Who lives in Torrevieja 2018?

Last updated on February 19th, 2020 at 01:24 am.

The most recent padrón statistics show changes in the local population. We look in more detail at what they tell us and why all residents should be registered.

The padrón is the town census which should include the names of all the people who live there. The latest statistics recorded in Torrevieja suggest that there are some noticeable trends relating to the countries where residents originate from. Russians and Ukranians have recently increased in number whereas as the English and German population have decreased.

What’s perhaps particularly surprising to note is that the town’s residents come from altogether 115 countries around the world. It is a truly multicultural town with a vast number of languages and cultures being celebrated. It’s also one where the local population generally gets on well as part of a harmonious and vibrant cultural environment.

Statistical breakdown

Altogether there are 84,959 residents living in Torrevieja, at least that are registered on the padrón. Of these 51,022 are Spanish whilst the rest (33,937) are foreigners. The number of men and women is about the same with 42,400 men being recorded against 42,559 women. A large proportion of the population are of pensioner age.

In 2012 there were around 13,000 residents originally from the UK. However, now the number recorded is only 4,777. Residents from Germany and France have also fallen considerably as well as some from Latin American countries. On the other hand, January’s padrón figures suggest that Russians are on the increase here. This is now the country of origin of the second largest group with 4,341 residents of Russian origin followed by Ukranians (2,825).

Further down the list is Morocco with 2,514, Rumania with 1,699, Bulgaria with 1,576 and Colombia with 1,094. There are reckoned to be 1,080 Swedish people resident in the town and 1,044 Germans. The number of Chinese people has increased to 969 registered names, a trend which is also noted in Elche and other parts of Alicante.

Torrevieja has an aging population. Since 2012 the number of children and young people less than 15 years old has dropped from 12,824 to 11,628. The number between 20 and 40 years old has risen to 19,681 and from 40 to 60 years olds now number 25,620.

For the age group 60 to 80 years old there are a total of 19,617 people registered and from 80 to 100 years old there are 4,560 on the padrón. There are now 25 residents here who are more than 100 years of age! Of these six are men and 19 are women. Altogether there are more than 24,000 inhabitants who are 60 or older.

The big boom for Torrevieja came in the 90s when the town’s population increased from 23,192 in 1990 to 50,189 a decade later in 2000. This increase continued into the first decade of the 21st century until 2013. At its peak the number on the padrón reached 105,205 inhabitants. Since then the figure has dropped. In 2014 there were 91,415 registered inhabitants of the town and in 2015 there were 88,447. The number registered this year brings the town back to the same number of inhabitants as was recorded in 2005.

Sign up

In areas such as Torrevieja, where many people have settled from different countries, signing up on the padrón can be a hit and miss activity. This is a shame as being registered on the padrón makes a difference to the amount of money that local government can claim from the central state budget. This is the money that goes towards funding many of the services and much of the infrastructure that the town depends on.

There are also benefits for local residents who sign up. Being on the padrón means that you can get discounts to some events, can use the bus services more cheaply and take advantage of local services like the town library. In most areas it is essential if you want to benefit from state medical care and education.

Signing on the padrón does not take long if you have the correct paperwork in place. It brings benefits to the town and the individuals who do it and really is a must for anyone who wants to make Spain their home.