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The Region of Murcia continues to experience strong population growth, gaining nearly 17,000 new residents over the past year. According to data released by the National Statistics Institute (INE) last week, the Region’s population now stands at 1,588,891 people, an increase of 16,898 people compared to the same date in 2024.

 

That figure represents an annual rise of 1 per cent and a 0.26 per cent increase in the first quarter of 2025 alone. Murcia ranks third among Spain’s autonomous communities for population growth so far this year, behind only Madrid and the Valencian Community. The national average was 0.15 per cent.

Of the 1.58 million people living in the Region, 1,334,235 are Spanish nationals while 254,656 are foreign residents, meaning 16 per cent are foreign nationals.

 

In Cartagena, the local census shows that population growth continues to be driven largely by immigration. The municipality added 841 residents in the past year, bringing the total to 222,205. Of those, 28,096 are foreign nationals, who now make up 12 per cent of the local population.

 

The number of foreigners in Cartagena has risen steadily in recent years, with 3,245 more than were registered in 2020. The largest foreign community remains Moroccan, with 12,468 residents — roughly the size of the entire population of Beniel. They are followed by British nationals (2,286), Colombians (2,012), Ukrainians (1,042), and Ecuadorians (929). Rounding out the top ten are Romanians, Venezuelans, Chinese, Germans, and Bolivians.

 

Coastal areas are also proving especially popular with foreign residents. On the southern shore of the Mar Menor, towns like Los Urrutias and Los Nietos have become increasingly popular with international residents. In Los Urrutias, the population has nearly doubled in five years to 1,382 people, 609 of whom are foreigners. Los Nietos has seen a similar pattern, now home to 1,678 residents, including 529 from outside Spain.

 

La Manga, the long sandy strip dividing the Mar Menor from the Mediterranean, also continues to grow. Its Cartagena section now has 2,526 registered residents, with around one in five coming from overseas. Nearby Cabo de Palos has remained stable, with a slight dip of five people, keeping its population close to 1,100.

 

While smaller inland towns such as Canteras and Molinos Marfagones have seen little change, the general trend across the region is clear, Murcia is becoming increasingly diverse, with the number of foreign residents steadily rising year on year.

 

 

Image: Emilio Sánchez Hernández/Pexels