The population of Costa Rica is expected to grow by 38,000 in 2025 and reach 5,284,000 in 2026. Migration (including immigration and emigration) increases population by 2,196 people yearly. On average there are 64,438 births and 29,546 deaths in Costa Rica per year. Rate of natural increase is approximately 0.67 percent per year. The population density of Costa Rica has changed from 46.8 in 1980 to 101.3 in 2023.
| Current population | 5,266,463 people at present (Friday 11th of July 2025) | |
| Median Age | 37.1 years |
| Life expectancy | 81.5 years | |
| Population density | 102.8 per km2 |
| Year | Population | Year change | Migrants | Median age | Fertility rate | Density (Ppl/km2) | Urban population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5,247,000 | 38,000 (0.7%) | 2,196 | 37.1 | 1.68 | 103 | 4,373,000 (83.3%) |
| 2024 | 5,209,000 | 39,000 (0.8%) | 2,699 | 36.7 | 102 | 4,317,000 (82.9%) | |
| 2023 | 5,170,000 | 40,000 (0.8%) | 2,699 | 36.4 | 101 | 4,258,000 (82.4%) | |
| 2022 | 5,130,000 | 42,000 (0.8%) | 2,699 | 36.1 | 101 | 4,197,000 (81.8%) | |
| 2021 | 5,088,000 | 44,000 (0.9%) | 2,699 | 35.7 | 100 | 4,133,000 (81.2%) | |
| 2020 | 5,044,000 | 45,000 (0.9%) | 2,699 | 35.4 | 1.73 | 99 | 4,066,000 (80.6%) |
| 2019 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | 3,277 | 35.0 | 1.74 | 98 | 3,997,000 (79.9%) |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | 3,277 | 34.7 | 1.76 | 97 | 3,925,000 (79.2%) |
| 2017 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | 3,277 | 34.3 | 1.77 | 96 | 3,850,000 (78.5%) |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | 3,277 | 34.0 | 1.79 | 95 | 3,772,888 (77.7%) |
| 2015 | 4,807,852 | 50,277 (1.1%) | 3,277 | 33.7 | 1.80 | 94 | 3,693,440 (76.8%) |
| 2010 | 4,545,280 | 57,017 (1.3%) | 3,932 | 32.0 | 1.92 | 89 | 3,260,511 (71.7%) |
| 2005 | 4,247,841 | 60,803 (1.4%) | 6,068 | 30.3 | 2.07 | 83 | 2,789,515 (65.7%) |
| 2000 | 3,925,443 | 76,720 (2.0%) | 8,358 | 28.7 | 2.37 | 77 | 2,317,935 (59.0%) |
| 1995 | 3,510,926 | 85,236 (2.4%) | 17,905 | 27.4 | 2.82 | 69 | 1,915,526 (54.6%) |
| 1990 | 3,095,995 | 77,040 (2.5%) | 13,840 | 26.3 | 3.17 | 61 | 1,548,059 (50.0%) |
| 1985 | 2,730,233 | 70,452 (2.6%) | 3,483 | 25.6 | 3.41 | 53 | 1,240,754 (45.4%) |
| 1980 | 2,389,310 | 62,606 (2.6%) | 3,775 | 24.8 | 3.59 | 47 | 1,029,769 (43.1%) |
| 1975 | 2,097,407 | 51,827 (2.5%) | 3,485 | 24.0 | 3.81 | 41 | 867,257 (41.3%) |
| 1970 | 1,848,866 | 50,555 (2.7%) | 2,528 | 23.0 | 4.61 | 36 | 717,859 (38.8%) |
| 1965 | 1,589,621 | 52,580 (3.3%) | 1,565 | 22.5 | 5.85 | 31 | 568,941 (35.8%) |
| 1960 | 1,333,040 | 48,877 (3.5%) | 1,581 | 22.5 | 6.45 | 26 | 456,620 (34.3%) |
In 2024 the population of Costa Rica was 5,209,000 and the average age increased from 22.5 in 1960 to 36.7. Urban population has increased from 2,317,935 (59.0%) in 2000 to 4,373,000 (83.3%) in the current year. The population density of Costa Rica has changed from 46.8 in 1980 to 101.3 in 2023.
| Year | Population | Year change | Migrants | Median age | Fertility rate | Density (Ppl/km2) | Urban population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 0 | 0 (0.0%) | 2,699 | 35.4 | 1.73 | 99 | 4,066,000 (80.6%) |
| 2025 | 5,247,000 | 38,000 (0.7%) | 2,196 | 37.1 | 1.68 | 103 | 4,373,000 (83.3%) |
| 2030 | 5,417,000 | 31,000 (0.6%) | 1,758 | 38.8 | 1.66 | 106 | 4,618,000 (85.2%) |
| 2035 | 5,554,000 | 25,000 (0.5%) | 1,756 | 40.4 | 1.66 | 109 | 4,802,000 (86.5%) |
| 2040 | 5,659,000 | 19,000 (0.3%) | 1,755 | 41.9 | 1.67 | 111 | 4,935,000 (87.2%) |
| 2045 | 5,733,000 | 13,000 (0.2%) | 1,756 | 43.3 | 1.68 | 112 | 5,040,000 (87.9%) |
| 2050 | 5,774,000 | 6,000 (0.1%) | 1,756 | 44.5 | 1.69 | 113 | 5,115,000 (88.6%) |
The life expectancy at birth should reach 85.4 (84.0 years for male and 86.9 years for females). Population density will go up to 113.1 people per square kilometer.
The demographics of Costa Rica constitutes of 2,626,000 women and 2,621,000 men, which means there are 998 men per 1000 women. As far as age distribution goes, 26.3% of population (1,377,862) is 19 or younger, 61.1% of population (3,208,016) is between age 20 and 64 and 12.6% of population (661,647) is over 65.