Covilhã: population and statistics
Covilhã has a population of 51,045 (2025) across 555.6 km², or 91.9 people per km². It ranks 59 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +7.3% between 2021 and 2025.
- 51,045 residents
- 555.6 km²
- 92 people/km²
- 597 m
Key points
Among the 11 municipalities in Castelo Branco, Covilhã ranks No. 2 by population.
Rented usual residences: 25.5% in Covilhã, compared with an average of 16.8% in Castelo Branco and 22.4% nationally.
Usual residences without heating: 8.4% in Covilhã, compared with an average of 9.8% in Castelo Branco and 30.7% nationally.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 16.4% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 35° generates about 1,569 kWh a year here.
Covilhã in numbers
Where is Covilhã?
Population of Covilhã over time
Covilhã had 47,585 residents in 2021 and 51,045 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 47,585 |
| 2022 | 48,904 |
| 2023 | 50,165 |
| 2024 | 50,901 |
| 2025 | 51,045 |
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Castelo Branco for “Population density”.
- Number 1 in Castelo Branco for “Elevation”.
- “Rented usual residences”: higher than in 92% of municipalities.
- “Usual residences without heating”: lower than in 91% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 77,815 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Manteigas, 13.3 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Viseu (109,166 residents), 54 km away.
All indicators for Covilhã
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 | Covilhã | Castelo Branco | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population aged 65 and over (2025) | 29.2% | 31.1% | 26.9% | ranked 122 of 307 | |
| Population under 15 (2025) | 10.4% | 10.8% | 11.7% | ranked 229 of 307 | |
| Ageing index (older people per 100 young people) (2025) | 280.2 | – | 229.9 | ranked 105 of 307 | |
| Population density (inhabitants per km²) (2025) | 91.9 inh./km² | – | 69.6 inh./km² | ranked 131 of 307 | |
| Population change between 2021 and 2025 (2025) | 7.27% | – | 4.50% | ranked 83 of 307 |
Housing
| Indicator | Covilhã | Castelo Branco | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings (2021) | 22,027 | 116,715 | 3,573,416 | ranked 42 of 308 | |
| Buildings built before 1946 (2021) | 14.1% | 13.8% | 12.8% | ranked 128 of 307 | |
| Buildings built since 2001 (2021) | 13.7% | 14.3% | 16.8% | ranked 239 of 307 | |
| Buildings in need of medium or extensive repair (2021) | 19.1% | 16.5% | 14.2% | ranked 49 of 307 | |
| Conventional family dwellings (2021) | 35,628 | 152,205 | 5,970,677 | ranked 41 of 308 | |
| Dwellings used as secondary residences (2021) | 27.8% | 33.5% | 25.8% | ranked 134 of 307 | |
| Vacant dwellings (2021) | 15.4% | 13.8% | 13.1% | ranked 95 of 307 | |
| Owner-occupied usual residences (2021) | 68.1% | 76.9% | 77.8% | ranked 270 of 307 | |
| Rented usual residences (2021) | 25.5% | 16.8% | 13.6% | ranked 26 of 307 | |
| Usual residences in buildings with 3 or more dwellings (2021) | 45.7% | 34.3% | 13.8% | ranked 39 of 307 | |
| Median selling price of housing per m² (2025) | 1,114 €/m² | – | 1,108 €/m² | ranked 150 of 305 |
Energy
| Indicator | Covilhã | Castelo Branco | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usual residences without heating (2021) | 8.4% | 9.8% | 18.6% | ranked 276 of 307 | |
| Usual residences with central heating (2021) | 18.1% | 15.2% | 12.6% | ranked 111 of 307 | |
| Electricity consumption per inhabitant (2024) | 4,878 kWh/inh. | 5,524 kWh/inh. | 3,690 kWh/inh. | ranked 77 of 307 |
Economy
| Indicator | Covilhã | Castelo Branco | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprises (2023) | 5,230 | 21,319 | 1,510,274 | ranked 71 of 308 | |
| Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2023) | 104.3 | 114.3 | 128.1 | ranked 272 of 307 | |
| Declared gross income per inhabitant (2024) | 11,090 € | 10,949 € | 10,553 € | ranked 119 of 307 | |
| Purchasing power per capita (Portugal = 100) (2023) | 89.2 | 85.6 | 79.5 | ranked 77 of 307 |
Employment
| Indicator | Covilhã | Castelo Branco | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate (2021) | 7.7% | 6.5% | 7.0% | ranked 108 of 307 | |
| Average monthly earnings of employees (2024) | 1,310 € | – | 1,258 € | ranked 115 of 307 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Covilhã | Castelo Branco | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays in tourist accommodation (2025) | 349,022 | 845,777 | 82,011,658 | ranked 37 of 307 | |
| Overnight stays per 100 inhabitants (2025) | 684.7 | 448.0 | 275.0 | ranked 66 of 306 | |
| Share of overnight stays in local accommodation (alojamento local) (2025) | 6.8% | – | 18.4% | ranked 149 of 178 |
Education
| Indicator | Covilhã | Castelo Branco | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population with completed higher education (2021) | 19.9% | 17.3% | 13.2% | ranked 46 of 307 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Covilhã
Business sectors: Covilhã
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Wholesale and retail trade16.4% ×1.1
- Administrative and support services13.0% ×0.8
- Professional, scientific and technical11.6% ×1.1
- Health and social work9.3% ×1.2
- Accommodation and food services7.9% ×1.0
- Construction7.1% ×1.0
- Education6.9% ×1.6
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing6.4% ×0.8
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Covilhã?
Covilhã has 51,045 residents (2025), ranking 59 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Covilhã?
Covilhã covers 555.6 km², with a density of 92 people per km².
Is the population of Covilhã growing?
Between 2021 and 2025, the population of Covilhã went from 47,585 to 51,045, a change of +7.3%.
Where is Covilhã?
Covilhã is in Castelo Branco. Latitude 40.283, longitude −7.500.
Rented usual residences: what is the figure for Covilhã?
In Covilhã, “Rented usual residences” stands at 25.5% (2021), ranking 26 of 307 municipalities; the national median is 13.6%.
Usual residences without heating: what is the figure for Covilhã?
In Covilhã, “Usual residences without heating” stands at 8.4% (2021), ranking 276 of 307 municipalities; the national median is 18.6%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Covilhã?
In Covilhã, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 35° produces about 1,569 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Covilhã?
The nearest to Covilhã are Manteigas (13 km), Belmonte (16 km), Fundão (17 km), Seia (23 km), Gouveia (26 km).
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