| Ponce metropolitan area | |
| Other Name: | Spanish; Castilian: Ponce metropolitan area |
| Settlement Type: | Metropolitan area |
| Map Alt: | Ponce–Coamo, PR |
| 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 Ponce Metropolitan Statistical Area is a United States Census Bureau defined Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) in south central Puerto Rico. A 1 July 2009 Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 262,414, a 0.95% decrease from the 2000 census figure of 264,919.[1]
Ponce is the third largest metropolitan area (by population) in Puerto Rico. Of the eight MSA areas in the Commonwealth, only Ponce and Mayagüez experienced population declines during the 2000-2009 period.
A total of six municipalities (Spanish: municipios) are included as part of the Ponce Metropolitan Statistical Area.[2] The Yauco Metropolitan Statistical Area was formerly a separate area in Puerto Rico, but this area was dissolved and three of its municipalities were added to the Ponce MSA.[3] The municipalities (municipios) in the newly defined area are:
The Ponce - Coamo Combined Statistical Area (CSA) includes the Coamo micropolitan statistical area; the combined statistical area has eight municipalities in total. The redefined Coamo μSA consists of the formerly separate μSAs of Coamo and Santa Isabel.[4]