Cities
Spain — Valencia
Valencia's city council reported 844,424 inhabitants on 1 January 2025 in its municipal register, of whom 165,636 (19.61%) were foreign nationals; the national statistics institute's preliminary figure for the same date was 841,169, and a later council note gave a final figure of 840,792, so the early count was revised down. In 2026 the council reported 858,178 inhabitants in provisional data. Decree 61/2017 of the Generalitat Valenciana regulates the institutional and administrative use of Valencian and Castilian in the Generalitat's administration, declares Valencian the Generalitat's own language and does not limit the use of Castilian.
Why this matters
Valencia offers a lower cost-of-living, mid-sized-city alternative to Madrid and Barcelona while still being a genuine economic hub: the Port of Valencia, run by the Autoridad Portuaria de Valencia, is the leading container port on the Spanish Mediterranean coast, and the Generalitat Valenciana has designated the city's port and innovation zone as the "'46 Valencia Mediterranean Tech Hub" urban technology enclave to concentrate tech, startup and digital-industry activity. The city also has a substantial and growing international population — per the Ayuntamiento's own padrón breakdown, 19.61% of registered residents (165,636 people) hold foreign nationality, with Colombia, Italy, Venezuela, Ukraine and China among the largest countries of origin. Connectivity is strong and improving: Valencia Airport (Manises) closed 2025 with a record 11.8 million passengers (Aena), and the city sits on Adif's high-speed AVE corridor to Madrid.
Key facts
- Valencia's municipal register showed 844,424 inhabitants on 1 January 2025, of whom 165,636 (19.61%) were foreign nationals; INE's preliminary figure for that date was 841,169.
- A later council note gave a final figure of 840,792 for 1 January 2025.
- The council reported 858,178 inhabitants in provisional 2026 data.
- Decree 61/2017 regulates the use of Valencian and Castilian in the Generalitat's administration and declares Valencian its own language without limiting Castilian.
Common mistakes
- Quoting the first population figure without noting it was revised.