Puno records Peru's highest aging rate in 2025 census

The 2025 national census results presented by the National Institute of Statistics and Informatics (INEI) reveal that the Puno region has the highest aging rate in Peru. The region currently has 88 adults over the age of 60 for every 100 children and adolescents under 15, a figure approaching population parity.

Officials attribute this demographic shift to significant youth migration toward regions such as Lima, Arequipa, Tacna, and Moquegua in search of higher education and better economic opportunities. Compared to the 2017 census, the elderly population in Puno increased by five percentage points, while the population under 15 decreased by four.

Additional findings from the census highlight economic and infrastructure challenges in the region. In Juliaca, 86% of the population works in the informal sector, significantly higher than the national average of 70%. Furthermore, only 39% of households in the area have access to connected potable water.