6 Demographic movement in 2025

The Municipal Register of Inhabitants is an administrative record that allows us to establish the population figure and the characteristics of the people registered in it at a given date. Its added value lies in being a live register that is constantly updated as people are added (through birth, immigration or administrative registration) or removed (through death, emigration or administrative deregistration). It also records internal movements within the city (when people change their residence), as well as changes of nationality. It therefore makes it possible to capture demographic movements (natural, migratory and administrative) over a given period, with movements recorded on the exact date they occur.

Part of the residential changes in the population are carried out ex officio by the administration; these include registrations due to omission and deregistrations due to expiry of registration in the Municipal Register and/or duplication. These are referred to as administrative movements, which, although the exact moment in which they occur is not known, are recorded at the moment when their registration becomes effective¹³.

This section draws on the richness of the information provided by register flows and offers a synthesis of the demographic movement of the city of Barcelona between 1 January and 31 December 2025. To understand how many and what the inhabitants of Barcelona are like as of 1 January 2026, and how they have changed compared to 2025, it is necessary to provide this detailed information on demographic behaviour throughout the year. The nature of the register as a live record calls for caution when interpreting register movements, as they are subject to subsequent corrections in accordance with official records or derived from the detection of possible errors or duplications.

The demographic evolution of the city of Barcelona during 2025 once again continues the recent pattern characterised by a negative natural balance, offset by the dynamism of migration flows, with inflows once again exceeding outflows, although administrative deregistrations have also played a significant role during the year.

The year 2025 is characterised, on the one hand, by a decrease in immigration flows compared to those recorded during the three previous years following the post-COVID recovery, and, on the other, by the consolidation of increasing outflows towards other territories. The combination of these two dynamics explains the positive migratory balance in 2025, although lower than in previous years.

The summary of demographic movement in the city according to its two components is as follows. Throughout 2025, Barcelona recorded a negative natural balance of -3,549 persons, a result almost identical to that of 2023 and 2024, and a positive migratory and administrative balance of 11,383. Migratory growth remains positive, although it has slowed considerably compared to the 2023–2024 period, when it was close to 50,000. The reduction in immigration inflows and the increase in emigration, but especially the accumulation of administrative deregistrations, explain this sharp decline.

Regarding natural change, the negative natural balance has been repeated year after year over recent decades, becoming a structural feature of Barcelona’s demography. In recent years, the continued decline in mortality since 2021, following the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, has not been sufficient to offset the decline in births that began in 2010. In 2025, the deficit natural balance of 3,549 has stabilised at a similar level to the previous two years. During the year, 14,557 deaths were recorded (149 fewer than in 2024). As for the downward trend in births, 2025 has not been an exception: the 11,012 births (-141 compared to 2024) represent a year-on-year decrease of -1.3%.

Figure 38: Natural, migratory and administrative balance in Barcelona (2002–2025)

Source: Barcelona City Council. Municipal Data Office. Department of Statistics and Data Dissemination. Reading of the Municipal Register of Inhabitants, as of 1 January 2026.
More information available at: Immigrants, Immigrants by sex and five-year age group, Emigrants, Emigrants by sex and five-year age group, Registrations by omission, Registrations by omission by sex and five-year age group, Cancellations for undue inscription, Cancellations for undue inscription by sex and five-year age group, Births, Births by sex, Deaths, Deaths by sex and five-year age group.

Migration dynamism continues in 2025, albeit with a slight decrease in inflows, reversing the previous growth trend, while outflows increase following recent patterns. Both immigration and emigration flows remain at significant levels. Although 124,036 immigrants arrived in Barcelona during 2025, representing a year-on-year decrease of -4.3% compared to 2024 (after -10.4% in 2023 and -6.6% in 2023), this figure still represents the fourth highest level since the beginning of the 21st century. To this must be added 25,826 administrative registrations (6.4% more than in 2024), also at historically high levels since the early 2000s economic expansion.

Regarding outflows, 68,979 people emigrated from the city, 2.4% more than in 2024, continuing an upward trend in departures to other municipalities or abroad. What is particularly noteworthy is the high number of administrative deregistrations (due to improper registration or expiry) in 2025. As noted above, the accuracy of movement figures depends on when they are recorded in the register. While inflows usually reflect real population dynamics, there is assumed to be a certain level of under-reporting in outflows, especially to other countries. This under-registration is later corrected through administrative deregistrations carried out ex officio. It is not surprising that after several years of increased immigration flows, administrative deregistrations have accumulated once the two-year administrative renewal period has expired.

