Central region · Puerto Rico
Lares
~52 mi from San JuanInland
Lares is a mountain town in Puerto Rico’s central-western mountains, about 52 mi from San Juan. It is bordered by Maricao and Yauco to the south, Camuy and Hatillo to the north, San Sebastián and Las Marías to the west, and Utuado and Adjuntas to the east, and is organized into 10 barrios plus Lares Pueblo. The town is part of the Aguadilla-Isabela-San Sebastián Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Founded in 1827, Lares has 27,855 people (Census estimate, 2020–2024). The town is home to the Museo de Lares, which focuses on local culture.
For visitors
Visitors can explore local heritage at the Museo de Lares in this inland mountain town of central-western Puerto Rico.
- Hiking
- Eat and drink
- Fiestas patronales
For living hereResidents live in a mountain town made up of rural barrios and a central pueblo, within the Aguadilla-Isabela-San Sebastián metropolitan area and roughly 52 miles from San Juan.Living in Lares: rent, commute, schools & safety
At a glance
- Region
- Central
- Setting
- Inland
- Distance
- ~52 mi from San Juan
- Population
- 27,855 (Census estimate, 2020–2024)
- Founded
- 1827
- Median rent
- $505/mo
- Median income
- $18,917/yr
- Area
- 61.5 sq mi (159.2 km²)
- Fiestas patronales
- Saint Joseph · March 19
- Guide spots
- 3
- Stories, last 30 days
- 3
- Water & power
- Water by sector · Power outages
- Living here
- Rent, commute, schools & safety
Right now in Lares
Road closures in Lares
No closures reported in Lares as of 3:09 PM AST on Fri, Nov 13.
Water rationing in Lares
No rationing plan names Lares. None of the plans the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (AAA) has published includes the town, as of Nov 13. Repairs and breaks cut service sector by sector: search your sector
Power outages in Lares
Not among the 10 towns with the most interruptions on LUMA’s morning reading of Nov 13, when 0.22% of customers island-wide were without power. Lares was on that list on none of the last 7 mornings. Outages right now, town by town
News from Lares
Latest stories
Lares Resident Waits a Year for Help to Repair Home Declared Unfit to Live in
AAA Dam Cleaning at Lares Espino Filter Plant on October 27 May Cut Water Service
Two Injured in Motorcycle Collision in Lares
SWAT Enters Lares Cooperative After Alarm Activation
Military Boot Maker PR Footwear to Open Operations in Lares, Creating Up to 300 Jobs
Things to do in Lares
Eat & Drink
El Cepo
El Cepo is a restaurant in Lares whose menu spans both seafood and grilled meat. Octopus salad and shrimp cover the seafood side, while churrasco is the steak option. Reservations can be made, which is useful for groups or for planning a meal around a trip through Puerto Rico's central mountains.
Culture & Events
Museo de Lares
Local history museum
The Museo de Lares is a museum located in the municipality of Lares.
Plaza de la Revolución
Monument and park
Plaza de la Revolución is a town park and monument site in Lares, on the ground tied to the 1868 uprising known as El Grito de Lares. A monument commemorating that revolt anchors the plaza, and visitors come to see it, photograph it, and walk the open grounds around it. Lares sits in Puerto Rico's central highlands, and the plaza stands at about 337 meters above sea level, which gives it a cooler, upland setting than the coast.
Outdoors and sports
Trails in and near Lares
No trail we list starts in Lares. The nearest four are within 10 mi of the town center, as the crow flies.
- In San Sebastián, 5 mi awayCaminata La SollerModerate 3.3 mi loop, 1 h 25 min to 2 h 10 minLa Soller walkNot confirmed: ask firstCommunity-mapped
- In San Sebastián, 6 mi awayCaminata El Pesca'oModerate 1.9 mi each way, 2 h 5 min to 3 h 5 minEl Pesca'o walkNot confirmed: ask firstCommunity-mapped
- In Adjuntas, 10 mi awayCamino al Charco El MangóEasy 0.5 mi each way, 25 to 35 minPath to the El Mangó swimming holeWalk inCommunity-mappedSwimming hole
- In Maricao, 10 mi awaySalto CuretEasy 0.8 mi each way, 45 min to 1 h 5 minCuret fallsWalk in, no bookingCommunity-mapped
Sports in Lares
Local results
- Corozal’s Plataneros Fire Coach Freddy Vázquez, Hire Monchito HernándezNov 1
- 3–2Lares Stays Unbeaten, Edges Adjuntas 3-2 in Puerto Rico’s Men’s Volleyball LeagueOct 30
- 2–0Undefeated Patriotas de Lares Lean on Blocks as VSM Second Week OpensOct 29
- 3–0Lares Sweep Defending Champions Yauco in Men’s Volleyball Season OpenerOct 24
Bills and recovery money
Bills about Lares
- PC 938Amend Various Laws Related to Proclamations and Awareness DaysPassed a chamber, Nov 11
- RCC 423Transfer Property of Parque Nacional De Las Cavernas Del Río CamuyPassed a chamber, Nov 11
- RCC 337Order Release of Restrictions on Pezuela Farm LandPassed a chamber, Oct 30
- RCC 340Order the Agriculture Department to Free Land Conditions and RestrictionsBecame law, Oct 26
- RS 508Order Senate Committee on Planning, Permits, Infrastructure and Urbanism to InvestigatePassed a chamber, Oct 8
Recovery money in Lares
$272 million committed by FEMA to 147 projects filed under Lares since 2001: $9,761 per resident, 8th of 78 towns.
Every project located in Lares, the island-wide agencies’ included
9.8% paid out: Puerto Rico's Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resiliency (COR3), which pays out the federal disaster recovery money, has paid $29 million of the $296 million committed.
9.8%8.1% paid out on the town government’s own rebuilding: $20.4 million of $252 million, the projects it runs itself, as of Oct 14, 2026. Our FEMA story charts this figure for every town.
8.1%- Lares Municipality CemeteryParks and other$111 million
- Camino Boquilla, Bo. Rio Prieto Carr. 431Roads and bridges$7.5 million
- Camino La Torrecilla sector Los QuemaosRoads and bridges$7.5 million
The town government’s largest projects in implementation, and what has been paid
- Project PW-07292$1.8M of $4.1M44%
- Camino Pepe Ruiz (4 sites)-culvert$797K of $3M26%
- Municipal Cemetery emergency protective measures (Platforms + Nic$2.1M of $2.1M100%
- Project PW-07466$1M of $1.8M56%
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 Lares
Crime in Lares
21 violent crimes and 0 homicides reported to the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPD) in Lares, January 1 – September 30, 2026; in 2025, 10.4 violent crimes per 10,000 people, in the lowest fifth of towns.
- Homicides
- 0 YTD
- Violent crimes
- 21 YTD
- All serious crimes
- 49 YTD
- Violent crimes per 10,000 people (2025)
- 10.4
Flood zones in Lares
FEMA’s flood map sets who must carry flood insurance, street by street. Check an address in Lares
Phone alerts for Lares
Our weekly reads: Daily Water Watch · Grid Watch · Safety Watch
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