Poverty and living standards in Barcelona (Catalonia, Spain): official figures
16.0% of people in the province of Barcelona lived on less than 60% of the national median income per consumption unit in 2024, the usual poverty-risk line, compared with 20.2% across Spain (11th lowest of 59).
How many people are in severe poverty in Barcelona province?
Severe low income, below 40% of the median, affected 7.2% of the population of Barcelona in 2024 (Spain: 8.9%); the share below 60% has fallen 0.6 points since 2015, when it was 16.6%.
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyWhat is the crime rate in Barcelona province?
Police recorded 377,960 criminal offences in the province of Barcelona in 2025, down 2.9% on 2024, about 65 per 1,000 residents against 51 nationally (3rd highest of 59).
Source: Ministerio del Interior · saved copyHow many burglaries are there in Barcelona province?
Police in Barcelona recorded 133,240 thefts (hurtos) in 2025, down 4.5% on 2024, and 10,066 burglaries of homes, 1.7 per 1,000 residents (13th highest of 59).
Source: Ministerio del Interior · saved copyWhat is the average household size in Barcelona province?
Households in Barcelona had 2.60 members on average in 2024, and 26.8% of homes held one person (Spain: 2.50 and 29.1%).
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyMore figures
- Women in Barcelona were more likely than men to be below the 60% poverty line in 2024: 16.1% against 15.8%. Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copy
- At the other end, 14.4% of residents of Barcelona had more than twice the national median income per consumption unit in 2024, 7th highest of 59 (Spain: 10.6%). Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copy
- Violent robberies in Barcelona totalled 22,034 in 2025 (21,832 in 2024), and police logged 3,278 sexual offences and 228 murders or attempted murders. Source: Ministerio del Interior · saved copy
- Cybercrime made up 14.4% of recorded offences in Barcelona in 2025 (54,351 cases, 50,763 of them online fraud), against 19.8% across Spain. Source: Ministerio del Interior · saved copy
How Barcelona compares with other provinces in Spain
Population below 60% of the median income (2024)
Barcelona ranks 49 of 59, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Population below 60% of the median income |
|---|---|---|
| 46 | Huesca | 16.2% |
| 47 | Madrid | 16.2% |
| 48 | Zaragoza | 16.1% |
| 49 | Barcelona | 16.0% |
| 50 | Soria | 16.0% |
| 51 | Navarra | 15.8% |
| 52 | Valladolid | 15.8% |
Population above 200% of the median income (2024)
Barcelona ranks 7 of 59, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Population above 200% of the median income |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Ceuta | 16.0% |
| 5 | Eivissa y Formentera | 15.7% |
| 6 | Melilla | 14.5% |
| 7 | Barcelona | 14.4% |
| 8 | Araba/Álava | 14.2% |
| 9 | Navarra | 13.3% |
| 10 | Mallorca | 12.3% |
Recorded criminal offences per 1,000 residents (2025)
Barcelona ranks 3 of 59, highest first. per 1,000 residents, using the 2024 population in the INE income atlas
| Rank | Area | Recorded criminal offences per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eivissa y Formentera | 82.9 |
| 2 | Mallorca | 70.1 |
| 3 | Barcelona | 64.9 |
| 4 | Girona | 61.3 |
| 5 | Fuerteventura | 61.0 |
| 6 | Málaga | 58.9 |
| 7 | Madrid | 56.1 |
Home burglaries per 1,000 residents (2025)
Barcelona ranks 13 of 59, highest first. per 1,000 residents, using the 2024 population in the INE income atlas
| Rank | Area | Home burglaries per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Toledo | 1.89 |
| 11 | Eivissa y Formentera | 1.86 |
| 12 | Bizkaia | 1.77 |
| 13 | Barcelona | 1.73 |
| 14 | Cantabria | 1.72 |
| 15 | Cuenca | 1.60 |
| 16 | Soria | 1.56 |
Change in recorded offences, 2024 to 2025 (2025)
Barcelona ranks 56 of 59, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Change in recorded offences, 2024 to 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 53 | Pontevedra | -1.4% |
| 54 | Madrid | -1.7% |
| 55 | Lleida | -2.4% |
| 56 | Barcelona | -2.9% |
| 57 | Tarragona | -6.1% |
| 58 | La Palma | -9.1% |
| 59 | La Gomera | -15.5% |
More on Barcelona: overview · economy and jobs · government budget · Catalonia · Spain
Sources
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE): Atlas de Distribución de Renta de los Hogares (ADRH) 2024: indicadores demográficos por provincias e islas (table 53776), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 bc6dcbf12939…)
- Ministerio del Interior: Balance de Criminalidad, cuarto trimestre 2025: infracciones penales registradas en comunidades, provincias, islas y municipios de más de 20.000 habitantes, enero a diciembre 2025, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 6b3532029406…)
- Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE): Atlas de Distribución de Renta de los Hogares (ADRH) 2024: población con ingresos por unidad de consumo por debajo/encima de umbrales relativos, por sexo, provincias e islas (table 53694), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 f50367749a3d…)
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