Figure 39: Births and deaths (1900–2025)

Figure 40: Immigrants, emigrants and administrative movements (1971–2025)

From a territorial perspective, all districts record positive balances, although these are more moderate than those recorded in 2024, except for the administrative balance. Eight out of the ten districts gain population, with the exception of Les Corts (-150 people) and Gràcia (-60). The range of positive balances is wide, from 1,889 in Ciutat Vella to 15 in Sarrià-Sant Gervasi.

Figure 41: Demographic movement balances by district, 2025

By components, only Ciutat Vella records a positive natural balance, of 80 people. All districts grow due to a positive migratory balance, with a maximum of 12,054 people in Eixample. By contrast, the administrative balance is negative in all districts. Regarding internal migration, once again Ciutat Vella, Eixample and Gràcia are the only districts that lose residents to the rest of the city.

6.1 Natural population change

In 2025, Barcelona recorded 11,012 births and 14,557 deaths. Both figures represent a slight decrease in both births (-141) and deaths (-149).

The negative natural balance in 2025 adds to a consolidated historical trend. Since the 1980s, year after year, deaths have exceeded births. As for births, the 2025 figure continues the structural downward trend that began in the second half of the 1970s, only temporarily interrupted during the years of economic expansion and the arrival of international immigration flows in the early 21st century. During those years, the (slight) recovery in birth rates was also driven by the entry into reproductive ages of large cohorts born in the 1970s and early 1980s. With the economic crisis, births began to decline again, approaching the levels recorded during the period of very low fertility in the 1990s, and have continued to decrease in recent years. Currently, they are 18.3% below the average for 2010–2019 and 2.8% below the average for the first half of the current decade. In 2025, just over 11,000 births set yet another record low. A now familiar statement repeated year after year: excluding 1939, the final year of the Spanish Civil War, the number of births in 2025 is the lowest recorded in Barcelona since 1900.

As for mortality, the 14,557 deaths recorded in 2025 represent a slight decline compared to previous years; they are 4.1% below the average for 2010–2019 and 7.4% below the average for the 2020–2025 six-year period, which includes higher mortality attributable to Covid-19.

Map 18: Natural demographic movement balance (births–deaths) by AEB, 2025

Source: Barcelona City Council. Municipal Data Office. Department of Statistics and Data Dissemination. Reading of the Municipal Register of Inhabitants, as of 1 January 2026.
More information available at: Immigrants, Immigrants by sex and five-year age group, Emigrants, Emigrants by sex and five-year age group, Registrations by omission Registrations by omission by sex and five-year age group, Cancellations for undue inscription, Cancellations for undue inscription by sex and five-year age group, Births, Births by sex, Deaths, Deaths by sex and five-year age group.

The negative natural balance has been widespread. It has affected all districts except Ciutat Vella, which recorded a positive balance of 80 people. Only 44 of the 233 Basic Statistical Areas recorded positive natural growth. The predominance of red on the map indicates that the territorial pattern of the previous year is repeated, with only certain areas in Sants-Montjuïc, Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, Sant Martí, Raval, Sant Andreu and Nou Barris escaping the negative balance.

6.1.1 Birth rates

The decline in birth rates is not a new phenomenon in Barcelona. It is a persistent trend explained by the combination of factors linked to the sociodemographic structure of recent decades: the reduction in the number of women of childbearing age, the postponement of motherhood, the decrease in the number of children per woman, and the increasing proportion of women who complete their fertile period without having children. Women in Barcelona are starting motherhood increasingly later —if at all— and, partly as a consequence of this delay, those who do have children tend to have fewer on average.

This pattern is not specific to Barcelona but reflects extremely low fertility levels (a phenomenon known as lowest-low fertility), characterised by a Total Fertility Rate below 1.3. As in other Spanish and European cities and regions, the sustained and prolonged decline in birth rates is linked to a variety of socioeconomic, historical and cultural factors, such as difficulties in achieving effective work-life balance, a labour market with high levels of precarious employment, and a housing market in which access to housing becomes increasingly difficult, especially for populations of reproductive age, among other factors.

