Monção: population and statistics
Monção has a population of 18,230 (2025) across 211.3 km², or 86.3 people per km². It ranks 129 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +5.2% between 2021 and 2025.
- 18,230 residents
- 211.3 km²
- 86 people/km²
- 57 m
Key points
Among the 10 municipalities in Viana do Castelo, Monção ranks No. 4 by population.
Usual residences with central heating: 34.9% in Monção, compared with an average of 31.4% in Viana do Castelo and 13.8% nationally.
Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants: 181.9 in Monção, compared with an average of 138.0 in Viana do Castelo and 134.6 nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 28.6% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 35° generates about 1,377 kWh a year here.
Monção in numbers
Where is Monção?
Population of Monção over time
Monção had 17,324 residents in 2021 and 18,230 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 17,324 |
| 2022 | 17,838 |
| 2023 | 18,267 |
| 2024 | 18,322 |
| 2025 | 18,230 |
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Viana do Castelo for “Vacant dwellings”.
- Number 1 in Viana do Castelo for “Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants”.
- “Usual residences with central heating”: higher than in 95% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 29,595 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Valença, 13.7 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Ponte de Lima (42,933 residents), 35 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 5,508 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Monção
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 | Monção | Viana do Castelo | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population aged 65 and over (2025) | 32.2% | 28.0% | 26.9% | ranked 77 of 307 | |
| Population under 15 (2025) | 10.8% | 11.4% | 11.7% | ranked 206 of 307 | |
| Ageing index (older people per 100 young people) (2025) | 299.0 | – | 229.9 | ranked 84 of 307 | |
| Population density (inhabitants per km²) (2025) | 86.3 inh./km² | – | 69.6 inh./km² | ranked 141 of 307 | |
| Population change between 2021 and 2025 (2025) | 5.23% | – | 4.50% | ranked 133 of 307 |
Housing
| Indicator | Monção | Viana do Castelo | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings (2021) | 11,836 | 123,631 | 3,573,416 | ranked 99 of 308 | |
| Buildings built before 1946 (2021) | 11.5% | 10.8% | 12.8% | ranked 182 of 307 | |
| Buildings built since 2001 (2021) | 15.4% | 19.4% | 16.8% | ranked 194 of 307 | |
| Buildings in need of medium or extensive repair (2021) | 12.9% | 13.1% | 14.2% | ranked 188 of 307 | |
| Conventional family dwellings (2021) | 13,849 | 155,259 | 5,970,677 | ranked 105 of 308 | |
| Dwellings used as secondary residences (2021) | 30.3% | 29.0% | 25.8% | ranked 124 of 307 | |
| Vacant dwellings (2021) | 15.7% | 10.8% | 13.1% | ranked 90 of 307 | |
| Owner-occupied usual residences (2021) | 83.1% | 77.8% | 77.8% | ranked 83 of 307 | |
| Rented usual residences (2021) | 10.6% | 15.2% | 13.6% | ranked 208 of 307 | |
| Usual residences in buildings with 3 or more dwellings (2021) | 16.5% | 21.4% | 13.8% | ranked 136 of 307 | |
| Median selling price of housing per m² (2025) | 1,200 €/m² | – | 1,108 €/m² | ranked 140 of 305 |
Energy
| Indicator | Monção | Viana do Castelo | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usual residences without heating (2021) | 15.5% | 21.2% | 18.6% | ranked 197 of 307 | |
| Usual residences with central heating (2021) | 34.9% | 31.4% | 12.6% | ranked 17 of 307 | |
| Electricity consumption per inhabitant (2024) | 3,988 kWh/inh. | 5,017 kWh/inh. | 3,690 kWh/inh. | ranked 127 of 307 |
Economy
| Indicator | Monção | Viana do Castelo | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprises (2023) | 3,323 | 33,345 | 1,510,274 | ranked 97 of 308 | |
| Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2023) | 181.9 | 138.0 | 128.1 | ranked 34 of 307 | |
| Declared gross income per inhabitant (2024) | 9,806 € | 10,704 € | 10,553 € | ranked 211 of 307 | |
| Purchasing power per capita (Portugal = 100) (2023) | 75.8 | 82.6 | 79.5 | ranked 191 of 307 |
Employment
| Indicator | Monção | Viana do Castelo | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate (2021) | 5.3% | 6.0% | 7.0% | ranked 248 of 307 | |
| Average monthly earnings of employees (2024) | 1,243 € | – | 1,258 € | ranked 171 of 307 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Monção | Viana do Castelo | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays in tourist accommodation (2025) | 49,546 | 1,031,079 | 82,011,658 | ranked 136 of 307 | |
| Overnight stays per 100 inhabitants (2025) | 271.1 | 422.3 | 275.0 | ranked 156 of 306 | |
| Share of overnight stays in local accommodation (alojamento local) (2025) | 7.7% | – | 18.4% | ranked 142 of 178 |
Education
| Indicator | Monção | Viana do Castelo | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population with completed higher education (2021) | 13.2% | 15.8% | 13.2% | ranked 153 of 307 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Monção
Business sectors: Monção
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing28.6% ×3.6
- Construction14.9% ×2.1
- Wholesale and retail trade12.8% ×0.9
- Administrative and support services10.6% ×0.7
- Accommodation and food services6.1% ×0.7
- Professional, scientific and technical6.0% ×0.6
- Health and social work4.8% ×0.6
- Manufacturing4.6% ×1.0
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Monção?
Monção has 18,230 residents (2025), ranking 129 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Monção?
Monção covers 211.3 km², with a density of 86 people per km².
Is the population of Monção growing?
Between 2021 and 2025, the population of Monção went from 17,324 to 18,230, a change of +5.2%.
Where is Monção?
Monção is in Viana do Castelo. Latitude 42.073, longitude −8.480.
Usual residences with central heating: what is the figure for Monção?
In Monção, “Usual residences with central heating” stands at 34.9% (2021), ranking 17 of 307 municipalities; the national median is 12.6%.
Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Monção?
In Monção, “Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 181.9 (2023), ranking 34 of 307 municipalities; the national median is 128.1.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Monção?
In Monção, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 35° produces about 1,377 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Monção?
The nearest to Monção are Valença (14 km), Melgaço (18 km), Paredes de Coura (19 km), Arcos de Valdevez (25 km), Vila Nova de Cerveira (26 km).
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