Machico: population and statistics
Machico has a population of 20,812 (2025) across 68.2 km², or 305 people per km². It ranks 121 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +5.8% between 2021 and 2025.
- 20,812 residents
- 68.2 km²
- 305 people/km²
- 28 m
Key points
Among the 11 municipalities in Região Autónoma da Madeira, Machico ranks No. 4 by population.
Usual residences without heating: 93.0% in Machico, compared with an average of 88.8% in Região Autónoma da Madeira and 30.7% nationally.
Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants: 90.0 in Machico, compared with an average of 129.2 in Região Autónoma da Madeira and 134.6 nationally.
Largest business sector: Accommodation and food services, with 16.4% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 26° generates about 1,441 kWh a year here.
Machico in numbers
Where is Machico?
Population of Machico over time
Machico had 19,677 residents in 2021 and 20,812 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 19,677 |
| 2022 | 19,763 |
| 2023 | 20,034 |
| 2024 | 20,509 |
| 2025 | 20,812 |
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Região Autónoma da Madeira for “Usual residences without heating”.
- “Usual residences without heating”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Unemployment rate”: higher than in 94% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 9,559 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.5 times the national average.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Santa Cruz (44,132 residents), 7.6 km away.
All indicators for Machico
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 | Machico | Região Autónoma da Madeira | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population aged 65 and over (2025) | 23.4% | 21.9% | 26.9% | ranked 221 of 307 | |
| Population under 15 (2025) | 10.6% | 11.8% | 11.7% | ranked 215 of 307 | |
| Ageing index (older people per 100 young people) (2025) | 221.6 | – | 229.9 | ranked 165 of 307 | |
| Population density (inhabitants per km²) (2025) | 304.9 inh./km² | – | 69.6 inh./km² | ranked 57 of 307 | |
| Population change between 2021 and 2025 (2025) | 5.77% | – | 4.50% | ranked 118 of 307 |
Housing
| Indicator | Machico | Região Autónoma da Madeira | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings (2021) | 8,464 | 90,970 | 3,573,416 | ranked 149 of 308 | |
| Buildings built before 1946 (2021) | 6.6% | 11.4% | 12.8% | ranked 280 of 307 | |
| Buildings built since 2001 (2021) | 18.8% | 20.7% | 16.8% | ranked 104 of 307 | |
| Buildings in need of medium or extensive repair (2021) | 13.0% | 17.1% | 14.2% | ranked 182 of 307 | |
| Conventional family dwellings (2021) | 9,954 | 131,037 | 5,970,677 | ranked 150 of 308 | |
| Dwellings used as secondary residences (2021) | 13.5% | 12.9% | 25.8% | ranked 232 of 307 | |
| Vacant dwellings (2021) | 13.3% | 13.5% | 13.1% | ranked 146 of 307 | |
| Owner-occupied usual residences (2021) | 84.1% | 74.4% | 77.8% | ranked 66 of 307 | |
| Rented usual residences (2021) | 9.3% | 17.7% | 13.6% | ranked 232 of 307 | |
| Usual residences in buildings with 3 or more dwellings (2021) | 14.0% | 33.5% | 13.8% | ranked 153 of 307 | |
| Median selling price of housing per m² (2025) | 1,904 €/m² | – | 1,108 €/m² | ranked 64 of 305 |
Energy
| Indicator | Machico | Região Autónoma da Madeira | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usual residences without heating (2021) | 93.0% | 88.8% | 18.6% | ranked 1 of 307 | |
| Usual residences with central heating (2021) | 1.3% | 1.8% | 12.6% | ranked 303 of 307 | |
| Electricity consumption per inhabitant (2024) | 3,302 kWh/inh. | 3,395 kWh/inh. | 3,690 kWh/inh. | ranked 206 of 307 |
Economy
| Indicator | Machico | Região Autónoma da Madeira | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprises (2023) | 1,804 | 33,694 | 1,510,274 | ranked 157 of 308 | |
| Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2023) | 90.0 | 129.2 | 128.1 | ranked 303 of 307 | |
| Declared gross income per inhabitant (2024) | 10,182 € | 11,784 € | 10,553 € | ranked 185 of 307 | |
| Purchasing power per capita (Portugal = 100) (2023) | 82.8 | 88.5 | 79.5 | ranked 127 of 307 |
Employment
| Indicator | Machico | Região Autónoma da Madeira | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate (2021) | 11.3% | 12.1% | 7.0% | ranked 17 of 307 | |
| Average monthly earnings of employees (2024) | 1,342 € | – | 1,258 € | ranked 99 of 307 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Machico | Região Autónoma da Madeira | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays in tourist accommodation (2025) | 426,144 | 9,926,753 | 82,011,658 | ranked 29 of 307 | |
| Overnight stays per 100 inhabitants (2025) | 2,063 | 3,738 | 275.0 | ranked 27 of 306 |
Education
| Indicator | Machico | Região Autónoma da Madeira | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population with completed higher education (2021) | 12.5% | 17.8% | 13.2% | ranked 179 of 307 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Machico
Business sectors: Machico
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Accommodation and food services16.4% ×2.0
- Administrative and support services15.5% ×1.0
- Wholesale and retail trade12.5% ×0.9
- Health and social work9.8% ×1.2
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing7.9% ×1.0
- Construction7.2% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical5.6% ×0.5
- Other service activities5.5% ×1.1
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Machico?
Machico has 20,812 residents (2025), ranking 121 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Machico?
Machico covers 68.2 km², with a density of 305 people per km².
Is the population of Machico growing?
Between 2021 and 2025, the population of Machico went from 19,677 to 20,812, a change of +5.8%.
Where is Machico?
Machico is in Região Autónoma da Madeira. Latitude 32.717, longitude −16.767.
Usual residences without heating: what is the figure for Machico?
In Machico, “Usual residences without heating” stands at 93.0% (2021), ranking 1 of 307 municipalities; the national median is 18.6%.
Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Machico?
In Machico, “Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 90.0 (2023), ranking 303 of 307 municipalities; the national median is 128.1.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Machico?
In Machico, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 26° produces about 1,441 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Machico?
The nearest to Machico are Santa Cruz (7.6 km), Santana (13 km), Funchal (16 km), Câmara de Lobos (20 km), São Vicente (27 km).
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