By Andrew Atkinson
Alicante’s population figures have risen and are closing in to be amongst Spain’s top 10 cities, alongside Bilbao.
Data on the Municipal register reports Playa de San Juan has increased residents, with 641 more people registered in 2022, with rural areas increasing by 162.
The area north of Alicante has over 25,000, being the most populous neighbourhood ahead of Polígono de San Blas.
The split of the PAU 1 Juan Pablo II from the original neighbourhood, has seen it move into third place behind San Juan and Carolinas Altas.
Playa de San Juan is experiencing high growth, due to an increase in the number of flats from the PAU 5 developments, increasing by 2.6% in 2021.
Rural districts increased by 2.2% in 2021 and Palmeral-Urbanova-Tabarca by 2%.
The southern outskirts of Alicante has increased in foreign population, by 8.8% in the Palm-Urbanova and 11.5% in San Gabriel.
The Colonia Requena foreign population in the north remains the highest, being the only district in Alicante in which half of its residents are non-Spanish.
Neighbourhoods, including Virgin of the Remedy, Nou Alacant and Casco Antiguo, the number of foreigners percentages is 37.5%, 32.5% and 31.9%, respectively.
Divina Pastora, Garden City High and Florida are the biggest ranking districts with loss of Spanish population.
The General population of Altozano-Conde Lumiares, Pla of the Bon Repos and Ensache council, are the neighbourhoods which have seen a decrease in 2022, by 148, 145 and 102 residents, respectively.
