East region · Puerto Rico
Canóvanas
~15 mi from San JuanInland
Happening in Canóvanas
All eventsCanóvanas is an inland town in Puerto Rico’s East region, about 15 miles from San Juan. It sits north of Juncos and Las Piedras, south of Loíza, east of Carolina, and west of Río Grande, and is part of the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The town was founded in 1909 and covers 33 square miles, the 52nd largest of the island’s 78 towns. It is divided into 6 barrios plus Canóvanas Pueblo, and has 41,816 residents (Census estimate, 2020–2024). Its best-known landmark is Hipódromo Camarero.
For visitors
Visitors go mainly for Hipódromo Camarero, about 15 miles from San Juan.
- Hiking
- Culture
- Fiestas patronales
For living hereLiving in Canóvanas means residing in an inland town of about 42,000 people that belongs to the San Juan-Caguas-Guaynabo metro area, roughly 15 miles from San Juan.Living in Canóvanas: rent, commute, schools & safety
At a glance
- Region
- East
- Setting
- Inland
- Distance
- ~15 mi from San Juan
- Population
- 41,816 (Census estimate, 2020–2024)
- Founded
- 1909
- Median rent
- $568/mo
- Median income
- $29,642/yr
- Area
- 32.9 sq mi (85.1 km²)
- Fiestas patronales
- Our Lady of the Pillar · October 12
- Guide spots
- 1
- Stories, last 30 days
- 11
- Water & power
- Water by sector · Power outages
- Living here
- Rent, commute, schools & safety
Right now in Canóvanas
Road closures in Canóvanas
No closures reported in Canóvanas as of 1:08 PM AST on Thu, Nov 12.
Water rationing in Canóvanas
Paused. Canóvanas is on the rationing plan of the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (AAA) for the Sergio Cuevas plant, paused since Sep 2; the town’s sectors are in Zone 1 (18 sectors) and Zone 2 (19 sectors). Canóvanas’s sectors and schedule
The metro rotation is paused. On September 1, Gov. Jenniffer González Colón announced a pause for Carraízo customers (Zones 1 and 2) after the reservoir rose. On September 28, the drought committee the governor appointed decided not to restart rationing in the metro area for now, after rain lifted Carraízo, and asked everyone to keep cutting back on water. Its next meeting is set for October 23. AAA has not canceled the plan, so it can return if the reservoirs drop again.
Power outages in Canóvanas
Not among the 7 towns with the most interruptions on LUMA’s morning reading of Nov 12, when 0.5% of customers island-wide were without power. Canóvanas was on that list on one of the last 7 mornings. Outages right now, town by town
News from Canóvanas
Latest stories
Driver Beaten During Armed Robbery in Canóvanas
Excavator Stolen from a Canóvanas, Puerto Rico Gas Station
Puerto Rico Family Department Relocates Three Seniors from Suspected Clandestine Care Home in Canóvanas
Governor González Criticizes Style of ICE Raids in San Juan and Canóvanas
Puerto Rican Table Tennis Athletes Step Up Training for Paralympic Cup in Canóvanas
Our analysis
- Weekend Watch · EarlierPuerto Rico This Weekend: Four Events
- Fiesta Calendar · Last month7 Patron-Saint Fiestas and 8 Events in October
- Drought Watch · Earlier60 Towns in Drought, Extreme in 36 Towns
Every Weekend Watch Every Fiesta Calendar Every Drought Watch
Things to do in Canóvanas
Culture & Events
Hipódromo Camarero
Horse racing
Hipódromo Camarero is a horse racing facility in Canóvanas, near San Juan and Carolina, hosting events like the Clásico del Caribe. It's conveniently located about 15 minutes from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport. The race track has been in operation since 2007 under new management.
Events coming up in Canóvanas
Dates TBASports
2026 Caribbean Horse Racing Series
Outdoors and sports
On the water near Canóvanas
Marinas, surf breaks, dive sites, wind spots and paddling in Canóvanas or within 12 mi of the town center, as the crow flies.