Figure 42: Births by month (2000–2025)

The pandemic clearly contributed to an accentuation of the decline in birth rates: births registered in December 2020 and in the first months of 2021 (January and February) were lower than usual. However, as shown in Chart 42, aside from this specific pandemic-related drop in December 2020, births show a clear downward trend. Although seasonal patterns have normalised, the absolute monthly figures remain clearly below the averages of the previous two decades.

Map 19: Birth rate by AEB (‰), 2025

Consistent with this, the birth rate in Barcelona (births per thousand inhabitants recorded in the register) has also reached historic lows. Year after year, the rate continues to decline incrementally. In 2025 it stood at 6.4‰, slightly lower than the 6.5‰ recorded in 2024 and the 6.6‰ in 2023. Over the past decade, the decline has been 2 percentage points, considering that the rate was 8.4‰ in 2015. Looking further back, the highest rate in the 21st century was 9‰ in 2008. These indicators therefore confirm the increasingly pronounced low birth rate scenario.

At the territorial level, the highest rates are found in certain Basic Statistical Areas in Ciutat Vella and in the district of Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, as well as in peripheral areas of the city: Trinitat Vella, Baró de Viver, and especially Marina del Prat Vermell. In this neighbourhood, the dynamism of births can be explained by its ongoing urban development and expanding housing stock, creating favourable conditions for family formation among new residents.

6.1.2 Fertility

In line with the above, fertility continues its downward trend, as reflected in all related indicators. The 2024 data, the most recent available, confirm this decline.

Firstly, the gross fertility rate, which measures the total number of births per 1.000 women of childbearing age (15 to 49 years), fell by almost two points compared to last year, standing at 27,6‰, 10 points below the 37,7‰ recorded in 2010. By district, among the lowest rates are those of Eixample (24,1‰), Ciutat Vella (24,9‰) and Gràcia (25,1‰), while among the highest are those of Les Corts (30,9‰) and Sarrià-Sant Gervasi (35,0‰).

Figure 43: Evolution of the gross fertility rate (‰) by mother’s birthplace (2010–2024)

This downward trend is independent of the mother’s place of birth, as shown in Chart 43, although slight differences exist in fertility intensity among the three groups of women. Women born in high-income countries show the lowest fertility throughout the period, although in 2024 their rate converges with the 26‰ recorded among women born in Spain. Slightly higher levels are observed among women born in middle- or low-income countries, with a fertility rate of 30‰.

Regarding the Total Fertility Rate (TFR), i.e., the average number of children per woman of childbearing age, it remains at the same level as in 2023, at 0.88 children per woman, below the symbolic threshold of 1 and well below the 1.16 children per woman recorded in 2015 and 2016. By district, the indicator exceeds one child per woman only in Sarrià-Sant Gervasi (1.22), Les Corts (1.03) and Nou Barris (1.02), while the lowest values are recorded in Ciutat Vella (0.74) and Eixample (0.72).

By mother’s place of birth, there are no major differences between women born in Spain (0.99 children per woman) and those born in middle- or low-income countries (0.89), while women born in high-income countries show a significantly lower TFR of just 0.69 children per woman.

A TFR of 2.1 children per woman is considered the replacement level, i.e., the average number needed to maintain population size in the absence of migration. As noted earlier, values below 1.13 are considered “lowest-low fertility”. Therefore, the indicators clearly place Barcelona within this category, below the 2024 average for the EU (1.34) and Spain (1.10), the lowest among the 27 EU countries¹⁴.

The decline in fertility is a global trend, not specific to Western or high-income countries. Most countries have completed or are progressing through the demographic transition, while in Europe reproductive behaviour is framed within a second demographic transition. Fertility trends are largely driven by women’s access to education and the labour market, as well as improvements in sexual and reproductive health. Globally, fertility has fallen from 4.8 children per woman in 1970 to 2.2 in 2024, and according to the United Nations the probability of it exceeding 2.1 by 2100 is below 10%¹⁵.

