West region · Puerto Rico
Maricao
~61 mi from San JuanInland
Maricao is an inland town in western Puerto Rico, located at the western edge of the Cordillera Central, about 61 miles from San Juan. It is set around a small square in hilly terrain and is bordered by San Germán, Sabana Grande and Yauco to the south, Las Marías and Lares to the north, Mayagüez to the northwest, and Adjuntas to the east.
Founded in 1874, Maricao is the second-least populous town in Puerto Rico, with 4,988 people (Census estimate, 2020–2024) in 36.6 square miles and organized into 7 barrios, including Maricao Pueblo.
- western edge of the Cordillera Central
- Mirador Torre de Piedra
- Mirador del Guaraguao
For visitors
- Hiking
- Eat and drink
- Fiestas patronales
For living hereResidents live in one of Puerto Rico's least populous towns, spread across a hilly area organized into seven barrios.Living in Maricao: rent, commute, schools & safety
At a glance
- Region
- West
- Setting
- Inland
- Distance
- ~61 mi from San Juan
- Population
- 4,988 (Census estimate, 2020–2024)
- Founded
- 1874
- Median rent
- $413/mo
- Median income
- $21,302/yr
- Area
- 36.6 sq mi (94.9 km²)
- Fiestas patronales
- Saint John the Baptist · June 24
- Guide spots
- 3
- Stories, last 30 days
- 1
- Water & power
- Water by sector · Power outages
- Living here
- Rent, commute, schools & safety
Right now in Maricao
Road closures in Maricao
No closures reported in Maricao as of 12:03 AM AST on Fri, Nov 13.
Water rationing in Maricao
No rationing plan names Maricao. 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 Maricao
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. Maricao was on that list on none of the last 7 mornings. Outages right now, town by town
News from Maricao
Latest stories
Puerto Rican Parrot Survives Boa Constrictor Attack in Maricao Forest
Maricao Fish Hatchery to Be Rebuilt with $13 Million Investment
Officials Discuss Rehabilitation of Trails in Maricao State Forest
38 Families in Maricao Receive Property Titles
Public Employees to Have July 3 and 24 Off Without Charge to Vacations
Our analysis
- Weekend Watch · EarlierPuerto Rico This Weekend: Four Events
Things to do in Maricao
Nature spots
Mirador Torre de Piedra
Viewpoint
A stone observation tower roughly 30 feet tall standing at the summit of Monte del Estado (Santa Ana Peak) within the Maricao State Forest, near the boundary between San Germán and Maricao municipalities. Also known as the Santa Ana Observation Tower, it offers a vantage point over the surrounding forested highlands of southwestern Puerto Rico, reached via the forest's trails.
Eat & Drink
Hacienda Iluminada
Coffee kiosk by the river on a working farm
Hacienda Iluminada is a working coffee farm in Indiera Alta, the high-elevation barrio of Maricao, where the plants are watered from the farm's own springs. A kiosk beside the river serves specialty coffee drinks made from beans grown on the property, so the cup comes from the same land you're sitting on. The kiosk and the guided farm tours operate on Saturdays. Eco-retreat cabins on the farm allow overnight stays, which makes it possible to spend a full weekend in the Maricao mountains rather than visit for a single drink.
Outdoors and sports
On the water near Maricao
Marinas, surf breaks, dive sites, wind spots and paddling in Maricao or within 12 mi of the town center, as the crow flies.
- Diving
- Tourmaline ReefDive site, to 33 ft · 11 mi away
Trails in and near Maricao
1 trail starts in Maricao; the nearest three in other towns are within 14 mi of the town center, as the crow flies.
- In MaricaoSalto CuretEasy 0.8 mi each way, 45 min to 1 h 5 minCuret fallsWalk in, no bookingCommunity-mapped
- In Adjuntas, 12 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 Cabo Rojo, 13 mi awayCaminos de Monte Pirata Cabo RojoModerate 3.5 mi each way, 3 h 5 min to 4 h 35 minPirate Mountain paths, Cabo RojoWalk in, no bookingCommunity-mapped
- In San Sebastián, 14 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
Bills and recovery money
Recovery money in Maricao
$184 million committed by FEMA to 158 projects filed under Maricao since 2001: $36,834 per resident, the most of any town.
Every project located in Maricao, the island-wide agencies’ included
12% paid out: Puerto Rico's Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resiliency (COR3), which pays out the federal disaster recovery money, has paid $24.7 million of the $207 million committed.
12%3.9% paid out on the town government’s own rebuilding: $6.2 million of $157 million, the projects it runs itself, as of Oct 14, 2026. Our FEMA story charts this figure for every town.
3.9%- Camino Bauza RoadsRoads and bridges$28.7 million
- DEBRIS ALTERNATIVE PROCEDURES-Public Assistance Alternative ProceduresDebris removal$11.8 million
- Mario Justiniano Rd by 105 Km 35.4Roads and bridges$9.5 million
The town government’s largest projects in implementation, and what has been paid
- Debris Alternative PROCEDURES-Public Assistance Alternative Procedures$11.8M of $11.8M100%
- Maricao Debris Removal$3.5M of $3.5M100%
- Elderly home, Municipal coliseum$872K of $1.5M57%
- Maricao-Recreational-Facilities$729K of $1.5M48%
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 Maricao
Crime in Maricao
5 violent crimes and 0 homicides reported to the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPD) in Maricao, January 1 – September 30, 2026; in 2025, 18 violent crimes per 10,000 people, in the middle fifth of towns.
- Homicides
- 0 YTD
- Violent crimes
- 5 YTD
- All serious crimes
- 17 YTD
- Violent crimes per 10,000 people (2025)
- 18
Flood zones in Maricao
FEMA’s flood map sets who must carry flood insurance, street by street. Check an address in Maricao
Phone alerts for Maricao
Our weekly reads: Daily Water Watch · Grid Watch · Safety Watch
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