Seasonal Population Estimates. 2024
In 2024, El Port de la Selva and Pals topped the list for positive seasonal population, recording a summer population five times the size of the census population. El Port de la Selva welcomed an average of 4,626 people per day in addition to the 1,058 inhabitants, while Pals welcomed 11,214 on average per day in the third quarter of 2024 in addition to the 2,583 inhabitants.
Also notable are Santa Susanna and Sant Pere Pescador, which quadrupled the average population in the third quarter, and Tossa de Mar, Colera and Salou, which tripled it. In addition, 19 municipalities doubled the average population in summer, among them inland tourist municipalities such as Alp, La Vall de Boí and Prades.
The seasonal population (which reflects the inflows and outflows of the population for reasons of work, study and tourism) shows that the highest seasonal population values in relative terms were recorded in the third quarter of the year, predominantly in coastal municipalities.
An analysis of the seasonal population in county capitals reveals that 14 county capitals recorded a positive seasonal population in every quarter of the year: Amposta, Falset, Girona, Montblanc, El Pont de Suert, Puigcerdà, Ripoll, Solsona, Sort, Tarragona, Tortosa, Tremp, El Vendrell and Vielha e Mijaran. By contrast, 17 county capitals recorded a negative seasonal population in every quarter of the year: Balaguer, Banyoles, La Bisbal d’Empordà, Les Borges Blanques, Cervera, Mataró, Moià, Olot, Prats de Lluçanès, Reus, Sabadell, Sant Feliu de Llobregat, Santa Coloma de Farners, La Seu d’Urgell, Tàrrega, Terrassa and Vilafranca del Penedès.
As regards the annual average municipal seasonal population, of the 486 municipalities for which results are provided, 174 recorded a positive seasonal population and 312 a negative seasonal population. Among the municipalities with a positive seasonal population (i.e., where the population present in the municipality exceeded the census population), the most notable in relative terms are El Port de la Selva (with an increase of 189.7% over the census population), Pals (165.9%) and Santa Susanna (164.5%). Sant Julià del Llor i Bonmatí (−19.6%), Sant Climent de Llobregat (−18.2%) and Almoster (−17.9%) stood out among the municipalities where the seasonal population was negative.
In absolute terms, Barcelona was the municipality in Catalonia with the highest seasonal population, an annual full-time equivalent (FTE) population of 98,127. Salou (31,778) and Lloret de Mar (18,639) also stood out. On the other hand, the municipalities with the highest negative seasonal population were L’Hospitalet de Llobregat (AFTE population of −20,076) and Badalona (−17,670).