Pombal: population and statistics
Pombal has a population of 54,992 (2025) across 626.0 km², or 87.8 people per km². It ranks 56 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +7.1% between 2021 and 2025.
- 54,992 residents
- 626.0 km²
- 88 people/km²
- 70 m
Key points
Among the 16 municipalities in Leiria, Pombal ranks No. 4 by population.
Unemployment rate: 4.5% in Pombal, compared with an average of 5.7% in Leiria and 8.2% nationally.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 18.4% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 35° generates about 1,479 kWh a year here.
Pombal in numbers
Where is Pombal?
Population of Pombal over time
Pombal had 51,365 residents in 2021 and 54,992 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 51,365 |
| 2022 | 52,750 |
| 2023 | 53,972 |
| 2024 | 54,508 |
| 2025 | 54,992 |
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Leiria for “Usual residences with central heating”.
- “Buildings”: higher than in 93% of municipalities.
- “Unemployment rate”: lower than in 93% of municipalities.
- “Usual residences with central heating”: higher than in 90% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 87,675 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Soure, 14.9 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Leiria (145,861 residents), 25 km away.
All indicators for Pombal
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 | Pombal | Leiria | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population aged 65 and over (2025) | 27.7% | 25.0% | 26.9% | ranked 140 of 307 | |
| Population under 15 (2025) | 11.9% | 12.3% | 11.7% | ranked 133 of 307 | |
| Ageing index (older people per 100 young people) (2025) | 231.6 | – | 229.9 | ranked 150 of 307 | |
| Population density (inhabitants per km²) (2025) | 87.8 inh./km² | – | 69.6 inh./km² | ranked 137 of 307 | |
| Population change between 2021 and 2025 (2025) | 7.06% | – | 4.50% | ranked 89 of 307 |
Housing
| Indicator | Pombal | Leiria | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings (2021) | 29,248 | 215,874 | 3,573,416 | ranked 22 of 308 | |
| Buildings built before 1946 (2021) | 7.2% | 8.7% | 12.8% | ranked 267 of 307 | |
| Buildings built since 2001 (2021) | 14.6% | 18.6% | 16.8% | ranked 219 of 307 | |
| Buildings in need of medium or extensive repair (2021) | 13.4% | 13.1% | 14.2% | ranked 169 of 307 | |
| Conventional family dwellings (2021) | 33,888 | 292,861 | 5,970,677 | ranked 46 of 308 | |
| Dwellings used as secondary residences (2021) | 22.3% | 20.8% | 25.8% | ranked 181 of 307 | |
| Vacant dwellings (2021) | 16.1% | 13.7% | 13.1% | ranked 79 of 307 | |
| Owner-occupied usual residences (2021) | 83.9% | 76.9% | 77.8% | ranked 72 of 307 | |
| Rented usual residences (2021) | 10.5% | 16.3% | 13.6% | ranked 210 of 307 | |
| Usual residences in buildings with 3 or more dwellings (2021) | 16.6% | 28.2% | 13.8% | ranked 135 of 307 | |
| Median selling price of housing per m² (2025) | 1,136 €/m² | – | 1,108 €/m² | ranked 147 of 305 |
Energy
| Indicator | Pombal | Leiria | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usual residences without heating (2021) | 18.2% | 24.3% | 18.6% | ranked 159 of 307 | |
| Usual residences with central heating (2021) | 31.7% | 21.4% | 12.6% | ranked 33 of 307 | |
| Electricity consumption per inhabitant (2024) | 5,329 kWh/inh. | 5,477 kWh/inh. | 3,690 kWh/inh. | ranked 61 of 307 |
Economy
| Indicator | Pombal | Leiria | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprises (2023) | 6,939 | 67,655 | 1,510,274 | ranked 53 of 308 | |
| Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2023) | 128.6 | 134.6 | 128.1 | ranked 153 of 307 | |
| Declared gross income per inhabitant (2024) | 10,629 € | 11,436 € | 10,553 € | ranked 148 of 307 | |
| Purchasing power per capita (Portugal = 100) (2023) | 84.2 | 91.7 | 79.5 | ranked 113 of 307 |
Employment
| Indicator | Pombal | Leiria | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate (2021) | 4.5% | 5.7% | 7.0% | ranked 284 of 307 | |
| Average monthly earnings of employees (2024) | 1,335 € | – | 1,258 € | ranked 102 of 307 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Pombal | Leiria | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays in tourist accommodation (2025) | 62,372 | 1,874,395 | 82,011,658 | ranked 126 of 307 | |
| Overnight stays per 100 inhabitants (2025) | 113.9 | 365.4 | 275.0 | ranked 237 of 306 | |
| Share of overnight stays in local accommodation (alojamento local) (2025) | 32.8% | – | 18.4% | ranked 36 of 178 |
Education
| Indicator | Pombal | Leiria | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population with completed higher education (2021) | 13.2% | 17.6% | 13.2% | ranked 153 of 307 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Pombal
Business sectors: Pombal
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Wholesale and retail trade18.4% ×1.3
- Construction18.2% ×2.6
- Administrative and support services10.9% ×0.7
- Professional, scientific and technical8.6% ×0.8
- Health and social work6.6% ×0.8
- Manufacturing6.5% ×1.4
- Accommodation and food services6.1% ×0.7
- Other service activities5.9% ×1.2
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Pombal?
Pombal has 54,992 residents (2025), ranking 56 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Pombal?
Pombal covers 626.0 km², with a density of 88 people per km².
Is the population of Pombal growing?
Between 2021 and 2025, the population of Pombal went from 51,365 to 54,992, a change of +7.1%.
Where is Pombal?
Pombal is in Leiria. Latitude 39.916, longitude −8.628.
Buildings: what is the figure for Pombal?
In Pombal, “Buildings” stands at 29,248 (2021), ranking 22 of 308 municipalities; the national median is 7,916.
Unemployment rate: what is the figure for Pombal?
In Pombal, “Unemployment rate” stands at 4.5% (2021), ranking 284 of 307 municipalities; the national median is 7.0%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Pombal?
In Pombal, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 35° produces about 1,479 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Pombal?
The nearest to Pombal are Soure (15 km), Ansião (17 km), Alvaiázere (23 km), Leiria (25 km), Penela (25 km).
Coat of arms: CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons · Flag: CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons. Coats of arms and flags are shown for identification only; this site is not affiliated with any public authority.
