The population of El Salvador in 2023 is 6,338,881. El Salvador’s population increased by 0.13% compared to 2021, which had a population of 6,330,947. According to the General Directorate of Statistics and Censuses (DIGESTYC).
According to experts, El Salvador’s population growth rate is expected to slow in the upcoming years, mainly because of all the people leaving the country for political and economic reasons.
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 6,321,042 | 6,325,827 | 6,330,947 | 6,338,881 |
El Salvador Population by Department
The most populated departments in El Salvador in 2023 are San Salvador with 1,732,068, La Libertad with 800,920, and Santa Ana with 560,355 residents.
The least populated departments are Cabañas with 153,437, San Vicente with 174,223, and Chalatenango with 179,255 inhabitants.
| Department | 2022 Population |
2023 Population |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Salvador | 1,732,068 | 1,730,449 |
| 2 | La Libertad | 800,920 | 803,933 |
| 3 | Santa Ana | 560,355 | 560,508 |
| 4 | Sonsonate | 504,581 | 506,682 |
| 5 | San Miguel | 464,558 | 464,171 |
| 6 | Ahuachapan | 365,128 | 367,811 |
| 7 | La Paz | 357,629 | 359,545 |
| 8 | Usulutan | 349,229 | 348,882 |
| 9 | Cuscatlan | 266,027 | 267,797 |
| 10 | La Union | 229,871 | 228,386 |
| 11 | Morazan | 193,666 | 194,287 |
| 12 | Chalatenango | 179,255 | 178,166 |
| 13 | San Vicente | 174,223 | 174,693 |
| 14 | Cabañas | 153,437 | 153,571 |
Most populated Municipalities in El Salvador
The most populated municipalities in El Salvador in 2022 are San Salvador, Soyapango, Santa Ana, San Miguel, and Apopa. The following table has the ten most populated municipalities in the country.
| Municipality | Department | 2022 Population |
2023 Population |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Salvador | San Salvador | 335,982 | 335,070 |
| 2 | Soyapango | San Salvador | 258,672 | 258,445 |
| 3 | Santa Ana | Santa Ana | 251,095 | 250,318 |
| 4 | San Miguel | San Miguel | 215,597 | 214,677 |
| 5 | Apopa | San Salvador | 155,466 | 155,219 |
| 6 | Mejicanos | San Salvador | 135,556 | 134,878 |
| 7 | Santa Tecla | La Libertad | 127,294 | 127,269 |
| 8 | Ahuachapan | Ahuachapan | 125,544 | 126,730 |
| 9 | Delgado | San Salvador | 123,258 | 123,429 |
| 10 | Colon | La Libertad | 120,088 | 120,819 |
Most of the most populated municipalities are in the San Salvador greater metropolitan area.
Least populated Municipalities in El Salvador
The municipalities less populated in El Salvador are San Antonio Los Ranchos, Azacualpa, Mercedes La Ceiba, San Francisco Lempa, and San Luís del Carmen. The following table has the ten least populated municipalities in the country.
| Municipality | Department | 2022 Population |
2023 Population |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 253 | San Jose Cancasque | Chalatenango | 1524 | 1509 |
| 254 | Cinquera | Cabañas | 1363 | 1364 |
| 255 | San Jose Las Flores | Chalatenango | 1323 | 1318 |
| 256 | Las Vueltas | Chalatenango | 1301 | 1294 |
| 257 | San Isidro Labrador | Chalatenango | 1235 | 1233 |
| 258 | San Luís del Carmen | Chalatenango | 1103 | 1098 |
| 259 | Mercedes La Ceiba | La Paz | 1008 | 1012 |
| 260 | San Francisco Lempa | Chalatenango | 1008 | 1006 |
| 261 | Azacualpa | Chalatenango | 997 | 994 |
| 262 | San Antonio Los Ranchos | Chalatenango | 988 | 979 |
Most of the municipalities with few inhabitants are in the department of Chalatenago, which is a mainly rural department near the Honduras border.
