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City · 40,831 residents · Arecibo Municipio, Puerto Rico

Arecibo , Puerto Rico

In Arecibo, a typical home is worth $114,000 and typical rent is $505 a month. Compared with all of Arecibo Municipio, the share of households that own their home is 6 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $114,000

    2% below the municipio

    13% below Puerto Rico

    • Arecibo
    • Municipio
    • Puerto Rico

  • Typical rent

    $505a month

    5% below the municipio

    13% below Puerto Rico

    • Arecibo
    • Municipio
    • Puerto Rico

  • Typical household income

    $22,968a year

    3% below the municipio

    13% below Puerto Rico

    • Arecibo
    • Municipio
    • Puerto Rico

  • Households that own their home

    60%

    6 points below the municipio

    8 points below Puerto Rico

    • Arecibo
    • Municipio
    • Puerto Rico

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

Arecibo is in Arecibo Municipio. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Arecibo Municipio. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 9 official sources

Only here

What sets Arecibo apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Nearby, in Manatí, the typical rent is $429: 15% less than in Arecibo ($505).

  2. 60% of households in Arecibo own their home, against 65% in Arecibo Municipio.

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

The homes here

Housing in Arecibo

What homes there are in Arecibo, 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

The detached house is still the most common home in Arecibo, but it weighs less than in Arecibo Municipio: 75% against 83%.

Year built

The typical home in Arecibo was built in 1974, 4 years before the typical one in Arecibo Municipio.

In Arecibo, 70% of homes have 3 bedrooms or more, about the same as in Arecibo Municipio.

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
Monthly rent with utilities

About 55% of rented homes in Arecibo cost less than HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent for Arecibo Municipio ($559); the rest cost more.

With a mortgage

$786 a month

Arecibo Municipio: $800 a month

Without a mortgage

$181 a month

Arecibo Municipio: $179 a month

Owners with a mortgage

35%

Arecibo Municipio: 34%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Arecibo is $786 a month, near the figure in Arecibo Municipio ($800).

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

The typical home value in Arecibo rose 20% since 2015–2019, less than in Arecibo Municipio (23%).

Much as in Arecibo Municipio, the typical rent in Arecibo rose 30% since 2015–2019.

The typical household income in Arecibo rose 31% over that time; home values changed +20% and rent +30%.

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

MeasureAreciboArecibo MunicipioPuerto RicoUnited States
Rental vacancy 4.8%3.8%5.1%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate2.7%1.3%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate1.2%2.3%3.4%
People per household 2.422.532.482.53
Drive alone 87%86%83%69%
Carpool 5%5%6%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate3%3%
Work from home 5%5%6%15%
Other means Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate2%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

There is more rental housing open in Arecibo: 4.8% is empty and offered for rent, against 3.8% in Arecibo Municipio.

Much as in Arecibo Municipio, a household in Arecibo has 2.42 people on average.

To get to work, 87% of workers in Arecibo drive alone; in Arecibo Municipio, 86%.

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 for a home in Arecibo?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Arecibo, worth $114,000, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 45% of the typical household income in Arecibo, which is $22,968 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $36,695 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Arecibo Municipio.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Arecibo. 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 $3,990 (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

$889

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$111,935
Total interest
$161,048
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $1,925 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $536 a month

  • Tight

    $536 to $689 a month

  • Hard

    more than $689 a month

    Your payment · 46%

Compared with the typical household income in Arecibo ($22,968 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$889
Principal & interest$758
Property tax$33
Home insurance$48
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$50

You need at least $3,990 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.

The city and its county

Arecibo and Arecibo Municipio

Arecibo is in Arecibo Municipio, Puerto Rico. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Arecibo's own numbers

Typical home value
$114,000
Typical monthly rent
$505
Typical yearly household income
$22,968
Households that own their home
60%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Arecibo Municipio

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$559

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Arecibo Municipio.

Everything about Arecibo Municipio

Buying

Buying a home in Arecibo

A typical home in Arecibo is worth $114,000: 2% below the municipio and 13% below Puerto Rico. With the typical household income in Arecibo ($22,968 a year), a typical home costs 5.0 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Arecibo 5.0 years
  • Municipio 4.9 years
  • Puerto Rico 5.0 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Puerto Rico

FHFA publishes no annual price index in Arecibo Municipio. That usually happens when there are too few sales to measure it.