Postponement of childbearing is evident: women aged 35–39 have the highest age-specific fertility rate (57.3‰), followed by those aged 30–34 (54‰). While fertility among younger women continues to decline, a slight upward trend is observed among those aged 40–44 and 45–49, although it is not linear. The average age at motherhood has slightly decreased since 2019, from 34.2 to 33.9 years in 2024, while age at first birth remains at 33.5. Women in Nou Barris and Ciutat Vella become mothers earlier than those in other districts, with first births at 31.3 and 32 years respectively.

By mother’s place of birth, there is again little difference in average age at motherhood between those born in Spain (34.9 years, or 34.4 for first births) and those born in high-income countries (35.3 and 34.8 respectively). Women born in middle- or low-income countries have earlier childbearing (32.5 on average and 31.8 for first births), although recent trends show a gradual postponement (Chart 44).

Figure 44: Evolution of the mean age of women at the birth of their first child by birthplace (2010–2024)

Figure 45: Age-specific fertility rates (five-year age groups) by birthplace of the mother (‰), 2024

In conclusion, the latest indicators confirm the consolidation of low fertility and increasingly delayed motherhood. Differences in reproductive behaviour between groups are more related to timing than to intensity, as also shown by age-specific fertility rates (Chart 45).

6.1.3 Characteristics of newborns

Consistent with universal historical patterns¹⁶, more boys than girls are born. The sex ratio at birth in Barcelona in 2024 (105.2) aligns with expected levels. The most recent register data confirm this pattern, with 5,299 girls and 5,713 boys registered at birth.

Foreign-national newborns account for a growing share of births: in 2025 they represented 28%, one percentage point lower than the previous year. Despite this slight decline, their share has increased significantly over the last decade (from 20% in 2016). The main nationalities are Italy (334 births), Pakistan (287), Colombia (245), France (200) and Peru (162).

Figure 46: Most frequent baby names

Among the names chosen, the most popular for girls are Olivia, Sofia, Emma, Júlia, Ona, Martina, Clara, Bruna, Gala and Lucia. For boys, the top names are Mateo, Pau, Marc, Pol, Bruno, Martí, Lucas, Biel, Arnau and Nicolas. Short, neutral and easy-to-pronounce names are also increasingly common (Noa, Mia, Mar, Eva, Lia, Nil, Jan, Leo, Teo, Blu, Kai).

6.1.4 Mortality

The number of deaths recorded in Barcelona in 2025 was 14,557, slightly lower than in 2024 (-1%) and also below previous years, specifically 4.1% below the average for the 2010–2019 period. Recent data confirm that the temporary increase in mortality resulting from Covid-19 had been overcome by 2021.

In terms of sex distribution, more women (7,714) than men (6,843) died in 2025, and in the overwhelming majority of cases—14,001 deaths (96.2%)—the deceased were of Spanish nationality, consistent with the older age structure of the population born in Spain and the higher mortality incidence among older age groups.

Figure 47: Average age at death (2010–2025)

The average age at death slightly decreased compared to the previous year, standing at 83.04 years. Over the last decades, the trend has been a clear increase in the average age at death in Barcelona, reflecting improved survival, with only occasional setbacks such as that associated with Covid-19. Although significant differences by sex persist, the gap of six years between men (79.90 years) and women (85.82 years) has slightly narrowed, in line with the trend observed over the analysed period. Indeed, in 2000 the difference between men and women (74.32 and 81.69 respectively) was approximately one year larger than today.

Figure 48: Death pyramid, 2025

Monthly mortality data show a marked seasonal pattern. January traditionally records the highest number of deaths, while the period from December to March accounts for 37.1% of annual deaths, with an average of 45 deaths per day during these months in 2025. Chart 49 highlights the strong impact in March and April 2020, coinciding with the first wave of Covid-19. Mortality in 2025 follows the usual seasonal pattern. In addition to higher mortality during colder months, recent years have also seen increased mortality during summer, as illustrated by the 1,214 deaths recorded in July 2025. This rise is linked to mortality associated with extreme temperatures in recent summers. The Fabra Observatory recorded in 2025 the second warmest summer month of its recent historical series (since 2010), with an average maximum temperature of 38.7ºC in August, surpassed only by 39.5ºC in July 2024. Furthermore, heatwaves may bring forward deaths among vulnerable individuals who might otherwise have died later in winter.

