Economy, jobs and prices in Cantabria, Spain: official figures
GDP per person was 33,400 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2024, 84% of the EU average; 10th highest of 19 autonomous communities in Spain. PPS adjust for price differences between countries.
How big is the economy of Cantabria?
The regional economy produced €17.7 billion of output (GDP at market prices) in 2024, 1.1% of Spain's GDP.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Cantabria?
The unemployment rate (age 15 to 74) was 7.3% in 2025, against 10.5% for Spain and 6.0% across the EU; 18th highest of 19 autonomous communities in Spain.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is youth unemployment in Cantabria?
Youth unemployment (age 15 to 24) was 19.8% in 2025, against 24.9% for Spain; 15th highest of 19 autonomous communities in Spain.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow much does Cantabria spend on research and development?
Spending on research and development came to 0.98% of GDP in 2024 (1.50% nationally).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people in Cantabria are long-term unemployed?
In 2025, 2.0% of the labour force in Cantabria had been unemployed for 12 months or more, compared with 3.4% nationally and 1.9% in the EU; 3rd lowest of 19 autonomous communities in Spain. In 2015 it was 9.1%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate for women in Cantabria?
Unemployment among women was 7.8% in 2025, compared with 11.9% nationally and 6.2% in the EU; 2nd lowest of 19 autonomous communities in Spain. In 2015 it was 19.0%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many women in Cantabria are in work?
69.6% of women aged 20 to 64 were in work in 2025, compared with 67.6% nationally and 71.3% in the EU; 9th highest of 19 autonomous communities in Spain. In 2015 it was 57.0%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyIs the economy of Cantabria growing?
Output (gross value added, after inflation) changed by 2.9% in 2024, against 3.9% for Spain as a whole; 3rd lowest of 19 autonomous communities in Spain. In 2014 it was 1.1%.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many cars are there in Cantabria?
There were 570 passenger cars per 1,000 people in 2024, against 543 for Spain as a whole; 9th highest of 19 autonomous communities in Spain. In 2014 it was 491.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the average salary in Cantabria?
Employers paid an average of €24,772 per employee in 2024, counting wages, salaries and employer social contributions, against €25,604 across Spain; 9th highest of 19 autonomous communities in Spain.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many tourists visit Cantabria?
Hotels, campsites and other tourist accommodation recorded 6.2 million nights in 2025, 19% of them by visitors from abroad.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the main industry in Cantabria?
The largest part of the economy of Cantabria in 2024 was trade, transport, hospitality and communications, at 24.3% of gross value added, followed by finance, property and business services (24.1%).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow industrial is Cantabria?
Industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) made up 20.9% of output in 2024, against 15.6% for Spain.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow fast is the economy of Cantabria growing?
Gross value added rose from €11.3 billion in 2015 to €16.1 billion in 2024 in current prices, an increase of 43% before inflation.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat jobs do people do in Cantabria?
Of the 242,400 jobs located in Cantabria in 2024, 31% in public services, education, health and other services, 15% in industry and 2.3% in farming, forestry and fishing.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre jobs growing in Cantabria?
