Esposende: population and statistics
Esposende has a population of 39,069 (2025) across 95.4 km², or 410 people per km². It ranks 78 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +9.7% between 2021 and 2025.
- 39,069 residents
- 95.4 km²
- 410 people/km²
- −1 m
Key points
Among the 14 municipalities in Braga, Esposende ranks No. 7 by population.
Vacant dwellings: 6.7% in Esposende, compared with an average of 8.7% in Braga and 11.7% nationally.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 16.3% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 36° generates about 1,474 kWh a year here.
Esposende in numbers
Where is Esposende?
Population of Esposende over time
Esposende had 35,625 residents in 2021 and 39,069 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 35,625 |
| 2022 | 36,799 |
| 2023 | 37,866 |
| 2024 | 38,607 |
| 2025 | 39,069 |
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Braga for “Population change over 4 years”.
- Number 1 in Braga for “Population under 15”.
- “Vacant dwellings”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Ageing index (older people per 100 young people)”: lower than in 91% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 13,363 football pitches.
- Its population density is 3.3 times the national average.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Barcelos (122,487 residents), 14 km away.
All indicators for Esposende
Value for the municipality, then the regional average and the national median (for counts: regional and national totals). The gauge places the municipality between the lowest and highest value in the country.
Population
| Indicator | Esposende | Braga | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population aged 65 and over (2025) | 20.8% | 21.8% | 26.9% | ranked 273 of 307 | |
| Population under 15 (2025) | 13.5% | 12.5% | 11.7% | ranked 32 of 307 | |
| Ageing index (older people per 100 young people) (2025) | 154.0 | – | 229.9 | ranked 278 of 307 | |
| Population density (inhabitants per km²) (2025) | 409.5 inh./km² | – | 69.6 inh./km² | ranked 45 of 307 | |
| Population change between 2021 and 2025 (2025) | 9.67% | – | 4.50% | ranked 50 of 307 |
Housing
| Indicator | Esposende | Braga | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings (2021) | 15,968 | 278,807 | 3,573,416 | ranked 72 of 308 | |
| Buildings built before 1946 (2021) | 4.4% | 7.9% | 12.8% | ranked 299 of 307 | |
| Buildings built since 2001 (2021) | 24.4% | 24.0% | 16.8% | ranked 33 of 307 | |
| Buildings in need of medium or extensive repair (2021) | 9.2% | 11.6% | 14.2% | ranked 263 of 307 | |
| Conventional family dwellings (2021) | 22,045 | 404,815 | 5,970,677 | ranked 79 of 308 | |
| Dwellings used as secondary residences (2021) | 37.0% | 14.0% | 25.8% | ranked 76 of 307 | |
| Vacant dwellings (2021) | 6.7% | 8.7% | 13.1% | ranked 304 of 307 | |
| Owner-occupied usual residences (2021) | 79.4% | 71.3% | 77.8% | ranked 129 of 307 | |
| Rented usual residences (2021) | 12.0% | 20.3% | 13.6% | ranked 185 of 307 | |
| Usual residences in buildings with 3 or more dwellings (2021) | 21.7% | 31.9% | 13.8% | ranked 107 of 307 | |
| Median selling price of housing per m² (2025) | 2,118 €/m² | – | 1,108 €/m² | ranked 53 of 305 |
Energy
| Indicator | Esposende | Braga | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usual residences without heating (2021) | 28.0% | 25.3% | 18.6% | ranked 93 of 307 | |
| Usual residences with central heating (2021) | 30.5% | 22.9% | 12.6% | ranked 39 of 307 | |
| Electricity consumption per inhabitant (2024) | 3,310 kWh/inh. | 4,196 kWh/inh. | 3,690 kWh/inh. | ranked 204 of 307 |
Economy
| Indicator | Esposende | Braga | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprises (2023) | 5,395 | 107,267 | 1,510,274 | ranked 69 of 308 | |
| Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2023) | 142.5 | 121.2 | 128.1 | ranked 94 of 307 | |
| Declared gross income per inhabitant (2024) | 11,535 € | 11,127 € | 10,553 € | ranked 89 of 307 | |
| Purchasing power per capita (Portugal = 100) (2023) | 88.0 | 88.8 | 79.5 | ranked 87 of 307 |
Employment
| Indicator | Esposende | Braga | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate (2021) | 5.2% | 7.0% | 7.0% | ranked 256 of 307 | |
| Average monthly earnings of employees (2024) | 1,245 € | – | 1,258 € | ranked 169 of 307 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Esposende | Braga | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays in tourist accommodation (2025) | 183,982 | 1,864,986 | 82,011,658 | ranked 60 of 307 | |
| Overnight stays per 100 inhabitants (2025) | 473.7 | 207.4 | 275.0 | ranked 100 of 306 |
Education
| Indicator | Esposende | Braga | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population with completed higher education (2021) | 20.2% | 18.3% | 13.2% | ranked 45 of 307 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Esposende
Business sectors: Esposende
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Wholesale and retail trade16.3% ×1.1
- Construction11.0% ×1.5
- Administrative and support services10.5% ×0.6
- Professional, scientific and technical10.2% ×1.0
- Accommodation and food services8.5% ×1.0
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing8.5% ×1.1
- Health and social work7.6% ×1.0
- Manufacturing7.5% ×1.6
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Esposende?
Esposende has 39,069 residents (2025), ranking 78 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Esposende?
Esposende covers 95.4 km², with a density of 410 people per km².
Is the population of Esposende growing?
Between 2021 and 2025, the population of Esposende went from 35,625 to 39,069, a change of +9.7%.
Where is Esposende?
Esposende is in Braga. Latitude 41.533, longitude −8.783.
Vacant dwellings: what is the figure for Esposende?
In Esposende, “Vacant dwellings” stands at 6.7% (2021), ranking 304 of 307 municipalities; the national median is 13.1%.
Ageing index (older people per 100 young people): what is the figure for Esposende?
In Esposende, “Ageing index (older people per 100 young people)” stands at 154.0 (2025), ranking 278 of 307 municipalities; the national median is 229.9.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Esposende?
In Esposende, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 36° produces about 1,474 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Esposende?
The nearest to Esposende are Barcelos (14 km), Póvoa de Varzim (16 km), Viana do Castelo (19 km), Vila do Conde (21 km), Vila Nova de Famalicão (26 km).
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