Figure 49: Deaths by month (2000–2025)

The most recent available figure for life expectancy at birth in the municipality of Barcelona corresponds to 2023, at 84.81 years. This value, very close to the 84.95 years recorded in 2019, indicates that the impact of the pandemic on life expectancy has been overcome. Women continue to live longer (87.37 years) than men (81.83 years), and this six-year gap has remained stable in recent years.

Mortality rates (deaths of residents recorded in the register per thousand inhabitants) have shown a gradual decline in recent years. From the exceptional peak in 2020 (11.4‰), the values have decreased progressively: 9.5‰ in 2021, 9.5‰ in 2022, 8.8‰ in 2023, 8.6‰ in 2024 and 8.4‰ in 2025. The highest rates are found in neighbourhoods near Collserola, where older populations are concentrated in collective residences: Montbau, Vallbona, Sant Genís dels Agudells, Vall d’Hebron, or Sarrià and Sant Gervasi-la Bonanova are clear examples.

Map 20: Mortality rate by AEB (‰), 2025

Source: Barcelona City Council. Municipal Data Office. Department of Statistics and Data Dissemination. Reading of the Municipal Register of Inhabitants, as of 1 January 2026.
More information available at: Deaths, Crude mortality rate (‰), Crude mortality rate by sex (‰), Age-specific mortality rates (broad age-groups) ( ‰), Age-specific mortality rates (broad age-groups) by sex ( ‰), Standardised mortality rate (‰), Standardised mortality rate (‰) by broad age group, Standardised mortality rate (‰) by sex, Standardised mortality rate (‰) by sex and broad age group.

6.1.5 Marriage trends

To conclude this section on natural population dynamics, a brief overview of marriage trends in 2025 is presented based on the Vital Statistics compiled by Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE). While the number of marriages had already been decreasing in 2018 and 2019, the decline became even more pronounced in 2020 due to the pandemic, which disrupted administrative processes and personal life plans, including marriages. Weddings increased by 43.9% in 2021 and continued to rise in 2022, 2023 and 2024 —the most recent data available— with 5,442 marriages celebrated, 6.1% more than the previous year. Nevertheless, this figure, although recovering, remains well below the more than 6,000 marriages per year recorded on average in 2016–2017.

Overall, of the 5,442 marriages formalised, 93.5% were between a woman and a man, 2.9% between two women, and 3.6% between two men. Of the total, 1,556 (28.6%) involved at least one spouse of foreign nationality, the same proportion as the previous year. In terms of type of ceremony, civil marriages continue to dominate, accounting for 85.6% of the total, while religious ceremonies represent 14.4%.

6.2 Migration and administrative population movements

During 2025, Barcelona recorded a positive migration balance (immigrants minus emigrants) of 55,057 people and a negative administrative balance (registrations due to omission minus deregistrations due to improper registration or expiry) of 43,674 people. Overall, the combined migration and administrative balance for 2025 was positive, at 11,383 people, as shown in Charts 38, 40 and 41

Looking at recent trends, this positive balance has moderated compared with 2024 and is well below the nearly 74,000 recorded in 2023, the highest figure in Barcelona since 1977.

Migration dynamics in 2025 continue to shape the demographic evolution of Barcelona, both in terms of inflows (immigration and administrative registrations) and outflows (emigration and administrative deregistrations). However, the resulting balance between entries and exits, although still positive, has declined considerably compared with the post‑COVID period of 2022–2024. As previously noted, the most significant feature in 2025 has been the concentration of administrative deregistrations. In contrast, immigration inflows and emigration outflows with known destinations have not experienced a sharp drop during the year, although immigration has declined after three consecutive years of growth.

Regarding new arrivals, the 149,862 new residents who entered —either through immigration (124,036, nearly five thousand fewer than in 2024) or administrative registration (25,826, one thousand fewer than in 2024)— represent an overall decrease of 2.6% compared to the previous year.

On the other hand, emigration outflows increased compared with the previous year, reaching a new record (68,979, a year‑on‑year increase of 2.5%), and so did deregistrations due to improper registration (69,500, compared to 40,317 in 2024, representing a 72.4% increase). In total, these departures amounted to a reduction of 138,479 people, 28.6% more than in 2024, reversing the declining trend in outflows observed in 2022–2024 and even exceeding the record figure recorded in 2021 during the pandemic.

