A beautiful suburb of San Juan, those looking for a move to the area from the states and other areas of Puerto Rico will find Bayamon a great option. With wonderful weather and an infrastructure that got a major revamp after Hurricane Maria, residents take advantage of relatively low housing costs and thrive.


The American Dream for a Non-American Price

The Best Thing About Bayamon?

While many move out of bigger cities like San Juan to avoid crime and find better public education, Bayamon does not excel in either of those categories. Locals complain that crime is an issue and don’t feel comfortable being out too late alone but by big city standards in the U.S. it’s certainly safe. On the education front, there are a number of good private alternatives in the area that residents often prefer to send their children to instead of local public schools. Puerto Rico public schools are all part of one large school district and that means it thrives and crashes during times like covid or the hurricane as a single entity. 


Crime and Education

The Worst Thing About Bayamon?

There are perks to Bayamon being a bit denser than other 'burbs. The affectionately nicknamed “Pork Rind Town” is known for an excellent variety of local restaurants. After work, there are plenty of nightlife hotspots beyond just traditional bars. For art lovers, Bayamon is home to the famous Museo Francisco Oller. The city is named after the river that flows nearby, and so Bayamon loves its water, and that usually takes the form of short drives to the beach for water play. This might go without saying, but life in Bayamon is much easier for transplants that are at least conversational in Spanish.

If you want to see what happens in Bayamon check out the calendar of events: https://www.eventbrite.com/d/pr--bayam%C3%B3n/events/

Lifestyle of Bayamon

If you want the weather and vibes of Florida and California without the Americana or price tags that come with those moves, Bayamon is an out of the box but increasingly popular choice for Americans. For those already in Puerto Rico, the amenities and proximity to San Juan are also legit justifications for adding Bayamon to your list. 


Weather and Vibes Without the FLA or Cali Price

Why You Should Move Here Now?

Puerto Rico uses the term Barrio to define what are thought of as neighborhoods in the United States. Bayamon is a suburb of San Juan and as such it is filled primarily with families that enjoy being outside the chaos of the city. Buena Vista is a good example of a popular barrio. It is extremely community-oriented and over 80% of the residents own their homes so there is a strong sense of stability here. The homes are neither new or palatial by classic U.S. city suburban standards but locals live here a lifetime and the vibe is calm and much loved. 
- Buena Vista Barrio
- Rio Hondo
- Monte Claro


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Bayamon

**Is Bayamón a poorer part of Puerto Rico?**

Anyway, according to the 2010 US census data, the median household income in Bayamón is $24,374 and 35.40% of the population lives below the "poverty line," however that is defined.

Data: Bayamón, Puerto Rico

Let's look at San Juan's numbers: median household income is $22,754 and 40.10% of people live below the poverty line. The numbers favor Bayamón, though it's a close race and this data is 6 years old.

Data: San Juan, Puerto Rico

From my own experience, as someone raised in Bayamón and currently living and working in San Juan, San Juan has some really fancy places if you stay in the tourist areas but the seams start to show as soon as you go off the beaten path. For even though there is an Hato Rey where you may find the biggest mall in the Caribbean (Plaza las Américas), there is also Río Piedras, which used to be a commercial hub but is now host to many closed businesses. For even though there is a beautiful Old San Juan that the tourist offices take care to keep attractive and furnished, there is also a Santurce that is run down and not very well maintained.

As for Bayamón, it really depends on where you go (just like San Juan, go figure). If you spend your days in Rio Hondo or in Monte Claro, Bayamón won't seem poor. However, if you spend your days in Santa Olaya, the story will be quite different.

Of course, the big businesses that generate the most money are not in Bayamón nor San Juan. Go to smaller municipalities and you will realize that big, powerful pharmaceutical plants dot the island but do not operate from Bayamón or San Juan!



**Where is the best pizza in Bayamon, PR?**

There used to be a few good places to get pizza, most of them either closed or changed administration and do not live up to their expectatives. Pizza Ranch is right now the best place to grab pizza in Puerto Rico. They have two locations, one in Santa Juanita, the other one in the Lomas Verdes Ave. Fahrenheit Pizza is a great option (even better tasting than Pizza Ranch) but it's in a mall (Río Hondo) and is pricey.

**Will be in Bayamon, is a car still necessary?**

Necessary? No. Convenient? Very. Bayamón is kind of spread out and it isn't particularly walkable. There are a few train stations which might help but only if you live right next to them and there's always Uber but it can get expensive.

Bayamon, Puerto Rico

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