Alcobaça: population and statistics
Alcobaça has a population of 60,881 (2025) across 408.1 km², or 149 people per km². It ranks 48 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +9.5% between 2021 and 2025.
- 60,881 residents
- 408.1 km²
- 149 people/km²
- 48 m
Key points
Among the 16 municipalities in Leiria, Alcobaça ranks No. 2 by population.
Unemployment rate: 5.1% in Alcobaça, compared with an average of 5.7% in Leiria and 8.2% nationally.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 18.8% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 35° generates about 1,506 kWh a year here.
Alcobaça in numbers
Where is Alcobaça?
Population of Alcobaça over time
Alcobaça had 55,603 residents in 2021 and 60,881 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 55,603 |
| 2022 | 57,620 |
| 2023 | 59,157 |
| 2024 | 60,481 |
| 2025 | 60,881 |
Did you know?
- “Buildings”: higher than in 92% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 57,162 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Nazaré, 9.6 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Leiria (145,861 residents), 26 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 6,024 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Alcobaça
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 | Alcobaça | Leiria | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population aged 65 and over (2025) | 25.5% | 25.0% | 26.9% | ranked 177 of 307 | |
| Population under 15 (2025) | 11.8% | 12.3% | 11.7% | ranked 143 of 307 | |
| Ageing index (older people per 100 young people) (2025) | 216.6 | – | 229.9 | ranked 175 of 307 | |
| Population density (inhabitants per km²) (2025) | 149.2 inh./km² | – | 69.6 inh./km² | ranked 98 of 307 | |
| Population change between 2021 and 2025 (2025) | 9.49% | – | 4.50% | ranked 52 of 307 |
Housing
| Indicator | Alcobaça | Leiria | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings (2021) | 26,781 | 215,874 | 3,573,416 | ranked 25 of 308 | |
| Buildings built before 1946 (2021) | 10.5% | 8.7% | 12.8% | ranked 209 of 307 | |
| Buildings built since 2001 (2021) | 16.3% | 18.6% | 16.8% | ranked 171 of 307 | |
| Buildings in need of medium or extensive repair (2021) | 12.7% | 13.1% | 14.2% | ranked 195 of 307 | |
| Conventional family dwellings (2021) | 35,445 | 292,861 | 5,970,677 | ranked 42 of 308 | |
| Dwellings used as secondary residences (2021) | 22.4% | 20.8% | 25.8% | ranked 178 of 307 | |
| Vacant dwellings (2021) | 14.6% | 13.7% | 13.1% | ranked 114 of 307 | |
| Owner-occupied usual residences (2021) | 78.3% | 76.9% | 77.8% | ranked 148 of 307 | |
| Rented usual residences (2021) | 13.7% | 16.3% | 13.6% | ranked 150 of 307 | |
| Usual residences in buildings with 3 or more dwellings (2021) | 21.9% | 28.2% | 13.8% | ranked 106 of 307 | |
| Median selling price of housing per m² (2025) | 1,750 €/m² | – | 1,108 €/m² | ranked 72 of 305 |
Energy
| Indicator | Alcobaça | Leiria | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usual residences without heating (2021) | 25.3% | 24.3% | 18.6% | ranked 111 of 307 | |
| Usual residences with central heating (2021) | 12.8% | 21.4% | 12.6% | ranked 149 of 307 | |
| Electricity consumption per inhabitant (2024) | 4,965 kWh/inh. | 5,477 kWh/inh. | 3,690 kWh/inh. | ranked 74 of 307 |
Economy
| Indicator | Alcobaça | Leiria | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprises (2023) | 7,686 | 67,655 | 1,510,274 | ranked 44 of 308 | |
| Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2023) | 129.9 | 134.6 | 128.1 | ranked 146 of 307 | |
| Declared gross income per inhabitant (2024) | 11,005 € | 11,436 € | 10,553 € | ranked 123 of 307 | |
| Purchasing power per capita (Portugal = 100) (2023) | 84.8 | 91.7 | 79.5 | ranked 110 of 307 |
Employment
| Indicator | Alcobaça | Leiria | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate (2021) | 5.1% | 5.7% | 7.0% | ranked 265 of 307 | |
| Average monthly earnings of employees (2024) | 1,313 € | – | 1,258 € | ranked 114 of 307 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Alcobaça | Leiria | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays in tourist accommodation (2025) | 141,931 | 1,874,395 | 82,011,658 | ranked 70 of 307 | |
| Overnight stays per 100 inhabitants (2025) | 233.9 | 365.4 | 275.0 | ranked 179 of 306 | |
| Share of overnight stays in local accommodation (alojamento local) (2025) | 17.7% | – | 18.4% | ranked 93 of 178 |
Education
| Indicator | Alcobaça | Leiria | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population with completed higher education (2021) | 15.3% | 17.6% | 13.2% | ranked 99 of 307 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Alcobaça
Business sectors: Alcobaça
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Wholesale and retail trade18.8% ×1.3
- Administrative and support services12.9% ×0.8
- Accommodation and food services9.3% ×1.1
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing8.8% ×1.1
- Manufacturing8.7% ×1.9
- Construction8.4% ×1.2
- Professional, scientific and technical8.0% ×0.8
- Health and social work5.4% ×0.7
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Alcobaça?
Alcobaça has 60,881 residents (2025), ranking 48 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Alcobaça?
Alcobaça covers 408.1 km², with a density of 149 people per km².
Is the population of Alcobaça growing?
Between 2021 and 2025, the population of Alcobaça went from 55,603 to 60,881, a change of +9.5%.
Where is Alcobaça?
Alcobaça is in Leiria. Latitude 39.550, longitude −8.975.
Buildings: what is the figure for Alcobaça?
In Alcobaça, “Buildings” stands at 26,781 (2021), ranking 25 of 308 municipalities; the national median is 7,916.
Unemployment rate: what is the figure for Alcobaça?
In Alcobaça, “Unemployment rate” stands at 5.1% (2021), ranking 265 of 307 municipalities; the national median is 7.0%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Alcobaça?
In Alcobaça, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 35° produces about 1,506 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Alcobaça?
The nearest to Alcobaça are Nazaré (9.6 km), Porto de Mós (15 km), Batalha (18 km), Caldas da Rainha (21 km), Marinha Grande (23 km).
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