In summary, 2025 shows a slight decline in immigration inflows and a modest increase in emigration outflows with known destinations. The key feature of the year has been the rise in administrative deregistrations resulting from the concentration of register cleansing procedures carried out ex officio, in a context of high turnover of entries and exits. Although lower than in previous years, the migration balance remains positive.

Figure 50: Age profile of immigration, emigration and resulting balances by origin and destination, 2025

Source: Barcelona City Council. Municipal Data Office. Department of Statistics and Data Dissemination. Reading of the Municipal Register of Inhabitants, as of 1 January 2026.
More information available at: Immigrants by autonomous community of origin, sex and five-year age group, Emigrants by autonomous community of destination, sex and five-year age group.

Motivations for migration vary by age and depend on many personal and contextual factors related to origin and destination areas (economic cycle, employment opportunities, life cycle, housing accessibility, sociopolitical conditions, etc.). In Barcelona, a combination of factors contributes to the growth of these flows: the city is currently experiencing an expansionary economic environment, with growth in activity and employment. Like many contemporary cities, Barcelona is viewed as an innovative ecosystem that generates synergies, attracting diversity and highly specialised talent. At the same time, difficulties in accessing housing rank highly among reasons for leaving, particularly among people of emancipation age or those forming households.

The age profile of migrants reflects these dynamics. There are few changes in 2025 compared with previous years. Migration flows are once again dominated by young adults: arrivals consist mainly of young adults coming from the rest of Catalonia, the rest of Spain, and especially from abroad. Departures are also led by young adults and children moving to the rest of Catalonia and, to a lesser extent, to the rest of Spain. By age, the balance between inflows and outflows is positive across almost all groups. Only from age 80 onwards does the balance become negative. The largest gains are concentrated in the 25–29 age group (+15,171), followed by 20–24 (+10,931) and 30–34 (+8,953).

Map 21: Migratory and administrative balance by AEB, 2025

Map 22: Balance of internal residential moves (AEB of arrival – AEB of departure) by AEB, 2025

Source: Barcelona City Council. Municipal Data Office. Department of Statistics and Data Dissemination. Reading of the Municipal Register of Inhabitants, as of 1 January 2026.
More information available at: Immigrants, Immigrants by nationality (Spain/EU/Rest of foreign) (microdata), Emigrants, Emigrants by nationality (Spain/EU/Rest of foreign) (microdata), Registrations by omission, Cancellations for undue inscription.

At the territorial level, all districts gain population through migration. At the level of Basic Statistical Areas, the positive balance predominates (187 out of 233 AEBs), although this year there is also a notable presence of negative balances. Population losses due to migration are mainly concentrated in Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, Les Corts, Sants-Montjuïc and Sant Andreu.

6.2.1 Immigration

Of all movements recorded in the population register, immigration remains the most important driver of Barcelona’s demographic evolution in recent decades. In 2025, this continues to be the case: although reduced, it remains the main factor. Of the 149,862 new registrations, 124,036 correspond to immigration with known origin. Their main characteristics are described below.

The overall immigration profile is similar to previous years. By sex, flows are balanced, although men account for 51.9% of immigrants. This slight male predominance is concentrated in younger ages, while women predominate from age 56 onwards. In terms of age, young adults clearly dominate. Most immigrants (82.4%) were born abroad, although not all arrive directly from abroad: 62.6% come from abroad, 26.3% from the rest of Catalonia and 11.1% from the rest of Spain. Among immigrants arriving in 2025, 44% held a university degree, although the educational profile varies by nationality: 51.1% of Spanish migrants, 69.7% of EU nationals and 36.1% of non‑EU nationals have higher education. The first two groups have percentages significantly higher than that of the population as a whole, while that of the third group is similar to the percentage of the total population of Barcelona.

Figure 51: Age and sex profile of immigrants with known origin, 2025

Source: Barcelona City Council. Municipal Data Office. Department of Statistics and Data Dissemination. Reading of the Municipal Register of Inhabitants, as of 1 January 2026.
More information available at: Immigrants by sex and five-year age group, Immigrants by autonomous community of origin, sex and five-year age group.

The ranking of municipalities of origin remains largely unchanged: l’Hospitalet de Llobregat (6,106), Madrid (2,666), Badalona (2,317), Santa Coloma de Gramenet (1,409), Sabadell (909), Terrassa (891), Cornellà de Llobregat (826) and Sant Cugat del Vallès (779).

