Velas: population and statistics
Velas has a population of 5,103 (2025) across 117.4 km², or 43.5 people per km². It ranks 256 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +2.0% between 2021 and 2025.
- 5,103 residents
- 117.4 km²
- 44 people/km²
- 25 m
Key points
Among the 19 municipalities in Região Autónoma dos Açores, Velas ranks No. 11 by population.
Unemployment rate: 3.5% in Velas, compared with an average of 6.9% in Região Autónoma dos Açores and 8.2% nationally.
Usual residences with central heating: 1.7% in Velas, compared with an average of 2.9% in Região Autónoma dos Açores and 13.8% nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 29.3% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 30° generates about 1,215 kWh a year here.
Velas in numbers
Where is Velas?
Population of Velas over time
Velas had 5,002 residents in 2021 and 5,103 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 5,002 |
| 2022 | 4,988 |
| 2023 | 5,010 |
| 2024 | 5,009 |
| 2025 | 5,103 |
Did you know?
- “Unemployment rate”: lower than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Usual residences with central heating”: lower than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Buildings”: lower than in 92% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 16,440 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.8 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Calheta (Açores), 18.9 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Horta (15,173 residents), 40 km away.
All indicators for Velas
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 | Velas | Região Autónoma dos Açores | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population aged 65 and over (2025) | 22.8% | 18.9% | 26.9% | ranked 230 of 307 | |
| Population under 15 (2025) | 12.1% | 13.6% | 11.7% | ranked 115 of 307 | |
| Ageing index (older people per 100 young people) (2025) | 188.5 | – | 229.9 | ranked 219 of 307 | |
| Population density (inhabitants per km²) (2025) | 43.5 inh./km² | – | 69.6 inh./km² | ranked 189 of 307 | |
| Population change between 2021 and 2025 (2025) | 2.02% | – | 4.50% | ranked 218 of 307 |
Housing
| Indicator | Velas | Região Autónoma dos Açores | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings (2021) | 2,955 | 100,478 | 3,573,416 | ranked 283 of 308 | |
| Buildings built before 1946 (2021) | 23.5% | 15.1% | 12.8% | ranked 42 of 307 | |
| Buildings built since 2001 (2021) | 20.8% | 22.6% | 16.8% | ranked 73 of 307 | |
| Buildings in need of medium or extensive repair (2021) | 10.0% | 9.7% | 14.2% | ranked 249 of 307 | |
| Conventional family dwellings (2021) | 3,259 | 113,159 | 5,970,677 | ranked 280 of 308 | |
| Dwellings used as secondary residences (2021) | 20.0% | 10.8% | 25.8% | ranked 197 of 307 | |
| Vacant dwellings (2021) | 17.8% | 12.2% | 13.1% | ranked 47 of 307 | |
| Owner-occupied usual residences (2021) | 74.3% | 74.6% | 77.8% | ranked 204 of 307 | |
| Rented usual residences (2021) | 15.0% | 17.2% | 13.6% | ranked 133 of 307 | |
| Usual residences in buildings with 3 or more dwellings (2021) | 7.7% | 11.4% | 13.8% | ranked 224 of 307 | |
| Median selling price of housing per m² (2025) | 895 €/m² | – | 1,108 €/m² | ranked 186 of 305 |
Energy
| Indicator | Velas | Região Autónoma dos Açores | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usual residences without heating (2021) | 74.0% | 76.7% | 18.6% | ranked 23 of 307 | |
| Usual residences with central heating (2021) | 1.7% | 2.9% | 12.6% | ranked 294 of 307 | |
| Electricity consumption per inhabitant (2024) | 3,353 kWh/inh. | 3,350 kWh/inh. | 3,690 kWh/inh. | ranked 197 of 307 |
Economy
| Indicator | Velas | Região Autónoma dos Açores | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprises (2023) | 810 | 31,396 | 1,510,274 | ranked 242 of 308 | |
| Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2023) | 161.7 | 129.0 | 128.1 | ranked 55 of 307 | |
| Declared gross income per inhabitant (2024) | 11,292 € | 12,184 € | 10,553 € | ranked 104 of 307 | |
| Purchasing power per capita (Portugal = 100) (2023) | 84.3 | 87.8 | 79.5 | ranked 112 of 307 |
Employment
| Indicator | Velas | Região Autónoma dos Açores | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate (2021) | 3.5% | 6.9% | 7.0% | ranked 301 of 307 | |
| Average monthly earnings of employees (2024) | 1,236 € | – | 1,258 € | ranked 185 of 307 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Velas | Região Autónoma dos Açores | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays in tourist accommodation (2025) | 60,632 | 3,109,259 | 82,011,658 | ranked 127 of 307 | |
| Overnight stays per 100 inhabitants (2025) | 1,199 | 1,270 | 275.0 | ranked 37 of 306 | |
| Share of overnight stays in local accommodation (alojamento local) (2025) | 33.6% | – | 18.4% | ranked 35 of 178 |
Education
| Indicator | Velas | Região Autónoma dos Açores | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population with completed higher education (2021) | 12.5% | 16.0% | 13.2% | ranked 179 of 307 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Velas
Business sectors: Velas
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing29.3% ×3.7
- Wholesale and retail trade12.6% ×0.9
- Accommodation and food services12.3% ×1.5
- Administrative and support services10.1% ×0.6
- Construction7.5% ×1.1
- Professional, scientific and technical5.7% ×0.5
- Manufacturing4.3% ×0.9
- Health and social work3.8% ×0.5
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Velas?
Velas has 5,103 residents (2025), ranking 256 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Velas?
Velas covers 117.4 km², with a density of 44 people per km².
Is the population of Velas growing?
Between 2021 and 2025, the population of Velas went from 5,002 to 5,103, a change of +2.0%.
Where is Velas?
Velas is in Região Autónoma dos Açores. Latitude 38.682, longitude −28.208.
Unemployment rate: what is the figure for Velas?
In Velas, “Unemployment rate” stands at 3.5% (2021), ranking 301 of 307 municipalities; the national median is 7.0%.
Usual residences with central heating: what is the figure for Velas?
In Velas, “Usual residences with central heating” stands at 1.7% (2021), ranking 294 of 307 municipalities; the national median is 12.6%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Velas?
In Velas, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 30° produces about 1,215 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Velas?
The nearest to Velas are Calheta (Açores) (19 km), São Roque do Pico (21 km), Lajes do Pico (32 km), Madalena (32 km), Horta (40 km).
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