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Municipio in Puerto Rico

Arecibo Municipio, Puerto Rico

Arecibo Municipio is a municipio in Puerto Rico with 86,467 residents, No. 7 of 78 by population. In Arecibo Municipio, the FHA loan limit for a one-unit home is $541,287, and a typical home is worth $116,700. To rent a 2-bedroom apartment at Fair Market Rent ($559 a month) without going over 30% of your income, you need to earn about $10.75 an hour.

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  • Typical home price

    $116,700

    −11% vs. Puerto Rico −65% vs. U.S.

    Half of owner-occupied homes are worth more and half are worth less.

    • Arecibo
    • Puerto Rico
    • United States

    Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

  • Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms

    $559 a month

    −13% vs. Puerto Rico −68% vs. U.S.

    HUD's reference rent for a two-bedroom apartment, with basic utilities.

    • Arecibo
    • Puerto Rico
    • United States

    Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

  • FHA limit 2026, 1 unit

    $541,287

    FHA national floor limit

    The most you can borrow with an FHA loan for a one-unit home here.

    • Arecibo
    • Floor
    • Ceiling

    Source: HUD, 2026 data

  • Property tax

    0.35% of value per year

    −29% vs. Puerto Rico −63% vs. U.S.

    $404 a year for the typical owner

    • Arecibo
    • Puerto Rico
    • United States

    Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Data from October 2026

In short

What is housing like in Arecibo Municipio today?

With an FHA loan and the minimum down payment, a typical home would cost about $911 a month: 46% of the typical household income here. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $39,023 a year; the typical income here is $23,635. The typical home value is 11% less than in Puerto Rico overall. The typical property tax is $404 a year (about 0.35% of home value), lower than in Puerto Rico.

40% of renter households spend 30% or more of their income on housing, less than in Puerto Rico (51%). Here 95% of people speak Spanish at home; 5 agencies nearby offer housing counseling in Spanish.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

Only here

What sets Arecibo Municipio apart

  1. At 40%, Arecibo Municipio ranks 6th among the 56 municipios in Puerto Rico with this figure for the smallest share of rent-burdened renters.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Arecibo Municipio

What homes there are in Arecibo Municipio, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

Detached houses, standing on their own, make up 83% of homes here, against 68% in Puerto Rico.

Year built

By age, homes in Arecibo Municipio look like those in Puerto Rico: the typical year built is 1978.

By size, homes in Arecibo Municipio look like those in Puerto Rico: 71% have 3 bedrooms or more.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

At least 99% of owner-occupied homes in Arecibo Municipio are worth less than $500,000, below the FHA loan limit for this municipio ($541,287).

Monthly rent with utilities

About 50% of rented homes in Arecibo Municipio cost less than HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent for this municipio ($559); the rest cost more.

With a mortgage

$800 a month

Puerto Rico: $946 a month

Without a mortgage

$179 a month

Puerto Rico: $180 a month

Owners with a mortgage

34%

Puerto Rico: 37%

In Arecibo Municipio, 34% of owners have a mortgage, and their typical cost is $800 a month, against $946 in Puerto Rico. Without one it drops to $179.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, the typical home value in Arecibo Municipio rose 23%; in Puerto Rico, it rose 18%.

Rents in Arecibo Municipio rose faster than in Puerto Rico: 29% since 2015–2019, against 21%.

The typical household income in Arecibo Municipio rose 27% over that time; home values changed +23% and rent +29%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureArecibo MunicipioPuerto RicoUnited States
Rental vacancy 3.8%5.1%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy 2.7%1.3%0.9%
More than one person per room 1.2%2.3%3.4%
People per household 2.532.482.53
Drive alone 86%83%69%
Carpool 5%6%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimate1%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate3%3%
Work from home 5%6%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate2%2%
Typical commute 20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

In Arecibo Municipio, the rental vacancy rate is 3.8%; in Puerto Rico, 5.1%.

Fewer households are short on space in Arecibo Municipio: 1.2% have more than one person per room; in Puerto Rico, 2.3%.

A household in Arecibo Municipio has 2.53 people on average, about the same as in Puerto Rico (2.48).

In Arecibo Municipio, 86% of workers drive alone to work; in Puerto Rico, 83%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month in Arecibo Municipio?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home of $116,700, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 46% of the typical household income here, which is $23,635 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $39,023 a year.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Arecibo Municipio. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $4,085 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$911

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$114,586
Total interest
$164,862
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $1,971 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $551 a month

  • Tight

    $551 to $709 a month

  • Hard

    more than $709 a month

    Your payment · 46%

Compared with the typical household income in Arecibo Municipio ($23,635 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$911
Principal & interest$776
Property tax$34
Home insurance$49
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$52

You need at least $4,085 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

Buying a home

Buying a home in Arecibo Municipio

Here you'll see how prices have changed, how Arecibo Municipio compares with Puerto Rico and the country, and what you'd pay each month with four kinds of loans.

How have home prices changed?

FHFA does not publish an annual price index in Arecibo Municipio. This usually happens when there are too few sales to measure.

