Melilla: population, economy and official figures
Melilla is a province in Ciudad de Melilla, Spain. Melilla had 87,067 residents on 1 January 2025 and 0.18% of Spain; 55th largest of 59 provinces in Spain.
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Melilla: GDP per person was 23,000 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2023, 60% of the EU average (91% for Spain); 57th highest of 59 provinces in Spain.
- Poverty and living standards in Melilla: In 2024, 33.7% of residents of Melilla were below the poverty-risk threshold of 60% of Spain's median income, the highest share of the 59 provinces and islands (Spain: 20.2%).
Is the population of Melilla growing?
That is 2.4% more people than in 2015 (85,009).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow densely populated is Melilla?
There were 6,180.4 people per square kilometre in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the median age in Melilla?
The median age was 36.7 years in 2025, against 45.8 for Spain; the lowest of 59 provinces in Spain.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow old is the population of Melilla?
12.7% of residents were 65 or older and 19.6% were under 15 in 2025.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many births and deaths are there in Melilla?
In 2024 there were 795 live births and 434 deaths, a natural increase of 361.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow big is Melilla?
It covers 14 km².
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow much tax do people pay in Melilla?
Gross income per resident in Melilla was €16,343 in 2024; income tax and social security contributions took 10.3% of it, less than the national share of 19.1% (2nd lowest of 59).
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copyHow much debt does Melilla have?
The autonomous city of Melilla, which Hacienda lists among town halls, owed €65.0 million at the end of 2025, about €776 per resident against an average of €335 for Spanish town halls, 4th highest of 49 provinces.
Source: Ministerio de Hacienda · saved copyAre people moving to Melilla?
Net migration added 8.3 people per 1,000 residents in 2024, while births minus deaths gave a natural change of +4.2 per 1,000.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- The INE income atlas counted 83,743 residents in Melilla in 2024, with an average age of 37.4; 13.0% were 65 or over and 12.9% were foreign nationals. Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) · saved copy
- Melilla held 0.4% of all Spanish municipal debt at the end of 2025, while the area had 0.2% of the population. Source: Ministerio de Hacienda · saved copy
Figures come from Spain's own official statistics and from Eurostat's regional statistics for NUTS 3 areas. Comparisons with the EU average use purchasing power standards (PPS), which adjust for price differences.
Up a level: Ciudad de Melilla · all regions of Spain · how local power works in Spain
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_pjangrp3: Population on 1 January (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4c748d3cba3a…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_d3dens: Population density, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 f4b59fe9d121…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gdp: GDP per person, PPS (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3bf0fc662f56…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gdp: GDP, million euros (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 096e15e5fdb3…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3empers: Employment, thousand people (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 664e4e3a6dc0…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_pjanind3: Median age of the population (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7bf6ade55a0d…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_pjanind3: Share of people aged 65 or over (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 17aa0d08ab9c…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_fagec3: Live births (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 cfda9b5f4ebd…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset reg_area3: Area, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 75302b0aafe9…)
- 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 demo_r_gind3: Population change: demographic balance and crude rates by NUTS 3 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7548e948e15c…)
- 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: indicadores de renta media y mediana por provincias e islas, 2015-2024 (table 53689), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 883851a1be5e…)
- 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…)
- Ministerio de Hacienda: Deuda viva de las Entidades Locales a 31/12/2025: ayuntamientos, diputaciones, consejos y cabildos insulares, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 831355e52dd9…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.