| Aguadilla metropolitan area | |
| Other Name: | Spanish; Castilian: Área metropolitana de Aguadilla |
| Settlement Type: | Metropolitan area |
| Mapsize: | 325px |
| Map Alt: | Mayagüez–Aguadilla, PR |
| Map Caption1: | Statistical areas in Puerto Rico |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | Territory |
| Subdivision Name1: | Puerto Rico |
| Parts Type: | Principal cities |
| Parts Style: | para |
| P1: | |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Blank1 Title: | MSA |
| Population Blank2 Title: | CSA |
| Utc Offset: | -4 |
| Timezone Dst: | AST |
The Aguadilla metropolitan area (Spanish: área metropolitana de Aguadilla), is the third largest metropolitan statistical area (MSA) in Puerto Rico, comprising the municipalities of Aguadilla, Isabela, San Sebastián, Aguada, Moca, Añasco, and Rincón between the coastal plains, the Northern Karst Belt, and the Cordillera Central mountain subrange in the northwestern region of the main island. One of 6 metropolitan statistical areas in Puerto Rico, it lies within the Mayagüez–Aguadilla combined statistical area (CSA), which is one of 3 primary statistical areas in the main island as defined by the United States Census Bureau. As of 2023, census estimates place the population of the Aguadilla metropolitan area at 250,435.[1] [2] [3]
With an estimated population of 250,435 as of 2023, the Aguadilla metropolitan area (MSA) is the third most populous in Puerto Rico, covering 7 of 78 municipalities in the northwestern region of the main island. Aguadilla is considered to be its principal city. The Aguadilla metropolitan area is the 195th most populated in the United States between the Daphne–Fairhope–Foley, AL MSA and the Prescott Valley–Prescott, AZ MSA .
Comprising Aguadilla, Isabela, San Sebastián, Aguada, Moca, and Añasco, and Rincón, the Aguadilla metropolitan area is situated between the western and northern coastal plains, the Añasco Valley, Culebrinas Valley, the Northern Karst Belt, and the Cordillera Central mountain subrange in the northwestern region of the main island of Puerto Rico.
All municipalities have an urbanized, densely populated downtown area and administrative center, categorized as a barrio and known as a pueblo, and concentrated urbanized residential areas with large populations, especially along the coastlines of Rincón, Aguadilla, and Isabela. All municipales have rural areas, particularly those that lie on karstic and mountainous terrain like Moca and San Sebastián.
The Mayagüez–Aguadilla combined statistical area (CSA) is divided into two metropolitan statistical areas (MSA), the Mayagüez MSA and Aguadilla MSA, covering 13 of 78 municipalities in Puerto Rico.
In 2009, the Mayagüez–Aguadilla combined statistical area comprised 6.5% of total population in Puerto Rico. The 2010 census placed the population at 519,331, a 51.61% increase over the 2000 census figure of 251,260.[5] [6] The 2020 census placed the population at 467,599, a 9.96% decrease over the 2010 census figure of 519,331.
With an estimated population of 458,312 as of 2023, the Mayagüez–Aguadilla combined statistical area is the 2nd most populous CSA in Puerto Rico and the 93rd most populous CSA in the United States between the Kalamazoo–Battle Creek–Portage, MI CSA and the Cedar Rapids–Iowa City, IA CSA.