Invest in the City of Chalatenango, El Salvador
At a glance
| Chalatenango | |
|---|---|
| District | Chalatenango |
| Municipality | Chalatenango Sur |
| Department | Chalatenango |
| Population of the district, 2024 | 30,679 |
| Urban population | 67.6% |
| Population of the municipality, 2024 | 73,295 |
| Area of the municipality | 714.0 km² |
| Districts in the municipality | Chalatenango, Arcatao, Azacualpa, Comalapa, Concepción Quezaltepeque, El Carrizal, La Laguna, Las Vueltas, Nombre de Jesús, Nueva Trinidad, Ojos de Agua, Potonico, San Antonio de la Cruz, San Antonio Los Ranchos, San Francisco Lempa, San Isidro Labrador, San José Cancasque, San Miguel de Mercedes, San José Las Flores, San Luis del Carmen |
Source: BCR and ONEC: VII Population Census 2024, population by department, municipality and district, urban and rural (Excel, in Spanish); UNDP: socio-economic map, guide to the 44 new municipalities of El Salvador, October 2024 (PDF, in Spanish); Legislative Assembly: Decree 762, the Special Law for the Territorial Restructuring of El Salvador1,2,3
Map of Chalatenango Sur
Living and working
The household survey figures are published for the municipality of Chalatenango Sur, not for each district.
| Indicator, 2023 | Chalatenango Sur | Rank among the 44 municipalities |
|---|---|---|
| Average monthly labour income | $246.77 | 41 of 44 |
| Employment rate | 60.4% | |
| Workers in informal jobs | 89.3% | |
| Households with internet | 26.2% | |
| Households receiving remittances | 34.9% | |
| Households in monetary poverty | 33.0% | |
| Average years of schooling | 6.3 |
Source: UNDP: socio-economic map, guide to the 44 new municipalities of El Salvador, October 2024 (PDF, in Spanish)2
Economy and investment
- Cerrón Grande: the CEL hydro plant at Potonico, a district of the same municipality, Chalatenango Sur, has 186.40 MW and has run since 1977.
- Electricity network: AES CAESS invested US$588,000 in 2025 in power projects in the department, including the district of Chalatenango, for more than 100,000 customers.
- Public works: the Municipal Works Directorate (DOM) runs 80 projects in the department, 45 of them finished by September 2026, among them a drinking water system in the canton of San Bartolo, in the district of Chalatenango.
Source: CEL: contact details and locations of the hydroelectric plants; CEL: audited financial statements 2024, with the capacity of each plant (PDF, in Spanish); Dinero.com.sv: AES CAESS benefited more than 100,000 customers in the department of Chalatenango, 19 September 2025; Dinero.com.sv: San Fernando opens its new shopping plaza, with the DOM projects in Chalatenango, 27 September 20264,5,6,7
Sources
- BCR and ONEC: VII Population Census 2024, population by department, municipality and district, urban and rural (Excel, in Spanish)
- UNDP: socio-economic map, guide to the 44 new municipalities of El Salvador, October 2024 (PDF, in Spanish)
- Legislative Assembly: Decree 762, the Special Law for the Territorial Restructuring of El Salvador (in Spanish)
- CEL: contact details and locations of the hydroelectric plants (in Spanish)
- CEL: audited financial statements 2024, with the capacity of each plant (PDF, in Spanish)
- Dinero.com.sv: AES CAESS benefited more than 100,000 customers in the department of Chalatenango, 19 September 2025
- Dinero.com.sv: San Fernando opens its new shopping plaza, with the DOM projects in Chalatenango, 27 September 2026 (in Spanish)
Figures checked 9 November 2026. Prepared by InvestSalvador.com for general information. Figures come from the sources listed.
