While much of inland Spain continues to lose population, the opposite is happening in Paredes de Nava, in the province of Palencia. The municipality is close to reaching 2,000 inhabitants again — a level it had lost more than a decade ago.
The change has not been driven by a single policy, but by a combination of managed migration and an unusual housing model offering affordable rents.
Housing instead of decline
After the pandemic, the local council created a dedicated repopulation office, supported by Spain’s Ministry for Demographic Challenge and Ecological Transition.
In 2024, it began collaborating with the real-estate SOCIMI TuTecho, a social landlord providing housing for people without stable accommodation.
The company initially purchased four houses and later expanded to eleven properties in the village. These are rented to the municipality and then offered to new residents at moderate prices.
The logic is simple: in many Spanish villages there is virtually no rental market left. New arrivals often cannot settle because they cannot find a home. This model addresses precisely that barrier.
Migration brings life back
The results are already visible. Around 150 new residents have moved in, roughly three-quarters from abroad — mainly from Latin America, Cuba and Argentina.
The mayor sees the initiative as a potential model for Spain as a whole: combining migration with available housing could ease both urban housing shortages and rural depopulation.
TuTecho has since extended the concept to several municipalities that are deliberately creating rental housing to attract new inhabitants.
From city life to village life
One example is Antonio Mendez, who initially moved with his family from Buenos Aires to Madrid but quickly wanted to leave. Life was too hectic and expensive. Today he works as an electrician in the village and considers himself settled. His family has since joined him.
Stories like this are increasingly common. Many newcomers are not only searching for lower rents, but also safety, community and long-term prospects.
Jobs available
Contrary to stereotypes, the region does not lack employment. In the province of Palencia more than 1,200 positions remain unfilled, in addition to industrial jobs linked to the nearby Renault plant.
The local economy is also expanding: alongside agriculture, tanning and wool processing, a new olive-oil refinery is being built, expected to create around 100 jobs.
The challenge is no longer finding work
A possible future model for the rest of Spain
What is happening here points to a possible path forward: while large cities struggle with housing shortages, smaller towns with affordable homes and targeted migration may begin to grow again.
