South region · Puerto Rico
Santa Isabel
~40 mi from San JuanCoastal
Santa Isabel is a coastal town on the southern coast of Puerto Rico, about 40 miles from San Juan, bordered by Coamo to the north, Juana Díaz to the west, and Salinas to the east. It is organized into 7 barrios plus Santa Isabel Pueblo, spans 34.1 square miles, and is home to 19,903 residents (Census estimate, 2020–2024).
Founded in 1842, Santa Isabel serves as the principal city of the Santa Isabel Micropolitan Statistical Area and is part of the larger Ponce-Yauco-Coamo Combined Statistical Area. Its coast has beaches such as Playa de Jauca and local nightlife spots like Oasis Café; the island reserve of Caja de Muertos lies off neighboring Ponce.
For visitors
Visitors come for the southern coast setting, including time at Playa de Jauca and evenings at spots like Oasis Café.
- Hiking
- Beaches and water
- Nightlife
- Fiestas patronales
For living hereResidents live in a coastal town of about 20,000 people spread across 7 barrios and the town center, positioned within the wider Ponce-Yauco-Coamo statistical region.Living in Santa Isabel: rent, commute, schools & safety
At a glance
- Region
- South
- Setting
- Coastal
- Distance
- ~40 mi from San Juan
- Population
- 19,903 (Census estimate, 2020–2024)
- Founded
- 1842
- Median rent
- $489/mo
- Median income
- $25,795/yr
- Area
- 34.1 sq mi (88.2 km²)
- Fiestas patronales
- James the Apostle · July 25
- Guide spots
- 2
- Stories, last 30 days
- 6
- Water & power
- Water by sector · Power outages
- Living here
- Rent, commute, schools & safety
Right now in Santa Isabel
Road closures in Santa Isabel
No closures reported in Santa Isabel as of 1:08 PM AST on Thu, Nov 12.
Water rationing in Santa Isabel
No rationing plan names Santa Isabel. 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 Santa Isabel
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. Santa Isabel was on that list on none of the last 7 mornings. Outages right now, town by town
News from Santa Isabel
Latest stories
Man Shot Dead on Halloween Morning in Santa Isabel
Friend Recalls William Rivera’s Last Message, 'Pray for me,' Before His Death in Santa Isabel
Santa Isabel Mayor Refers Ex-Mayor Questell to Ethics Office and Comptroller Over Municipal Land
Police Seize Vehicle Possibly Linked to Killing of Santa Isabel Teacher Cecil Lewis Matías
Santa Isabel Mayor Says Ex-Mayor Questell Seeks to Evict 90-Year-Old Man from Municipal Land
Every story that names Santa Isabel Follow Santa Isabel by RSS
Our analysis
- Drought Watch · Earlier53 Towns in Drought, Extreme in 12 Towns
Things to do in Santa Isabel
Beaches & Chill
Nightlife & Music
Oasis Café
Oasis Café is a bar in Santa Isabel, operating as a pub with an indoor setting geared toward evening and late-night crowds. The atmosphere is lively.
Outdoors and sports
On the water near Santa Isabel
Marinas, surf breaks, dive sites, wind spots and paddling in Santa Isabel or within 12 mi of the town center, as the crow flies.
- Sailing4 near
- Bahía de Rincón, east part (Playa de Salinas)Anchorage, 24 to 30 ft · 6 mi away
- Salinas120 slips · 7 mi away
- Isla Caja de Muertos, northwestAnchorage, 90 to 115 ft, 0.8 mile northwest of the center · 9 mi away
- Diving
- Caja de MuertosSnorkel spot · 9 mi away
- Isla Caja de MuertosDive site · 9 mi away
- Kite and wind
- JaucaWind spot · in Santa Isabel
Trails in and near Santa Isabel
No trail we list starts in Santa Isabel. The nearest four are within 13 mi of the town center, as the crow flies.
- Reserva Natural de Investigación Estuarina Bahía de Jobos, Salinas, 10 mi awayVereda Interpretativa Bosque de JagüeyesEasy 0.8 mi loop, 20 to 25 minJagüeyes forest nature trailWalk in, no bookingCommunity-mapped
- In Villalba, 11 mi awayLago Toa VacaEasy 0.4 mi each way, 25 to 35 minToa Vaca lakeWalk inCommunity-mapped
- In Salinas, 12 mi awayCaminata Albergue OlímpicoModerate 0.7 mi each way, 45 min to 1 h 10 minOlympic training center walkNot confirmed: ask firstCommunity-mapped
- In Salinas, 13 mi awayÁrbol Solitario (Cerro de los Cielos)Hard 1.4 mi each way, 1 h 40 min to 2 h 30 minThe lone tree on the Hill of the SkiesWalk in, no bookingCommunity-mapped
Sports in Santa Isabel
Local results
Bills and recovery money
Bills about Santa Isabel
- RCC 297Investigate and Improve PR-1 Road InfrastructurePassed a chamber, Oct 30
- RS 598Investigate Water Impact of 400 New Homes in Las GabiasPassed a chamber, Oct 26
- RCC 313Name State Road PR-5538 after Don Víctor Zayas PedrogoPassed a chamber, Oct 22
- RC 136Investigate Santa Isabel Medical Center's Public Funds and OperationsPassed a chamber, Sep 10
Recovery money in Santa Isabel
$32.1 million committed by FEMA to 149 projects filed under Santa Isabel since 2001: $1,611 per resident, 50th of 78 towns.
Every project located in Santa Isabel, the island-wide agencies’ included
35% paid out: Puerto Rico's Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resiliency (COR3), which pays out the federal disaster recovery money, has paid $26.9 million of the $77.9 million committed.
35%57.6% paid out on the town government’s own rebuilding: $15.1 million of $26.2 million, the projects it runs itself, as of Oct 14, 2026. Our FEMA story charts this figure for every town.
57.6%- Fund Sharing Project 76534-MSAN008-Santa Isabel Municipal ColiseumPublic buildings$3.3 million
- Fund Share IMPROVED MSAN009-Santa Isabel Baseball Park "Luis G. Moreno" Improved, Fund RecipientParks and other$2.2 million
- Fund Sharing-MSAN017-Santa Isabel carreteras Bo. OllasRoads and bridges$1.9 million
The town government’s largest projects in implementation, and what has been paid
- Santa Isabel Municipal Coliseum$1.2M of $3.3M36%
- Santa Isabel Baseball Park "Luis G. Moreno"$1.9M of $2.2M89%
- Debris Alternative Procedures, Public Assistance Alternative Procedures$1.4M of $2.2M65%
- Santa Isabel carreteras Bo. Ollas$1.3M of $1.9M67%
- Santa Isabel carreteras Bo. Jauca$1.3M of $1.4M91%
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 Santa Isabel
Crime in Santa Isabel
36 violent crimes and 2 homicides reported to the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPD) in Santa Isabel, January 1 – September 30, 2026; in 2025, 33.7 violent crimes per 10,000 people, in the highest fifth of towns.
- Homicides
- 2 YTD
- Violent crimes
- 36 YTD
- All serious crimes
- 88 YTD
- Violent crimes per 10,000 people (2025)
- 33.7
Flood zones in Santa Isabel
FEMA’s flood map sets who must carry flood insurance, street by street. Check an address in Santa Isabel
Phone alerts for Santa Isabel
Our weekly reads: Daily Water Watch · Grid Watch · Safety Watch
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