Barcelona’s registered population has stayed broadly stable at 1,729,963 residents in 2026, a 0.1% fall from the previous year, according to the city council’s Department of Statistics and Data Dissemination. The figure is still the second highest in 40 years, underlining a period of demographic stability in the Catalan capital.
The council said the balance is being shaped by low birth rates and an ageing population, partly offset by migration. In 2025, Barcelona recorded 11,012 births, the lowest since 1900, excluding 1939, and 14,557 deaths, leaving a natural decrease of 3,549 people. That was countered by a positive migratory and administrative balance of 11,383.
The city’s average age has risen to 44.6 years. Households with minors now account for 21.4% of the total, while almost a third of homes are single-person households, according to the same study.
Barcelona also recorded a historic high of 1,196 centenarians. Women make up 82% of that group, and the study says the wider population also shows a clear female majority in older age brackets.
Education levels continue to rise. Some 37.4% of residents aged 16 and over have higher education qualifications, including 39.6% of women and 35% of men. Among the foreign-born population, the figure rises to 42.7%, and it reaches 44% among new residents.
Foreign residents now number 460,409, or 26.6% of the population, from 181 nationalities. People born abroad total 626,924 residents, with 53.2% from the American continent. Argentina, Colombia and Pakistan remain among the main countries of origin. By district, seven of the ten areas saw slight falls, while Ciutat Vella, Nou Barris and Sant Andreu recorded small increases. Ciutat Vella also has the highest share of foreign residents, at 54.8%. For more local coverage, see our news page.