From abroad, the main countries of origin are Colombia (5,530), Peru (4,543), Argentina (3,863), Pakistan (3,799), India (3,658), Venezuela (3,176), Italy (3,160), Bangladesh (2,836), the United States (2,804) and China (2,683). As noted earlier, some of these countries have unstable contexts that act as push factors. Notable increases include India and Bangladesh, while migrations from European countries such as France, the UK and Germany remain significant. This confirms the dual structure of immigration flows in Barcelona.

6.2.2 Emigration

The other side of the coin consists of departures and deregistrations from the Municipal Register. During 2025, a total of 68,979 people emigrated from Barcelona to other destinations, whether nearby or distant. The number of male and female emigrants is balanced: 49.8% are women and 50.2% are men. Compared to 2024, there has been an increase in emigration with known destination (+2.4%). This increase has been accompanied by a sharp rise in deregistrations due to improper registration, amounting to 69,500, which is 72.4% more than one year earlier. These deregistrations correspond to corrections of improper registrations, expired registrations, or undeclared departures, helping to bring the register closer in line with the actual movements of people entering and leaving. The concentration of these deregistrations is not unusual in periods of high population turnover, typical of contexts characterised by strong immigration flows such as the current one, and the result has been an increase in departures compared with those recorded in 2024.

As is the case with immigrants, the dynamics of emigration with known destination are equally driven by young men and women: more than half of emigrants are aged between 25 and 44, and more specifically, the largest group is that of 30–34 years (11,765 people), followed by 25–29 years (9,857 people). This concentration of departures from the city of Barcelona among young adult age groups, together with the 6,767 cases of children aged between 0 and 14 leaving the city, points to a pattern of emigration involving young families with small children. The persistence of what appears to be this family-based emigration profile may be explained by difficulties in accessing housing. In general, the universal pattern whereby the number of emigrants declines with age holds true, although it is noteworthy that 5,372 people aged 65 and over emigrated in 2025, a significant figure accounting for 7.8% of total emigration during the year. Regarding the educational profile of emigrants, 41.1% hold a university degree, although this varies depending on nationality. A total of 43.4% of Spanish emigrants, 66.6% of EU emigrants and 32.1% of non-EU emigrants have higher education qualifications. The first two groups have percentages significantly above the overall population average, while the third group’s percentage is slightly below that of the total population of Barcelona.

Figure 52: Age and sex profile of emigrants with known destination, 2025

Source: Barcelona City Council. Municipal Data Office. Department of Statistics and Data Dissemination. Reading of the Municipal Register of Inhabitants, as of 1 January 2026.
More information available at: Emigrants by sex and five-year age group, Emigrants by autonomous community of destination, sex and five-year age group.

A total of 10.3% of emigrants were born in Barcelona, 7.4% in the rest of Catalonia, 10.3% in the rest of Spain and 52.3% abroad. In terms of nationality, Spanish nationals account for 55.5% of emigrants. The most common destination is another municipality within Catalonia (68.4%). To a lesser extent, emigrants move to the rest of Spain (23.7%), and only 7.9% move abroad. In contrast, deregistrations due to improper registration or expiry are mainly carried out by foreign nationals (74%)

There are few changes in preferred destinations. L’Hospitalet de Llobregat remains the main destination municipality, with 7,332 residents from Barcelona relocating there. At a distance are other large cities in the Barcelona metropolitan area, as well as Madrid. By order, the most popular destinations in 2024 are: Badalona (3,091), Madrid (2,498), Santa Coloma de Gramenet (1,754), Sabadell (1,581), Terrassa (1,540), Sant Cugat del Vallès (1,405), Cornellà de Llobregat (1,158), Sant Adrià del Besòs (965) and Esplugues de Llobregat (861).

In 2025, 5,478 people emigrated abroad, with a wide dispersion of destinations. In numerical terms, the main destinations were: United Kingdom (385), Germany (379), United States (336), France (293), Switzerland (269), China (257), Colombia (242), Argentina (228), Italy (227), and the Netherlands (158).

