Barcelona’s population has increased for the third consecutive year, reaching 1,732,066 people, marking its highest level in four decades. This represents a 1.7% growth compared to the previous year, a development that, according to the Barcelona City Council’s municipal data office, solidifies trends that have accelerated in recent years.
Migration as the Main Driver of Growth
María Jesús Calvo, head of the Department of Statistics and Data Dissemination at the Consistory, explains that the population increase, based on the municipal register as of January 1, 2025, is primarily due to migration. The percentage of registered residents born in Barcelona is less than 45%. In contrast, 612,529 people were born abroad, with the majority (53.8%) originating from the American continent. The diversity of nationalities remains constant with over 180 in 2024, with Italian, Colombian, and Pakistani being the most common.
Birth Rate Stable, Number of Centenarians Rises
Barcelona’s birth rate is stabilizing with 11,091 births in 2024, a slight decrease from the 11,000 in 2023. The average age of the population remains stable at 44.4 years. However, there is a notable increase in centenarians: with 1,104 individuals, almost 10% more than last year, this trend continues. Women constitute the clear majority in this age group, accounting for 83.9% (962 women versus 178 men).
Women Dominate the Overall Population and Changing Household Structures
The female gender makes up the majority of the total population at 52.1%, a figure virtually identical to previous years and similar to those of recent decades. The 1,732,066 inhabitants of Barcelona reside in a total of 681,087 households. Notably, almost one-third (215,153) are single-person households. The council’s study also indicates an increase in households with foreign residents, both in households where all members are from abroad (13.4%) and in mixed households (14.2%). Simultaneously, the presence of minors in households is decreasing, now accounting for only a quarter (21.8%).
