Central region · Puerto Rico
Ciales
~26 mi from San JuanInland
Ciales is a town in central Puerto Rico, situated inland on the Central Mountain Range about 26 miles from San Juan. It lies northwest of Orocovis, south of Florida and Manatí, east of Utuado and Jayuya, and west of Morovis, and is organized into eight barrios plus Ciales Pueblo, covering an area of 66.5 square miles with 16,805 people (Census estimate, 2020–2024).
Its location surrounded by several neighboring towns places it at a crossroads within the island’s central highlands.
For visitors
- Hiking
- Fiestas patronales
For living hereResidents live in a rural mountain town of about 17,000 people, about 26 miles from San Juan and still counted in its metro area.Living in Ciales: rent, commute, schools & safety
At a glance
- Region
- Central
- Setting
- Inland
- Distance
- ~26 mi from San Juan
- Population
- 16,805 (Census estimate, 2020–2024)
- Founded
- 1820
- Median rent
- $431/mo
- Median income
- $22,586/yr
- Area
- 66.5 sq mi (172.3 km²)
- Fiestas patronales
- Saint Joseph · March 19
- Guide spots
- 3
- Stories, last 30 days
- 1
- Water & power
- Water by sector · Power outages
- Living here
- Rent, commute, schools & safety
Right now in Ciales
Road closures in Ciales
No closures reported in Ciales as of 1:08 PM AST on Thu, Nov 12.
Water rationing in Ciales
No rationing plan names Ciales. None of the plans the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (AAA) has published includes the town, as of Nov 12. Repairs and breaks cut service sector by sector: search your sector
Power outages in Ciales
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. Ciales was on that list on none of the last 7 mornings. Outages right now, town by town
News from Ciales
Things to do in Ciales
Culture & Events
Museo del Café
Coffee museum
Museo del Café in Ciales is a small coffee museum tracing the history of coffee cultivation and its role in shaping the town and the surrounding area. Exhibits cover how coffee has been grown and processed locally over time, giving visitors context on an industry central to Ciales's identity. It's located on Paseo del Aroma del Café, though step-free access is limited.
Casa y Museo Juan Antonio Corretjer
Museum
The Casa y Museo Juan Antonio Corretjer is a museum on Calle Juan Antonio Corretjer in Ciales, about the life and work of Juan Antonio Corretjer.
Teatro Municipal Adalberto Santiago
Live performances
Teatro Municipal Adalberto Santiago is a municipal theater on Calle Ignacio Fernández in Ciales, hosting live performances for the local community. As a cultural venue in the Central region, it serves as a stage for theatrical and musical events, giving visitors a chance to experience Ciales's arts scene beyond its outdoor attractions.
Outdoors and sports
On the water near Ciales
Marinas, surf breaks, dive sites, wind spots and paddling in Ciales or within 12 mi of the town center, as the crow flies.
- Surf
- Diving
- Cerro GordoDive site, 0–33 ft · 11 mi away
Trails in and near Ciales
1 trail starts in Ciales; the nearest three in other towns are within 10 mi of the town center, as the crow flies.
- In CialesCharco El MorónEasy 0.6 mi each way, 40 min to 1 hEl Morón swimming holeWalk inCommunity-mappedSwimming hole
- Reserva Natural Laguna Tortuguero, Vega Baja, 9 mi awayCaminata por TortugueroEasy 1.1 mi each way, 50 min to 1 h 15 minWalk through TortugueroWalk in, no bookingCommunity-mapped
- Reserva Natural Hacienda La Esperanza, Manatí, 10 mi awayLa EsperanzaModerate 7.9 mi loop, 3 h 15 min to 4 h 50 minWalk in, no bookingCommunity-mapped
- In Jayuya, 10 mi awayLos Tres PicachosHard 1.3 mi each way, 1 h 50 min to 2 h 40 minThe three peaksNot confirmed: ask firstCommunity-mapped
Bills and recovery money
Bills about Ciales
- RCC 252Label 'Zona Escolar' on Head Start CentersVetoed, Aug 6
Recovery money in Ciales
$54.8 million committed by FEMA to 192 projects filed under Ciales since 2001: $3,261 per resident, 25th of 78 towns.
Every project located in Ciales, the island-wide agencies’ included
30% paid out: Puerto Rico's Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resiliency (COR3), which pays out the federal disaster recovery money, has paid $49.2 million of the $163 million committed.
30%24.3% paid out on the town government’s own rebuilding: $12.2 million of $50 million, the projects it runs itself, as of Oct 14, 2026. Our FEMA story charts this figure for every town.
24.3%- La Linea Sector Jaguas Ward Roads (Site 1-3 & 6-8)Roads and bridges$6.2 million
- Toro Negro Low Water Crossing (Site 1)Roads and bridges$4.2 million
- Caminos Los Cordero & Gilberto, Los Naturopatas, Cruces Sector, Cialitos Ward, RoadsRoads and bridges$3.9 million
The town government’s largest projects in implementation, and what has been paid
- Caminos Los Cordero & Gilberto, Los Naturopatas, Cruces Sector, Cialitos Ward, Roads$95K of $3.9M2.4%
- Project PW-04330$108K of $1.9M5.8%
- Pesas Kids Park (Parque del Niño)$938K of $1.5M61%
- Project PW-02106$86K of $1.3M6.7%
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 Ciales
Crime in Ciales
15 violent crimes and 0 homicides reported to the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPD) in Ciales, January 1 – September 30, 2026; in 2025, 13.7 violent crimes per 10,000 people, in the second-lowest fifth of towns.
- Homicides
- 0 YTD
- Violent crimes
- 15 YTD
- All serious crimes
- 71 YTD
- Violent crimes per 10,000 people (2025)
- 13.7
Flood zones in Ciales
FEMA’s flood map sets who must carry flood insurance, street by street. Check an address in Ciales
Phone alerts for Ciales
Our weekly reads: Daily Water Watch · Grid Watch · Safety Watch
Get the daily email: news, water and power, free once a day.