ACRONYMS National Statistics Institute
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29 April 2026

Annual Population Census

Residence, education and employment variables for 2025 and 2024

Main results

  • Of the 9,464,210 residents born abroad, 24.4% arrived in Spain in the two years prior to 1 January 2025, and 12.8% in the last year.
  • Among the most populated cities, Cordoba (57.1%), Murcia (54.0%) and Sevilla (50.0%) had the largest percentages of population that have always resided in the same municipality since they were born. At the opposite extreme were L’Hospitalet de Llobregat (17.6%), Palma (33.5%) and A Coruña (33.6%).
  • The provinces with the highest percentage of the population aged 15 and over with higher education in 2024 were Gipuzkoa (44.6%), Bizkaia (43.3%) and Madrid (42.4%).
  • Among the main countries of birth, those born in Venezuela (47.4%), France (45.5%) and Argentina (44.3%) presented the highest percentages of the population with higher education in 2024.
  • The municipalities whose employment rate rose the most in 2024 were Puerto Real, Villacarrillo and Pájara, with increases of around three points.

The INE expands today the information of the Annual Population Censuses for 2025 with variables related to the years of arrival in the various territorial regions (Spain, autonomous communities, provinces, municipalities), as well as their previous place of residence.

There is also expanded information in the 2024 census with data on educational attainment and relationship to economic activity. Also published today for the first time is the place of residence one year ago of the population for the 2022, 2023 and 2024 censuses.

Year of arrival in Spain

Of the 9,464,210 residents in Spain on 01 January 2025 who were born abroad, 24.4% (2,308,073 persons) arrived in our country the two years prior to that date, and 12.8% in the last year.

This percentage has fallen as the year of arrival moved away from the census date, except in the decade from 2001 to 2010, when it reached 27.0%.

Among the main countries, 34.7% of those born in Colombia who came to live in Spain did so in 2023 and 2024. This was followed by Peru (32.4%) and Venezuela (31.3%).

In contrast, those born in Bolivia (10.8%), Ecuador (13.1%) and United Kingdom (13.6%) recorded the lowest percentages of arrivals in the last two years.

Meanwhile, more than half of the population born in Bolivia, Romania and Ecuador arrived in Spain in the decade from 2001 to 2010 (60.3%, 54.5% and 51.8%, respectively). In the case of France, the majority of arrivals, 48.2%, occurred before 2001.

Year of arrival in Spain of the population born abroad. 2025

Main countries

Previous residence

According to the census, as of 1 January 2025, 34.7% of the population (17,057,466 people) had always resided in the same municipality since they were born. And 28.9% came from another municipality in the same province.

Relationship between current and previous place of residence in 2025. Main cities

Percentage

The relationship between the current place of residence and the previous one varied among the main cities. Thus, Cordoba (57.1%), Murcia (54.0%) and Seville (50.0%) had the largest percentages of population that have always resided in the same municipality in which they were born.

At the opposite extreme were L’Hospitalet de Llobregat (17.6%), Palma (33.5%) and A Coruña (33.6%).

It is worth noting that 24.7% of residents in Madrid came from a different autonomous community, 27.1% of the residents in Barcelona came from abroad and 20.5% of the residents in Valencia came from a different municipality in the same province.

Population's educational level

33.6% of people aged 15 and over had higher education1 in 2024, whereas 14.8% had only completed primary education or lower.

If we restrict ourselves to the population between 25 and 64 years old, 42.7% had higher education. By sex, the percentage was 46.9% in women and 38.4% in men. By age group, the largest difference was in the 25-29 age group (58.8% of women compared to 44.5% of men).

The provinces with the highest percentage of population with higher education in 2024 were Gipuzkoa (44.6%), Bizkaia (43.3%) and Madrid (42.4%). On the contrary, Cuenca (23.8%), Toledo (24.5%) and Almería (25.1%) presented the lowest.

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 63%.

On the contrary, Rojales, Níjar and Jódar were the municipalities with the lowest percentage of the population with higher education (8.3%, 8.7% and 13.3%, respectively).

Municipalities with more than 10,000 inhabitants according to percentage of population aged 15 and over with higher education1. 2024

Percentage

1For the purposes of the Annual 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 nationality, the percentage of foreigners with higher education stood at 25.2%, while 27.3% had completed primary education or lower. These percentages were 28.0% and 22.3%, respectively, for those born abroad.

Among the main countries of birth, those born in Venezuela (47.4%), France (45.5%) and Argentina (44.3%) presented the highest percentages of the population with higher education.

On the contrary, those born in Morocco (9.3%), Romania (14.5%) and the Dominican Republic (17.8%) registered the lowest percentages of higher education graduates.

Relationship to economic activity

The employed2 population according to the 2024 census increased generally throughout the territory compared to 2023.

If we consider the municipalities with over 10,000 inhabitants, the largest increases in the employment rate of the population between 16 and 64 years old occurred in Puerto Real (Cádiz), Villacarrillo (Jaén) and Pájara (Las Palmas), rising around three points.

Conversely, those that experienced the greatest declines were Nules (Castellón/Castelló), Alcaudete (Jaén) and Archena (Murcia), falling less than two points.

Municipalities with more than 10,000 inhabitants according to the difference over all of 2023 in the employment rate of the population aged 16 to 64

Percentage

2 For the purposes of the Annual Population Censuses, the estimated employed population the week prior to January 1 of each year is considered.

Among the main countries, the foreign nationalities that had the highest proportion of employed people among the population aged 16 and over were Chinese (61.5%), Ecuadorian (56.7%) and Romanian (56.4%).

On the contrary, the British (24.0%), Colombians (32.3%) and Peruvians (34.0%) registered the lowest percentages of employed people.

Data revisions and updates

The data are definitive. All the results of this operation are available at 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 based on 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 following information from previously published Population Censuses is completed today:

  • Annual Population Census 2025: variables related to the years of arrival in the various territorial regions (Spain, autonomous communities, provinces, municipalities) and their previous places of residence and residence one year before.
  • Annual Population Census 2024: educational and work-related variables, such as the relationship with economic activity (active, employed, unemployed...), educational level or 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 2025 and 1 January 2024

More information on 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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