Data not available for this place

Arecibo next to Arecibo Municipio, Puerto Rico and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Arecibo $114,000
  • Municipio $116,700
  • Puerto Rico $131,500
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Arecibo $505
  • Municipio $531
  • Puerto Rico $578
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Arecibo $22,968
  • Municipio $23,635
  • Puerto Rico $26,297
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Arecibo next to Arecibo Municipio and Puerto Rico
Measure Arecibo Arecibo Municipio Puerto Rico U.S.
Typical home value $114,000 $116,700 $131,500 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $505 $531 $578 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $22,968 $23,635 $26,297 $80,734
Households that own their home 60% 65% 68% 65%
Renters with high rent for their income 42% 40% 51% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Arecibo Municipio. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Arecibo

For a typical $114,000 home in Arecibo, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies. It leaves out property tax because the Census Bureau doesn't publish Arecibo's rate.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $856a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $3,990
    Cash to close
    $7,410
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $50

  • Conventional, 5% down $835a month

    Down payment
    $5,700
    Cash to close
    $9,120
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $54

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $665a month

    Down payment
    $22,800
    Cash to close
    $26,220
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $771a month

    Down payment
    $17,100
    Cash to close
    $20,520
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • 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? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Arecibo and for Arecibo Municipio.

Property tax

Data not available for this place

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

Exemptions and deadlines in Puerto Rico

Flood risk in Arecibo Municipio

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Arecibo Municipio.

FEMA does not publish these numbers for Arecibo Municipio.

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Arecibo

Typical rent in Arecibo is $505 a month: 5% below the municipio. In Arecibo, 42% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Arecibo Municipio, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($559 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $10.75 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Arecibo Municipio

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
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

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Arecibo

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Arecibo is in ZIP code 00612.

For 2 bedrooms it is $600: $41 more than the fair market rent for Arecibo Municipio ($559).

  • 00612 $600$790

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Arecibo when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Arecibo

HUD lists 10 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Arecibo. These are the largest.

  • Ext Manuel Zeno Gandia 21 Res Ext Manuel Zeno Gandia, Arecibo 00612 444 low-income homes · Run by Puerto Rico Public Housing Administration · Average payment: $124 a month · Average wait: 5 months (787) 759-9407
  • La Meseta 197 Res Las Mesetas, Arecibo 00612 300 low-income homes · Run by Puerto Rico Public Housing Administration · Average payment: $89 a month · Average wait: 3 months (787) 759-9407
  • Trina Padilla de Sanz 1 Res Trina Padilla, Arecibo 00612 240 low-income homes · Run by Puerto Rico Public Housing Administration · Average payment: $104 a month · Average wait: 8 months (787) 759-9407
  • Ramon Marin Sola 1 Res Ramon Marin Sola, Arecibo 00612 220 low-income homes · Run by Puerto Rico Public Housing Administration · Average payment: $101 a month · Average wait: 3 months (787) 759-9407
  • Antonio Marquez Arbona 1 Res Marquez Arbona, Arecibo 00612 180 low-income homes · Run by Puerto Rico Public Housing Administration · Average payment: $117 a month · Average wait: 7 months (787) 759-9407

See all 11 buildings in Arecibo Municipio Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Arecibo

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There is 1 HUD-approved agency with an office in Arecibo Municipio; 1 says it serves in Spanish.

A man leans over the armchair to help a teenage girl with her book.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Arecibo

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Arecibo or Arecibo Municipio. The ones below are statewide in Puerto Rico: they work in Arecibo the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Puerto Rico

  • Pronto pa' tu Casa

    Statewide in Puerto Rico

    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. Offered by Autoridad para el Financiamiento de la Vivienda de Puerto Rico (AFV).

    Type not stated

    See the program Official page

  • Programa HOME: Asistencia directa al comprador

    Statewide in Puerto Rico

    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. Offered by Autoridad para el Financiamiento de la Vivienda de Puerto Rico (AFV).

    Type not stated

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Arecibo

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Arecibo, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Corporacion Desarrollo Economico,vivienda y Salud

    68 Calle Puro Girau, Arecibo · 2 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 7 more
    (787) 879-3300

  • Centro de Apoyo Familiar (CAF) PR

    92 Calle La Paz, Aguada · 30 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 10 more
    (301) 328-3292

  • Ponce Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc.

    57 Calle Mendez Vigo, Ponce · 31 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 6 more
    (787) 841-5055

Every agency in Arecibo Municipio All counseling agencies in Puerto Rico

Help in Spanish near Arecibo

2 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve 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.

Housing authorities of Arecibo

In HUD’s record, no housing authority with an office in Arecibo Municipio is named for Arecibo or Arecibo Municipio.

One other authority has an office in Arecibo Municipio: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Arecibo, with the typical home value.

Everything about Arecibo Municipio Housing in Puerto Rico

Neighboring counties

If Arecibo Municipio is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Arecibo.

All guides
A couple spread mulch under the avocado trees of their family orchard, he on the tractor and she with a shovel.

Questions

Housing questions about Arecibo

Short answers with the numbers for Arecibo and all of Arecibo Municipio. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Arecibo?

The typical home value in Arecibo is $114,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Arecibo Municipio it is $116,700.

How much does it cost to rent in Arecibo?

Typical rent in Arecibo is $505 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Arecibo Municipio is $559.

What is the FHA loan limit in Arecibo?

Arecibo uses the FHA limit for all of Arecibo Municipio (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Arecibo?

There is 1 HUD-approved counseling agency with an office in Arecibo Municipio. 1 says it serves in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026).