,033 | 50 | Aguadilla vs Isabela |
Every city here is measured on the same scale from the same source releases, so the comparison is like for like. A higher Area Score reflects AreaProfile’s standardized weighting rather than a judgment about which is the better place to live.
Similar places
Matched on AreaProfile signals, not geographyCompare
Put Isabela side by side with a similar place.
Moving to Isabela from somewhere else?
You get the difference in prices, rent and weather, and the income that would keep pace.
Data & methodology
| Used for | Source | Source period |
|---|---|---|
| Access | Federal Aviation Administration Airports (NASR) — Aeronautical Data Delivery Service | NASR current cycle |
| Physical risk | Federal Emergency Management Agency National Risk Index | National Risk Index December 2025 (v1.20.0) |
| Climate | NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Monthly) | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Jobs | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics | 2025 OEWS |
| Jobs | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Local Area Unemployment Statistics | July 2026 |
| Development | U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey | 2025 calendar year |
| Access, Demographics, Housing, Income, Jobs | U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (Table-Based Summary File) | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Schools | U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data and EDFacts assessments | 2018-19 school year; 2024-25 school year |
| Housing | U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Policy Development and Research Fair Market Rents | FY2026 |
| Current conditions | NOAA National Weather Service National Weather Service current conditions | Live observation, read when the page opens |
Profile recalculated October 8, 2026. Recalculation is not the same as new source data — each figure above shows the period its source actually covers. Read the full methodology, or every source with how often each updates.
ZIP codes in Isabela
1 ZIP areaEvery ZIP area in Isabela with census figures of its own, largest first.
| ZIP | Population | Median household income | Median home value | Area Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 00662 | 41,090 | $23,299 | $135,500 | 54 |