Population of El Salvador: The 2024 Census Reveals a Young, Urbanized, and Female-Majority Nation

By Karla Ramos  | Updated on July 15, 2025
El Salvador PopulationEl Salvador Population

El Salvador’s most recent census reveals a country that is predominantly young, urban, and female-majority.

According to the 2024 census released by the Salvadoran Central Reserve Bank (BCR), the country’s population stands at 6,029,976. Women make up the majority, with 3,181,443 females (52.76%) compared to 2,848,533 males (47.24%).

El Salvador Real Estate
Population of El Salvador
2024
Population 6,029,976 100%
Female 3,181,443 52.76%
Male 2,848,533 47.24%
Salvadoran Population
San Salvador National Cathedral. Image by Alcaldía de San Salvador.

SEE ALSO: The Struggles of Living in Rural Areas of El Salvador.

El Salvador Population by Department

Nearly half of all Salvadorans reside in just three departments: San Salvador, La Libertad, and Santa Ana, which together are home to 2,882,188 people—approximately 47.8% of the national population.

On the opposite end, the least populated departments—Cabañas, San Vicente, and Morazán—collectively house only 474,690 residents (7.87%).

It is important to note that the population figures exclude 107,055 individuals currently incarcerated, which represents approximately 1.78% of the total population.

El Salvador Beaches
Population of El Salvador by Department
2024 Population Percentage
San Salvador 1,563,371 26.40%
La Libertad 765,879 12.93%
Santa Ana 552,938 9.34%
Sonsonate 470,455 7.94%
San Miguel 447,634 7.56%
Ahuachapan 348,880 5.89%
La Paz 325,494 5.50%
Usulutan 318,374 5.38%
Cuscatlan 244,901 4.13%
La Union 224,375 3.79%
Chalatenango 185,930 3.14%
Morazan 169,784 2.87%
San Vicente 161,857 2.73%
Cabañas 143,049 2.42%
**Other 107,055 1.78%
Total 6,029,976 100%
Source: www.bcr.gob.sv2021 Survey2022 Survey2023 Survey2024 Survey
**Persons deprived of liberty (In Jail)

Visit our “Departments and Municipalities” page to get a breakdown of the estimated population of all 44 Salvadoran municipalities.

Salvadoran Population by Age Groups

El Salvador has a young population, which could be an advantage for future economic growth.

The largest demographic group is those aged 25 to 29, comprising 540,515 individuals (8.96%); it is followed by the 20 to 24 age group, totaling 511,086 people (8.48%).

Altogether, Salvadorans aged 15 to 29 number 1,501,216, making up 24.9% of the population. This segment holds significant promise for the country’s productive and labor force potential.

Also, children between 5 and 14 years old total 925,574 (15.35%), underscoring the importance of continued investment in education infrastructure and services.

El Salvador Beaches
Population by Age Groups
Age group Male Female Total %
0-4 190,284 182,949 373,233 6.19%
5- 9 230,204 221,622 451,826 7.49%
10-14 242,611 231,137 473,748 7.86%
15-19 224,736 224,879 449,615 7.46%
20-24 250,051 261,035 511,086 8.48%
25-29 258,535 281,980 540,515 8.96%
30-34 231,189 253,175 484,364 8.03%
35-39 197,824 221,420 419,244 6.95%
40-44 183,820 215,591 399,411 6.62%
45-49 174,197 213,450 387,647 6.43%
50-54 155,246 193,331 348,577 5.78%
55-59 128,168 168,109 296,277 4.91%
60-64 110,386 147,025 257,411 4.27%
65-69 86,549 114,226 200,775 3.33%
70-74 70,715 90,357 161,072 2.67%
75-79 50,342 66,398 116,740 1.94%
80-84 33,319 46,487 79,806 1.32%
85-89 18,979 28,927 47,906 0.79%
90-94 8,273 13,640 21,913 0.36%
95+ 3,105 5,705 8,810 0.15%
Total 2,848,533 3,181,443 6,029,976

SEE ALSO: El Salvador Healthcare System. Healthcare in El Salvador.

Female and Male Population by Age Groups

The data also reveal age-based trends by gender. Among women, the largest groups are those aged 25 to 29 (281,980, or 8.86%), followed by those aged 20 to 24 (261,036, or 8.20%), and those aged 30 to 34 (253,175, or 7.96%).

Female Population by Age Groups
Age group Female %
0-4 182,949 5.75%
5- 9 221,622 6.97%
10-14 231,137 7.27%
15-19 224,879 7.07%
20-24 261,035 8.20%
25-29 281,980 8.86%
30-34 253,175 7.96%
35-39 221,420 6.96%
40-44 215,591 6.78%
45-49 213,450 6.71%
50-54 193,331 6.08%
55-59 168,109 5.28%
60-64 147,025 4.62%
65-69 114,226 3.59%
70-74 90,357 2.84%
75-79 66,398 2.09%
80-84 46,487 1.46%
85-89 28,927 0.91%
90-94 13,640 0.43%
95+ 5,705 0.18%
Total 3,181,443

Among men, 258,535 (9.08%) are between 25 and 29, with the 20 to 24 cohort close behind at 250,051 (8.78%). Interestingly, the third-largest male age group is 10 to 14 years old, totaling 242,611 (8.52%).

Male Population by Age Groups
Age group Male %
0-4 190,284 6.68%
5- 9 230,204 8.08%
10-14 242,611 8.52%
15-19 224,736 7.89%
20-24 250,051 8.78%
25-29 258,535 9.08%
30-34 231,189 8.12%
35-39 197,824 6.94%
40-44 183,820 6.45%
45-49 174,197 6.12%
50-54 155,246 5.45%
55-59 128,168 4.50%
60-64 110,386 3.88%
65-69 86,549 3.04%
70-74 70,715 2.48%
75-79 50,342 1.77%
80-84 33,319 1.17%
85-89 18,979 0.67%
90-94 8,273 0.29%
95+ 3,105 0.11%
Total 2,848,533

These findings from the 2024 census offer a valuable roadmap for policymakers, educators, and economic planners.

With a youthful population and high urban concentration, El Salvador’s next chapter will depend on how it leverages its human capital and responds to regional population disparities.

El Salvador Real Estate