Ponte de Lima: population and statistics
Ponte de Lima has a population of 42,933 (2025) across 320.2 km², or 134 people per km². It ranks 73 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +5.0% between 2021 and 2025.
- 42,933 residents
- 320.2 km²
- 134 people/km²
- 27 m
Key points
Among the 10 municipalities in Viana do Castelo, Ponte de Lima ranks No. 2 by population.
Vacant dwellings: 8.2% in Ponte de Lima, compared with an average of 10.8% in Viana do Castelo and 11.7% nationally.
Unemployment rate: 5.2% in Ponte de Lima, compared with an average of 6.0% in Viana do Castelo and 8.2% nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 17.7% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 35° generates about 1,396 kWh a year here.
Ponte de Lima in numbers
Where is Ponte de Lima?
Population of Ponte de Lima over time
Ponte de Lima had 40,906 residents in 2021 and 42,933 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 40,906 |
| 2022 | 41,535 |
| 2023 | 42,084 |
| 2024 | 42,588 |
| 2025 | 42,933 |
Did you know?
- “Vacant dwellings”: lower than in 94% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 44,853 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Ponte da Barca, 14.3 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Viana do Castelo (92,860 residents), 22 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 5,584 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Ponte de Lima
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 | Ponte de Lima | Viana do Castelo | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population aged 65 and over (2025) | 24.8% | 28.0% | 26.9% | ranked 193 of 307 | |
| Population under 15 (2025) | 11.9% | 11.4% | 11.7% | ranked 133 of 307 | |
| Ageing index (older people per 100 young people) (2025) | 207.4 | – | 229.9 | ranked 191 of 307 | |
| Population density (inhabitants per km²) (2025) | 134.1 inh./km² | – | 69.6 inh./km² | ranked 104 of 307 | |
| Population change between 2021 and 2025 (2025) | 4.96% | – | 4.50% | ranked 142 of 307 |
Housing
| Indicator | Ponte de Lima | Viana do Castelo | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings (2021) | 20,140 | 123,631 | 3,573,416 | ranked 49 of 308 | |
| Buildings built before 1946 (2021) | 10.6% | 10.8% | 12.8% | ranked 208 of 307 | |
| Buildings built since 2001 (2021) | 21.9% | 19.4% | 16.8% | ranked 57 of 307 | |
| Buildings in need of medium or extensive repair (2021) | 13.8% | 13.1% | 14.2% | ranked 165 of 307 | |
| Conventional family dwellings (2021) | 22,850 | 155,259 | 5,970,677 | ranked 74 of 308 | |
| Dwellings used as secondary residences (2021) | 26.5% | 29.0% | 25.8% | ranked 146 of 307 | |
| Vacant dwellings (2021) | 8.2% | 10.8% | 13.1% | ranked 289 of 307 | |
| Owner-occupied usual residences (2021) | 80.8% | 77.8% | 77.8% | ranked 102 of 307 | |
| Rented usual residences (2021) | 11.5% | 15.2% | 13.6% | ranked 194 of 307 | |
| Usual residences in buildings with 3 or more dwellings (2021) | 11.7% | 21.4% | 13.8% | ranked 170 of 307 | |
| Median selling price of housing per m² (2025) | 1,282 €/m² | – | 1,108 €/m² | ranked 129 of 305 |
Energy
| Indicator | Ponte de Lima | Viana do Castelo | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usual residences without heating (2021) | 23.6% | 21.2% | 18.6% | ranked 119 of 307 | |
| Usual residences with central heating (2021) | 29.1% | 31.4% | 12.6% | ranked 49 of 307 | |
| Electricity consumption per inhabitant (2024) | 3,017 kWh/inh. | 5,017 kWh/inh. | 3,690 kWh/inh. | ranked 247 of 307 |
Economy
| Indicator | Ponte de Lima | Viana do Castelo | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprises (2023) | 5,559 | 33,345 | 1,510,274 | ranked 66 of 308 | |
| Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2023) | 132.1 | 138.0 | 128.1 | ranked 135 of 307 | |
| Declared gross income per inhabitant (2024) | 9,966 € | 10,704 € | 10,553 € | ranked 203 of 307 | |
| Purchasing power per capita (Portugal = 100) (2023) | 78.1 | 82.6 | 79.5 | ranked 160 of 307 |
Employment
| Indicator | Ponte de Lima | Viana do Castelo | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate (2021) | 5.2% | 6.0% | 7.0% | ranked 256 of 307 | |
| Average monthly earnings of employees (2024) | 1,260 € | – | 1,258 € | ranked 150 of 307 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Ponte de Lima | Viana do Castelo | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays in tourist accommodation (2025) | 137,275 | 1,031,079 | 82,011,658 | ranked 76 of 307 | |
| Overnight stays per 100 inhabitants (2025) | 321.0 | 422.3 | 275.0 | ranked 139 of 306 | |
| Share of overnight stays in local accommodation (alojamento local) (2025) | 18.9% | – | 18.4% | ranked 86 of 178 |
Education
| Indicator | Ponte de Lima | Viana do Castelo | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population with completed higher education (2021) | 13.3% | 15.8% | 13.2% | ranked 150 of 307 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Ponte de Lima
Business sectors: Ponte de Lima
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing17.7% ×2.2
- Wholesale and retail trade16.4% ×1.1
- Construction14.8% ×2.1
- Accommodation and food services8.7% ×1.0
- Administrative and support services8.3% ×0.5
- Health and social work6.4% ×0.8
- Professional, scientific and technical5.8% ×0.6
- Manufacturing5.6% ×1.2
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Ponte de Lima?
Ponte de Lima has 42,933 residents (2025), ranking 73 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Ponte de Lima?
Ponte de Lima covers 320.2 km², with a density of 134 people per km².
Is the population of Ponte de Lima growing?
Between 2021 and 2025, the population of Ponte de Lima went from 40,906 to 42,933, a change of +5.0%.
Where is Ponte de Lima?
Ponte de Lima is in Viana do Castelo. Latitude 41.767, longitude −8.583.
Vacant dwellings: what is the figure for Ponte de Lima?
In Ponte de Lima, “Vacant dwellings” stands at 8.2% (2021), ranking 289 of 307 municipalities; the national median is 13.1%.
Unemployment rate: what is the figure for Ponte de Lima?
In Ponte de Lima, “Unemployment rate” stands at 5.2% (2021), ranking 256 of 307 municipalities; the national median is 7.0%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Ponte de Lima?
In Ponte de Lima, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 35° produces about 1,396 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Ponte de Lima?
The nearest to Ponte de Lima are Ponte da Barca (14 km), Paredes de Coura (16 km), Arcos de Valdevez (17 km), Vila Verde (18 km), Caminha (22 km).
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