- Sailing
- Cangrejos200 slips · 8 mi away
- Surf
- AvionesReef break · 7 mi away
- Pine GroveBeach break · 9 mi away
- Diving
- Isla Verde reef reserveSnorkel spot · 4 mi away
- Kite and wind4 near
- Las PicuasWorks in any but SW winds · 9 mi away
- Punta Las MaríasWorks in ENE, E winds · 11 mi away
- Luquillo flat waterWorks in N, E winds · 11 mi away
- Paddle
- Laguna Torrecilla and the Piñones mangrovesMangroves · 8 mi away
Trails in and near Canóvanas
No trail we list starts in Canóvanas. The nearest four are within 9 mi of the town center, as the crow flies.
- El Yunque, Río Grande, 7 mi awayEl Toro TrailHard 2.5 mi each way, 2 h 40 min to 4 hVereda El ToroWalk in, no bookingListed openEl Toro Peak
- El Yunque, Río Grande, 8 mi awayRoca El Yunque TrailModerate 0.1 mi each way, 5 to 10 minVereda Roca El YunqueWalk in, no bookingListed openLookout: El Yunque Rock
- El Yunque, Río Grande, 9 mi awayLos Picachos TrailEasy 0.2 mi each way, 10 to 15 minVereda Los PicachosWalk in, no bookingListed openSpur off El Yunque Trail, 1.8 mi inLookout: Los Picachos platform
- El Yunque, Río Grande, 9 mi awayBaño de Oro TrailEasy 0.4 mi each way, 30 to 45 minVereda Baño de OroWalk in, no bookingListed openPool
Bills and recovery money
Bills about Canóvanas
- RCC 60Transfer Land to Canóvanas MunicipalityPassed a chamber, Nov 2
- RCC 179Order the Puerto Rico Government Department of Housing to Study Vacant and Abandoned PlotsPassed a chamber, Oct 29
- RC 819Investigate Earthquake Preparedness in Loíza, Río Grande, and CanóvanasIn committee, Sep 28
- RCC 270Plan for Maintenance and Improvements to Water and Sewer System in Loíza, Río Grande, and CanóvanasPassed a chamber, Sep 8
- RC 548Investigate Street Lighting Deficiencies in Eastern RegionPassed a chamber, Aug 21
Recovery money in Canóvanas
$78.5 million committed by FEMA to 176 projects filed under Canóvanas since 2001: $1,877 per resident, 41st of 78 towns.
Every project located in Canóvanas, the island-wide agencies’ included
39% paid out: Puerto Rico's Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resiliency (COR3), which pays out the federal disaster recovery money, has paid $42.5 million of the $108 million committed.
39%47.0% paid out on the town government’s own rebuilding: $30.2 million of $64.1 million, the projects it runs itself, as of Oct 14, 2026. Our FEMA story charts this figure for every town.
47.0%- Centro de Diagnostico y Tratamiento (diagnostic and treatment center)Public buildings$6.9 million
- DEBRIS ALTERNATIVE PROCEDURES, Public Assistance Alternative ProceduresDebris removal$5.6 million
- Canovanas Road Group # 10: BridgesRoads and bridges$3.4 million
The town government’s largest projects in implementation, and what has been paid
- Project PW-00159$5.6M of $5.6M100%
- Priority Sports Facilities #1$3.2M of $3.2M100%
- Priority Roads$2.3M of $2.3M100%
- Project PW-03782$2M of $2M100%
Every town and the island-wide agencies
FEMA Public Assistance data, as of Nov 11, 2026. Obligated by FEMA: committed to the project and drawn as the work is done. Paid out: COR3’s transparency portal, as of Nov 4, 2026.
Living in Canóvanas
Crime in Canóvanas
71 violent crimes and 8 homicides reported to the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPD) in Canóvanas, January 1 – September 30, 2026; in 2025, 19.4 violent crimes per 10,000 people, in the second-highest fifth of towns.
- Homicides
- 8 YTD
- Violent crimes
- 71 YTD
- All serious crimes
- 164 YTD
- Violent crimes per 10,000 people (2025)
- 19.4
Flood zones in Canóvanas
FEMA’s flood map sets who must carry flood insurance, street by street. Check an address in Canóvanas
Phone alerts for Canóvanas
Our weekly reads: Daily Water Watch · Grid Watch · Safety Watch
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