The municipality of Orihuela has reached nearly 89,000 registered residents, driven by strong population growth along the coast, which rose by 7.7% over the past year.
Orihuela faces the ongoing challenge of balancing development and resources between Orihuela Costa, the city centre and its outlying districts. According to data from the municipal register, the municipality closed 2025 with a population close to 89,000, confirming a sustained upward demographic trend that is accelerating year on year.
Figures released by the Department of Statistics, headed by councillor María del Carmen Portugal, show that the population increased by 3.7% compared with 2024, adding 3,245 new residents.
As in previous years, growth has been driven primarily by Orihuela Costa, which recorded a sharp rise of 7.7% — 2.7 percentage points higher than in 2024, when growth stood at 5%. This means the coastal area is now home to 30,171 registered residents, narrowing the gap with Orihuela city, which has 33,260 inhabitants after a modest increase of just 1.1%.
Together, Orihuela city and Orihuela Costa account for 71% of the municipality’s total population, confirming their dominance as the two main population centres.
Calls for Greater Investment and Political Representation
The strong growth on the coast has reinforced long-standing demands from residents’ associations and the Party for the Independence of Orihuela Costa (PIOC) for public investment to reflect the area’s real population and its contribution to municipal finances. Campaigns are also under way ahead of the 2027 municipal elections to encourage residents to register on the census, as it is estimated that more than 60,000 people actually live year-round in the coastal area.
In the last local elections, the PIOC secured five of the six representatives on District Board X but narrowly missed winning a seat on the municipal council, falling just 100 votes short with 1,382 ballots. The party’s stated aim is to ensure direct representation for Orihuela Costa in the town hall.
Growth in the Outlying Districts
Beyond the city and the coast, several districts recorded population increases of more than 5% during 2025, including Barbarroja, Corrientes Bajas, Corrientes Medias, Los Huertos, Media Legua, Molino de la Ciudad and Torremendo.
La Murada remains the most populous district, with 3,382 residents and growth of 1.6%, followed by La Aparecida, which now has 2,298 inhabitants after a 2.9% increase. Camino Viejo de Callosa was the only district to register a population decline over the year.
A Municipality of Many Nationalities
In terms of nationality, British residents remain the largest foreign community in Orihuela Costa, followed by Spanish and Ukrainian nationals. In the urban centre, after Spanish citizens, the most numerous groups are Moroccan and Colombian.
Overall, Spanish nationals make up 60.4% of the municipality’s population. However, Torremendo stands out as an exception, where British residents account for 41% of the population, compared with 31% who are Spanish.