The number of people working in Cantabria rose by 12.3% between 2015 and 2024, to 242,400.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow Cantabria compares with other autonomous communities
Long-term unemployment (% of labour force) (2025)
Cantabria ranks 17 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Long-term unemployment (% of labour force) |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Navarre | 2.5% |
| 14 | Castilla y León | 2.3% |
| 15 | Basque Country | 2.3% |
| 16 | Aragón | 2.2% |
| 17 | Cantabria | 2.0% |
| 18 | La Rioja | 2.0% |
| 19 | Balearic Islands | 1.6% |
Unemployment rate, women (2025)
Cantabria ranks 18 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Unemployment rate, women |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | La Rioja | 9.3% |
| 14 | Catalonia | 9.2% |
| 15 | Navarre | 9.1% |
| 16 | Galicia | 8.7% |
| 17 | Madrid | 8.1% |
| 18 | Cantabria | 7.8% |
| 19 | Basque Country | 7.5% |
Employment rate, women aged 20-64 (2025)
Cantabria ranks 9 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Employment rate, women aged 20-64 |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Navarre | 70.8% |
| 7 | Galicia | 70.7% |
| 8 | Aragón | 70.3% |
| 9 | Cantabria | 69.6% |
| 10 | Castilla y León | 69.1% |
| 11 | Asturias | 68.4% |
| 12 | Valencian Community | 65.0% |
Real growth in gross value added (2024)
Cantabria ranks 17 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Real growth in gross value added |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Galicia | 3.4% |
| 14 | Castilla y León | 3.3% |
| 15 | Basque Country | 3.1% |
| 16 | Extremadura | 3.1% |
| 17 | Cantabria | 2.9% |
| 18 | Ciudad de Melilla | 1.5% |
| 19 | Ciudad de Ceuta | 1.3% |
Passenger cars per 1,000 people (2024)
Cantabria ranks 9 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Passenger cars per 1,000 people |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Madrid | 606 |
| 7 | Castilla y León | 601 |
| 8 | Castilla-La Mancha | 599 |
| 9 | Cantabria | 570 |
| 10 | Asturias | 546 |
| 11 | Murcia | 543 |
| 12 | Navarre | 538 |
Compensation per employee (euros) (2024)
Cantabria ranks 9 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Compensation per employee (euros) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Balearic Islands | €25,193 |
| 7 | Aragón | €25,127 |
| 8 | Asturias | €24,939 |
| 9 | Cantabria | €24,772 |
| 10 | La Rioja | €24,246 |
| 11 | Valencian Community | €23,836 |
| 12 | Galicia | €23,831 |
Nights spent in tourist accommodation (2025)
Cantabria ranks 13 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Nights spent in tourist accommodation |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Aragón | 9.0 million |
| 11 | Asturias | 6.5 million |
| 12 | Castilla-La Mancha | 6.3 million |
| 13 | Cantabria | 6.2 million |
| 14 | Murcia | 5.8 million |
| 15 | Navarre | 4.2 million |
| 16 | Extremadura | 4.0 million |
Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) (2024)
Cantabria ranks 7 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Aragón | 23.3% |
| 5 | Castilla-La Mancha | 22.7% |
| 6 | Castilla y León | 21.4% |
| 7 | Cantabria | 20.9% |
| 8 | Asturias | 20.6% |
| 9 | Murcia | 20.0% |
| 10 | Galicia | 19.0% |
Share of output from finance, property and business services (2024)
Cantabria ranks 9 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of output from finance, property and business services |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Asturias | 24.8% |
| 7 | Basque Country | 24.4% |
| 8 | Andalusia | 24.3% |
| 9 | Cantabria | 24.1% |
| 10 | Ciudad de Melilla | 22.3% |
| 11 | Galicia | 21.4% |
| 12 | Castilla y León | 20.7% |
Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services (2024)
Cantabria ranks 8 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Andalusia | 24.8% |
| 6 | Castilla y León | 23.9% |
| 7 | Castilla-La Mancha | 22.7% |
| 8 | Cantabria | 22.4% |
| 9 | Murcia | 22.3% |
| 10 | Asturias | 22.2% |
| 11 | Basque Country | 21.7% |
More on Cantabria: overview · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · government and politics · Spain
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2gdp: GDP per person (purchasing power standards), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c21f724d14a6…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2gdp: GDP per person (euros), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 537f99167955…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2gdp: GDP (million euros), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e3677c4e6d67…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset lfst_r_lfu3rt: Unemployment rate (age 15-74), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 13f5037ce93a…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset lfst_r_lfu3rt: Youth unemployment rate (age 15-24), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 83bb1aebc10b…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset lfst_r_lfe2emprt: Employment rate (age 20-64), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 03191283bf5f…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset rd_e_gerdreg: Research and development spending (% of GDP), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 36a9132b2284…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset lfst_r_lfu3rt: Unemployment rates by sex, age, educational attainment level and NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 ac151d8a46d5…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset lfst_r_lfe2emprt: Employment rates by sex, age and NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 51bfca80dc8b…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset tran_r_vehst: Stock of vehicles by category and NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5adf37bcb393…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2gvagr: Real growth rate of regional gross value added (GVA) at basic prices by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 ba2c4bdc7c37…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3empers: Employment (thousand persons) by NUTS 3 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 222a97c302d3…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gva: Gross value added at basic prices by NUTS 3 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c656e8563bdf…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_2coe: Compensation of employees by NUTS 2 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 895d7cc9e826…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset tour_occ_nin2: Nights spent at tourist accommodation establishments by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 06f6a82909c0…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset lfst_r_lfu2ltu: Long-term unemployment (12 months and more) by NUTS 2 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3d5d17a32863…)
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