Arecibo Municipio compared with Puerto Rico and the United States

Home value, rent and household income, side by side. "Typical" is the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Arecibo $116,700
  • Puerto Rico $131,500
  • United States $332,700
Typical rent a month
  • Arecibo $531
  • Puerto Rico $578
  • United States $1,413
Typical household income a year
  • Arecibo $23,635
  • Puerto Rico $26,297
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Arecibo compared with Puerto Rico and the United States
MeasureHerePuerto RicoU.S.
Residents86,4673,234,309334,922,499
Typical home value$116,700$131,500$332,700
Typical household income$23,635$26,297$80,734
Typical rent$531$578$1,413
Fair Market Rent (2 bedrooms)$559$641$1,750
Hourly wage to rent a 2-bedroom$10.75$12.33$33.65
Typical property tax$404$646$3,119
Effective tax rate0.35%0.49%0.94%
Households that own their home65%68%65%
Renters spending 30% or more on rent40%51%51%
FHA limit (1 unit)*$541,287$690,000$541,287

FHA limit: Puerto Rico shows the median of its counties; the United States, the national floor. Download CSV

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Arecibo Municipio

For a typical $116,700 home at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, the county's property tax, an example homeowners insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

Loan Monthly payment Down payment Loan amount Rate Mortgage insurance Cash to close Minimum score
FHA, 3.5% down $911 $4,085 $114,586 7.18% FHA MIP · $52 $7,586 580
Conventional, 5% down $889 $5,835 $110,865 7.18% PMI · $55 $9,336 620*
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $715 $23,340 $93,360 7.18% None $26,841 620*
ITIN, 15% down (example) $823 $17,505 $99,195 8.18% None $21,006 Set by the lender
  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Closing costs

Loan limits

FHA loans in Arecibo Municipio use the national floor limit: it isn't a high-cost area. If the loan you need is above these amounts, it doesn't fit FHA or it becomes a "jumbo" loan.

VA loans. If you have full VA entitlement, VA doesn't cap the loan amount. If you've used part of your entitlement, the calculation uses the county limit ($832,750 for one unit). VA loan limits (va.gov)

USDA loans. They're for homes in eligible rural areas and households with incomes within USDA's limit. Check whether the address and your income qualify on the official site. USDA eligibility (usda.gov)

Home type FHA limit Conforming limit
1 unit $541,287 $832,750
2 units $693,050 $1,066,250
3 units $837,700 $1,288,800
4 units $1,041,125 $1,601,750

Source: HUD, 2026 data · Source: FHFA, 2026 data

Taxes and risks

Property tax and flooding in Arecibo Municipio

Two costs that change a lot from place to place and that a house payment does include: property tax and, in risk zones, flood insurance.

Property tax

In Arecibo Municipio, the typical owner pays $404 a year: about 0.35% of the home's value. That is less than the rest of Puerto Rico and less than the national average.

  • Arecibo 0.35%
  • Puerto Rico 0.49%
  • United States 0.94%

What Puerto Rico publishes Residential exemption (Puerto Rico Municipal Code (Act 107-2020), OGP Virtual Library)

Exemptions and deadlines in Puerto Rico

Is there a flood risk?

FEMA does not publish this flood insurance data in Arecibo Municipio. Check your address on FEMA’s map.

  • A high-risk zone (Special Flood Hazard Area) has a 1% or greater chance of flooding each year. (44 CFR 59.1)
  • If the home is in that zone and the loan comes from a regulated lender, federal law requires flood insurance for the life of the loan, in communities that take part in the NFIP. (42 U.S.C. 4012a)
  • Most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage. (FEMA, FloodSmart)
Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Owning a home here

Owning a home in Arecibo Municipio

The natural hazards FEMA measures in Arecibo Municipio, a maintenance plan for your climate and what the trades earn in your area.

Risks to your home

FEMA, National Risk Index 1.20.0 (December 2025)

For Arecibo Municipio, FEMA has no overall rating (insufficient data), but it estimates the loss from each hazard.

In Arecibo Municipio, FEMA expects natural hazards to cause $106 million in losses a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

For homes and buildings, the costliest hazard here is hurricane, at about $34.2 million in losses a year.

Loss FEMA expects each year to homes and buildings, by hazard
  1. HurricaneInsufficient data $34.2 million a year
  2. EarthquakeInsufficient data $12.1 million a year
  3. Inland floodingInsufficient data $8.5 million a year
  4. TornadoInsufficient data $27,513 a year
  5. Coastal floodingInsufficient data $16,801 a year

What it means for your home

The ratings are FEMA's own. FEMA says its data is meant for planning and does not replace a local study. Drought is not shown: FEMA counts its loss in crops only.

National Risk Index, version 1.20.0 (December 2025), retrieved November 6, 2026

FEMA notice: This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

Climate and upkeep

Department of Energy (PNNL), 2021 IECC zones

For Arecibo Municipio the Department of Energy gives no climate zone; that is why only the all-year tasks are listed.