6.3 Changes of residence: internal migration

The demographic dynamics of Barcelona and the changing profile of the population of its districts and neighbourhoods cannot be explained solely by the flows of people moving into or leaving the city, but also by the internal movements of those who already reside there. To understand how the city evolves, it is also necessary to measure and characterise internal migration flows within the city, between the different territorial units that compose it. The municipal register records these movements when residents change their address, which are often influenced by differences in housing access across the city’s territories.

The evolution of internal migration over the 21st century has been quite fluctuating: after an upward trend until 2010, it stabilised at lower levels until 2016, when a new rise began, particularly in recent years. In 2020 there was a sharp interruption in residential mobility, explained by mobility restrictions, followed by a rebound effect in 2021, and then a subsequent decline, currently reaching values similar to those of 2015–2019. Specifically, in 2025 the number of address changes reached 89,079.

Figure 53: Changes of domicile by district, 2025

Source: Barcelona City Council. Municipal Data Office. Department of Statistics and Data Dissemination. Reading of the Municipal Register of Inhabitants, as of 1 January 2026.
More information available at: Changes of domicile by district of departure and district of arrival, Changes of domicile by sex and district of departure and district of arrival, Average age of people of the changes of domicile by district of departure and district of arrival, Average age of people of the changes of domicile by sex and district of departure and district of arrival, Changes of domicile by level of education and district of departure and district of arrival Changes of domicile by neighborhood of departure and neighborhood of arrival (microdata).

With regard to the profile of movers, there are no major changes compared to the previous year, either in sociodemographic or geographical terms. Women again represent a slightly higher proportion (51%) compared to men, and movements by nationality are almost evenly balanced: 49.6% correspond to Spanish nationals. However, in relative terms compared to the total population of each group, foreign nationals move almost three times more frequently (97.8‰) than Spanish nationals (34.7‰).

In terms of age, the group that moves the most continues to be young adults. The average age of residents making internal moves increases slightly and stands at 35.11 years, being somewhat higher for women (36.78 years) than for men (34.43 years).

Movements within the city are generally multidirectional, but show consistent patterns of origin and destination (see Chart 53). A total of 43% of those who change residence remain within the same district, although this proportion decreases year after year. The districts with the highest retention capacity are Nou Barris (53.6%), Sarrià-Sant Gervasi (51%) and Sant Martí (49.4%). In contrast, Gràcia (29.3%) and Les Corts (31.8%) are the districts with the highest outflow of residents. At neighbourhood level, Raval, Vila de Gràcia and Nova Esquerra de l’Eixample record the highest levels of movement.

As in previous years, housing —in terms of availability, prices and legal framework— continues to be a key factor shaping expectations, possibilities and decisions regarding residential mobility within the city.

Figure 54: Changes of domicile by nationality (2013–2025)

6.4 Changes of nationality

Once again, the latest data on nationality changes reveal the growing importance of this legal procedure, through which a foreign national acquires —in the vast majority of cases in Barcelona— Spanish nationality. In 2025, a total of 21,581 nationality changes were recorded, 1.3% more than in 2024, representing a relatively modest increase compared to the year-on-year growth of 13.4% and 22.3% recorded in the two previous years. In any case, it should be noted that these data are subject to fluctuation and influenced by an increasingly volatile international context.

Of the total nationality changes recorded, women’s applications continue to gain weight and now account for 55% of the total. In an overwhelming majority of cases (95.8%), the nationality acquired is Spanish. The median age at nationality change continues to increase and stands at 32.88 years. There are no major changes at territorial level. Eixample (3,620 cases) and, very close, Sant Martí (2,944) and Nou Barris (2,942), are the districts with the highest number of nationality changes. The lowest figures are found in Sarrià-Sant Gervasi (1,076) and Les Corts (765). Raval (1,031) and Sagrada Família (789) lead the ranking at neighbourhood level.

Figure 55: Changes of nationality by district, 2025

Source: Barcelona City Council. Municipal Data Office. Department of Statistics and Data Dissemination. Reading of the Municipal Register of Inhabitants, as of 1 January 2026.
More information available at: Changes of citizenship, Changes of citizenship by sex, Average age of citizenship changes, Average age of citizenship changes by sex, Changes of citizenship by acquired citizenship (Spain/EU/Other foreign), Changes of citizenship by citizenship by acquired nacionality (Spain/EU/Rest of foreign).