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25 April 2024

Population Census (educational and employment data)

1 January 2022

Main results

  • The provinces with the highest percentage of the population aged 15 and over with higher education in 2022 were Gipuzkoa (43.1%), Bizkaia (41.7%) and Madrid (41.1%).
  • In Tres Cantos (Madrid), Las Rozas de Madrid (Madrid) and Sant Cugat del Vallés (Barcelona) more than 62% of the population aged 15 and over had higher education degrees. In Rojales (Alicante/ Alacant) and Níjar (Almería), less than 10%.
  • Among the main countries of birth, those born in Venezuela (50.2%), France (43.8%) and Argentina (42.3%) presented the highest percentages of the population with higher education.
  • Employed people increased across the board between January 1, 2022 and the same day in 2021. Among the municipalities with more than 10,000 inhabitants, Yaiza and Pájara, in Las Palmas, presented the largest increases in the employment rate, of more than 10 points.
  • The municipalities with the highest employment rates over the working-age population were Cuarte de Huerva (Zaragoza) and Arroyo de la Encomienda (Valladolid), both with 77.7%, and Valle de Egües/ Eguesibar (Navarra), with 75.4%.

The National Institute of Statistics (INE) today expands the information from the 2022 Population Census with variables related to the relationship with economic activity (active, employed, unemployed...), educational level or ongoing studies.

In September, other variables that characterize the employed will be incorporated – such as occupation, professional situation (salaried, self-employed, etc.), the activity of the establishment and the municipality of work – and information on previous residences.

The new annual Population Census, based entirely on administrative records, maintains all the territorial detail of the census operations that were traditionally published every 10 years, offering data up to the census section. They also allow the evolution of many socio-demographic characteristics of the population to be followed each year.

Population's educational level

32.2% of people aged 15 and over had higher education in 2022, compared to 16.0% who had only completed primary education or lower.

If we restrict ourselves to the population between 25 and 64 years old, 41.0% had higher education. By sex, this percentage was 45.0% in women and 37.0% in men.

In the younger age groups, a greater proportion of women than men with higher education was observed. Thus, 57.2% of those aged between 25 and 29 years old had higher education degrees, as compared with 43.3% of men.

By nationality, the percentage of foreigners with higher education rose to 23.5%, while 29.2% had completed primary education or lower.

These percentages were 26.1% and 23.7%, respectively, for those born abroad.

Among the main countries of birth, those born in Venezuela (50.2%), France (43.8%) and Argentina (42.3%) presented the highest percentages of the population with higher education.

On the contrary, those born in Morocco (8.7%), Romania (12.8%) and the Dominican Republic (15.9%) registered the lowest percentages of higher education graduates.

Percentage of population aged 15 and over with higher education 1 by country of birth. Main countries

1For the purposes of the 2021 Population Census, categories 51, 52, 61-63, 71-75, 81 of the CNED-A are considered higher studies. That is, the categories “Vocational training, plastic arts and design and sports education of higher degree and equivalent; university degrees that require a bachelor’s degree, lasting 2 years or more”, “University degrees of up to 240 ECTS credits, university graduates, university degrees of expert or specialist, and similar”, “University degrees of more than 240 ECTS credits, graduates, master’s degrees and specialities in Health Sciences by the residency system, and similar” and “Doctorate studies”.

By provinces, those with the highest percentage of population with higher education in 2022 were Gipuzkoa (43.1%), Bizkaia (41.7%) and Madrid (41.1%). On the contrary, Cuenca (22.7%), Almería (23.0%) and Toledo (23.7%) presented the lowest percentages.

The municipalities with more than 10,000 inhabitants with the highest percentage of persons aged 15 years old or over with higher education were concentrated around Madrid and Barcelona. In Tres Cantos, Las Rozas de Madrid and Sant Cugat del Vallés they exceeded 62%.

On the contrary, Rojales, Níjar and Jódar were the municipalities with the lowest percentage of the population with higher education, 7.6%, 8.7% and 12.4%, respectively.

Municipalities with more than 10,000 inhabitants according to percentage of population aged 15 and over with higher education

Percentage

Relationship to economic activity

Among the main countries, the nationalities that had the highest proportion of employed people among the population aged 16 and over as of January 1, 2022 were Chinese (61.4%), Ecuadorian (59.7%) and Bolivian (55.5%).

On the contrary, British (23.0%), Colombians (33.6%) and Peruvians (37.0%) registered the lowest percentages of employed people.

Percentage of employed people in the population aged 16 and over by country of nationality. Main countries

The employed population according to the 2022 census increased generally throughout the territory compared to that registered in 2021.

If we consider the municipalities with more than 10,000 inhabitants, those that presented the greatest increases in the employment rate of the population between 16 and 64 years old were Yaiza and Pájara, both in Las Palmas, with increases of more than 10 points, and Ubrique (Cádiz), with an increase of more than seven points.

On the contrary, the municipalities that experienced the greatest decreases in the employment rate were Palma del Río (Córdoba), Lora del Río (Sevilla) and Cantillana (Sevilla), all three with drops of more than one point.

Municipalities with more than 10,000 inhabitants according to the difference in the employment rate of the population aged 16 to 64. Percentage

As of January 1, 2022, the municipalities with the highest employment rates over the working-age population were Cuarte de Huerva (77.7%), Arroyo de la Encomienda (77.7%) and Valle de Egües/ Eguesibar (75.4%).

On the opposite side, the municipalities with the lowest employment rates were La Línea de la Concepción (35.3%), Barbate (37.0%) and Son Servera (38.8%).

Municipalities with more than 10,000 inhabitants according to employment rate of the population aged 16 to 64

Percentage

Reviews and data updates

The data are definitive. All results of this operation are available on INEBase.

Methodological note

The 2021 Population and Housing Census was the last of the ten-year censuses in Spain and the first to be carried out entirely from official public administration records, without surveying any households. This new methodology makes it possible to have census information available every year, in the case of the population, and every three or four years in the case of households.

The first results of the Population Census will be published in December of each year and will provide the official figures and the basic demographic characteristics of the population resident in Spain on 1 January of the same year.

The demographic information of the 2022 Population Census is completed today with educational and work-related variables, such as the relationship with economic activity (active, employed, unemployed...), educational level and ongoing studies.

Type of operation:
Statistics with an annual periodicity, based on administrative data.
Population scope:
population resident in Spain, with the population resident in a specific geographical area being understood to be those persons who, on the reference date, have established their habitual residence therein.
Geographical scope:
national, autonomous communities and cities, provinces and islands, municipalities, districts and census sections.
Reference period for the results:
1 January 2022.

For more information, you can access the methodology and the standardised methodological report.

INE statistics are produced in accordance with the Code of Good Practice for European Statistics. More information on Quality at INE and the Code of Best Practices.

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