Sabugal: population and statistics
Sabugal has a population of 9,368 (2025) across 822.7 km², or 11.4 people per km². It ranks 194 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −3.0% between 2021 and 2025.
- 9,368 residents
- 822.7 km²
- 11 people/km²
- 756 m
Key points
Among the 14 municipalities in Guarda, Sabugal ranks No. 4 by population.
Usual residences without heating: 5.5% in Sabugal, compared with an average of 8.8% in Guarda and 30.7% nationally.
Dwellings used as secondary residences: 52.8% in Sabugal, compared with an average of 36.1% in Guarda and 15.8% nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 26.0% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 35° generates about 1,538 kWh a year here.
Sabugal in numbers
Where is Sabugal?
Population of Sabugal over time
Sabugal had 9,656 residents in 2021 and 9,368 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 9,656 |
| 2022 | 9,487 |
| 2023 | 9,482 |
| 2024 | 9,434 |
| 2025 | 9,368 |
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Guarda for “Dwellings used as secondary residences”.
- “Usual residences without heating”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Dwellings used as secondary residences”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Population aged 65 and over”: higher than in 97% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 115,224 football pitches.
- Its population density is 10.9 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Penamacor, 21.6 km away.
All indicators for Sabugal
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 | Sabugal | Guarda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population aged 65 and over (2025) | 41.5% | 34.7% | 26.9% | ranked 10 of 307 | |
| Population under 15 (2025) | 9.0% | 9.7% | 11.7% | ranked 273 of 307 | |
| Ageing index (older people per 100 young people) (2025) | 461.1 | – | 229.9 | ranked 20 of 307 | |
| Population density (inhabitants per km²) (2025) | 11.4 inh./km² | – | 69.6 inh./km² | ranked 276 of 307 | |
| Population change between 2021 and 2025 (2025) | −2.98% | – | 4.50% | ranked 295 of 307 |
Housing
| Indicator | Sabugal | Guarda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings (2021) | 15,354 | 114,698 | 3,573,416 | ranked 76 of 308 | |
| Buildings built before 1946 (2021) | 9.7% | 15.0% | 12.8% | ranked 229 of 307 | |
| Buildings built since 2001 (2021) | 11.1% | 14.6% | 16.8% | ranked 289 of 307 | |
| Buildings in need of medium or extensive repair (2021) | 14.3% | 15.1% | 14.2% | ranked 151 of 307 | |
| Conventional family dwellings (2021) | 15,638 | 131,320 | 5,970,677 | ranked 97 of 308 | |
| Dwellings used as secondary residences (2021) | 52.8% | 36.1% | 25.8% | ranked 6 of 307 | |
| Vacant dwellings (2021) | 15.3% | 15.7% | 13.1% | ranked 97 of 307 | |
| Owner-occupied usual residences (2021) | 88.6% | 81.7% | 77.8% | ranked 11 of 307 | |
| Rented usual residences (2021) | 4.1% | 11.7% | 13.6% | ranked 302 of 307 | |
| Usual residences in buildings with 3 or more dwellings (2021) | 2.5% | 19.5% | 13.8% | ranked 283 of 307 | |
| Median selling price of housing per m² (2025) | 402 €/m² | – | 1,108 €/m² | ranked 290 of 305 |
Energy
| Indicator | Sabugal | Guarda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usual residences without heating (2021) | 5.5% | 8.8% | 18.6% | ranked 303 of 307 | |
| Usual residences with central heating (2021) | 34.1% | 32.3% | 12.6% | ranked 19 of 307 | |
| Electricity consumption per inhabitant (2024) | 3,598 kWh/inh. | 3,714 kWh/inh. | 3,690 kWh/inh. | ranked 166 of 307 |
Economy
| Indicator | Sabugal | Guarda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprises (2023) | 1,418 | 19,109 | 1,510,274 | ranked 186 of 308 | |
| Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2023) | 149.5 | 137.3 | 128.1 | ranked 70 of 307 | |
| Declared gross income per inhabitant (2024) | 10,545 € | 10,768 € | 10,553 € | ranked 157 of 307 | |
| Purchasing power per capita (Portugal = 100) (2023) | 65.3 | 79.2 | 79.5 | ranked 293 of 307 |
Employment
| Indicator | Sabugal | Guarda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate (2021) | 5.8% | 6.4% | 7.0% | ranked 217 of 307 | |
| Average monthly earnings of employees (2024) | 1,172 € | – | 1,258 € | ranked 236 of 307 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Sabugal | Guarda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays in tourist accommodation (2025) | 23,794 | 481,236 | 82,011,658 | ranked 196 of 307 | |
| Overnight stays per 100 inhabitants (2025) | 253.1 | 345.5 | 275.0 | ranked 162 of 306 | |
| Share of overnight stays in local accommodation (alojamento local) (2025) | 21.7% | – | 18.4% | ranked 68 of 178 |
Education
| Indicator | Sabugal | Guarda | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population with completed higher education (2021) | 10.2% | 15.3% | 13.2% | ranked 256 of 307 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Sabugal
Business sectors: Sabugal
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing26.0% ×3.2
- Construction15.6% ×2.2
- Wholesale and retail trade15.3% ×1.1
- Accommodation and food services9.7% ×1.2
- Administrative and support services7.1% ×0.4
- Manufacturing5.6% ×1.2
- Professional, scientific and technical5.1% ×0.5
- Health and social work4.8% ×0.6
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Sabugal?
Sabugal has 9,368 residents (2025), ranking 194 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Sabugal?
Sabugal covers 822.7 km², with a density of 11 people per km².
Is the population of Sabugal growing?
Between 2021 and 2025, the population of Sabugal went from 9,656 to 9,368, a change of −3.0%.
Where is Sabugal?
Sabugal is in Guarda. Latitude 40.350, longitude −7.083.
Usual residences without heating: what is the figure for Sabugal?
In Sabugal, “Usual residences without heating” stands at 5.5% (2021), ranking 303 of 307 municipalities; the national median is 18.6%.
Dwellings used as secondary residences: what is the figure for Sabugal?
In Sabugal, “Dwellings used as secondary residences” stands at 52.8% (2021), ranking 6 of 307 municipalities; the national median is 25.8%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Sabugal?
In Sabugal, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 35° produces about 1,538 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Sabugal?
The nearest to Sabugal are Penamacor (22 km), Belmonte (23 km), Guarda (26 km), Covilhã (36 km), Manteigas (39 km).
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