Manresa recorded the fourth-highest annual increase in Social Security affiliation among Catalan municipalities with more than 50,000 residents in July 2026, according to provisional figures from Idescat, Catalonia's official statistics institute.

For Manresa residents, the 4.1% rise means the city’s registered employment base grew faster than Catalonia’s overall 3.2% annual rate. The figures measure people affiliated to Spain’s Social Security system by their registered place of residence.

Only three large Catalan cities recorded faster growth

Idescat placed Manresa among the four fastest-growing municipalities in the over-50,000 population group. The comparative annual increases were:

  • L'Hospitalet de Llobregat: 5.5%.
  • Vic: 4.2%.
  • Santa Coloma de Gramenet: 4.2%.
  • Manresa: 4.1%.

All Catalan municipalities with at least 50,000 residents recorded more Social Security affiliates than a year earlier, the institute said.

Catalonia adds 117,295 affiliates in a year

Across Catalonia, the number of Social Security affiliates increased by 117,295 between July 2025 and July 2026, reaching 3,796,075 people. That represents annual growth of 3.2%.

Idescat reported annual increases in every comarca, or county, and in Aran. The July 2026 figures are provisional.

Primary sources: idescat.cat, Idescat (official statistics). Reported by [email protected], Regió 7.