All year

  • Check the air filter every month, especially in heavy-use months. If it looks dirty, change it; change it at least every 3 months. ENERGY STAR (EPA)
  • Test the smoke alarms every month and replace their batteries at least once a year. USFA (FEMA)

What the trades charge here

BLS, wages for May 2025

TradeTypical hourly wage8 in 10 earn between
Electricians$18.19$13.65 and $31.76
Heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics$14.01$10.50 and $17.34
Carpenters$14.41$11.85 and $16.72
Maintenance and repair workers, general$11.27$10.50 and $14.99

In the Arecibo, PR area, half of electricians earn more than $18.19 an hour and half earn less.

These are workers' hourly wages, not the price of a job.

BLS publishes no wages for plumbers, roofers, and painters in this area.

Need help paying for a repair?

Renting

Renting in Arecibo Municipio

The typical rent in Arecibo Municipio is $531 a month. HUD also publishes a “fair market rent” by unit size: it's the one programs like Section 8 use.

40% of renter households in Arecibo Municipio spend 30% or more of their income on housing. 23% spend half or more.

Fair market rent by size

To pay the fair market rent without spending more than 30% of income, working full time (40 hours a week).

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Income needed per year
Studio $482 $9.27 $19,280
1 bedroom $484 $9.31 $19,360
2 bedrooms $559 $10.75 $22,360
3 bedrooms $774 $14.88 $30,960
4 bedrooms $869 $16.71 $34,760

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

Free help in Arecibo Municipio

Programs and counseling in Arecibo Municipio

There is 1 HUD-approved housing counseling agency in Arecibo Municipio. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, with rent, or if you've fallen behind on payments.

Official programs for the down payment and loans for buyers. Check which ones you might qualify for with your income and your county.

A mother holding her baby watches her daughter blow bubbles outdoors.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Puerto Rico down payment programs

  1. Pronto pa' tu Casa

    Puerto Rico Housing Finance Authority help of up to $45,000 per eligible household (plus $5,000 if you buy in a designated urban center) to buy an existing home; with a mortgage from a participating financial institution

    The source does not say whether you must be a first-time buyer. Run by Autoridad para el Financiamiento de la Vivienda de Puerto Rico (AFV).

    Type not stated Verified November 5, 2026

  2. Programa HOME: Asistencia directa al comprador

    Puerto Rico Housing Finance Authority help, with federal HOME funds, for the down payment (pronto pago) of low- and moderate-income families who buy their primary residence with a mortgage; not repaid if you meet the program's conditions

    First-time buyers only. Run by Autoridad para el Financiamiento de la Vivienda de Puerto Rico (AFV).

    Type not stated Verified November 5, 2026

Which programs do I qualify for? See all Puerto Rico programs

Help in Spanish in Arecibo Municipio

1 of the 1 agencies on this list says it serves in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Public housing agencies

They run public housing and Section 8 vouchers (Housing Choice Vouchers) in this municipio.

Free legal help

If you have a problem with your landlord, an eviction notice or a scam, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) search shows the free legal aid offices that serve your area.

Find legal aid (lsc.gov)

Housing counseling nearby

These agencies have an office in Arecibo Municipio. The full list is on the Puerto Rico counselors page. Official HUD list. Confirm hours and fees with the agency before you go.

  • Corporacion Desarrollo Economico,vivienda y Salud

    68 Calle Puro Girau, Arecibo · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 7 more
    (787) 879-3300
See every agency in Puerto Rico

Places

Cities in Arecibo Municipio

This site has no city pages of Arecibo Municipio. The neighboring counties are below.

See all 1 cities of Arecibo Municipio

Nearby municipios

Each row compares its typical value, typical rent and FHA limit with Arecibo Municipio.

Read next

Guides that help here

We picked them by this county's numbers: what weighs most here is what's worth understanding first.

Frequently asked questions

What is the FHA loan limit in Arecibo Municipio in 2026?

Arecibo Municipio has an FHA limit of $541,287 for a one-unit home. For 2 units it's $693,050, for 3 it's $837,700 and for 4 it's $1,041,125. It's the national floor limit.

What is the conforming loan limit in Arecibo Municipio?

Arecibo Municipio has a conforming limit of $832,750 for one-unit conventional loans in 2026. A bigger loan is a “jumbo” loan.

How much does a typical home cost in Arecibo Municipio?

The typical home value in Arecibo Municipio is $116,700 (Average 2020–2024, U.S. Census). Across Puerto Rico it's $131,500.

How much does it cost to rent in Arecibo Municipio?

Arecibo Municipio has a typical rent of $531 a month (Average 2020–2024, U.S. Census). HUD's fair market rent for a 2-bedroom apartment is $559 (Fiscal year 2027).

How much do you need to earn to rent a 2-bedroom apartment in Arecibo Municipio?

About $10.75 an hour working full time (2,080 hours a year), or $22,360 a year, so the fair market rent of $559 stays under 30% of income.

Sources: American Community Survey (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (Fiscal year 2027); Income Limits (Fiscal year 2026); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (As of November 5, 2026); National Risk Index (2025 data); IECC climate zones by county (2021 data); Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (2025 data); Census Bureau cartographic boundary files (2024 data).