Madrid is experiencing a small demographic surprise: for the first time in six years, more children have been born in the Spanish capital than people have died. However, behind this positive news lies a far more complex reality.
Spain Expat Press Editorial Team
by Marlon Gallego Bosbach
According to the latest data, a total of 27,097 births were recorded in 2025, while 26,533 people died. This results in a slightly positive natural population growth of +564 people.
Population declines despite positive trend
Despite this rare surplus, Madrid’s total population has declined. The city currently has 3,497,277 residents, representing a decrease of around 30,647 people.
However, the reason for this is not a mass exodus, but rather a statistical adjustment: around 100,000 people were removed from the municipal register because they had not renewed their registration or no longer lived in Madrid.
Without this administrative effect, the city council says the population would have actually grown by around 70,000 residents.
Lower immigration, higher internal migration out of Spain’s capital
Changes are also evident in migration patterns. The number of new arrivals from abroad fell to 117,706 people, significantly fewer than in the previous year. At the same time, thousands of foreign residents left the city.
Within Spain, the balance is also negative: more people moved out of Madrid than moved in, with many relocating to nearby regions or cities such as Toledo or Valencia.
Both the number of Spanish and foreign residents has declined. The drop is particularly pronounced among the foreign population, which plays a key role in the capital’s growth.
Context: an exception rather than a trend
The situation in Madrid is notable, as Spain as a whole continues to struggle with an ageing population. Across the country, deaths have been significantly outnumbering births for years – a structural issue with long-term implications for the future.
