Murça: population and statistics
Murça has a population of 5,100 (2025) across 189.4 km², or 26.9 people per km². It ranks 257 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −2.7% between 2021 and 2025.
- 5,100 residents
- 189.4 km²
- 27 people/km²
- 481 m
Key points
Among the 14 municipalities in Vila Real, Murça ranks No. 12 by population.
Buildings in need of medium or extensive repair: 4.4% in Murça, compared with an average of 15.6% in Vila Real and 13.3% nationally.
Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants: 234.8 in Murça, compared with an average of 164.5 in Vila Real and 134.6 nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 61.1% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 34° generates about 1,482 kWh a year here.
Murça in numbers
Where is Murça?
Population of Murça over time
Murça had 5,242 residents in 2021 and 5,100 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 5,242 |
| 2022 | 5,221 |
| 2023 | 5,201 |
| 2024 | 5,131 |
| 2025 | 5,100 |
Did you know?
- “Buildings in need of medium or extensive repair”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Population under 15”: lower than in 96% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 26,522 football pitches.
- Its population density is 4.6 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Alijó (10,096 residents), 14 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 5,928 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Murça
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 | Murça | Vila Real | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population aged 65 and over (2025) | 39.0% | 32.5% | 26.9% | ranked 21 of 307 | |
| Population under 15 (2025) | 8.4% | 10.2% | 11.7% | ranked 291 of 307 | |
| Ageing index (older people per 100 young people) (2025) | 465.2 | – | 229.9 | ranked 19 of 307 | |
| Population density (inhabitants per km²) (2025) | 26.9 inh./km² | – | 69.6 inh./km² | ranked 225 of 307 | |
| Population change between 2021 and 2025 (2025) | −2.71% | – | 4.50% | ranked 292 of 307 |
Housing
| Indicator | Murça | Vila Real | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings (2021) | 4,062 | 119,688 | 3,573,416 | ranked 253 of 308 | |
| Buildings built before 1946 (2021) | 7.9% | 11.8% | 12.8% | ranked 258 of 307 | |
| Buildings built since 2001 (2021) | 15.2% | 17.2% | 16.8% | ranked 203 of 307 | |
| Buildings in need of medium or extensive repair (2021) | 4.4% | 15.6% | 14.2% | ranked 306 of 307 | |
| Conventional family dwellings (2021) | 4,244 | 142,736 | 5,970,677 | ranked 259 of 308 | |
| Dwellings used as secondary residences (2021) | 38.9% | 33.8% | 25.8% | ranked 64 of 307 | |
| Vacant dwellings (2021) | 8.7% | 10.9% | 13.1% | ranked 279 of 307 | |
| Owner-occupied usual residences (2021) | 85.9% | 80.3% | 77.8% | ranked 41 of 307 | |
| Rented usual residences (2021) | 7.5% | 12.7% | 13.6% | ranked 259 of 307 | |
| Usual residences in buildings with 3 or more dwellings (2021) | 5.7% | 21.7% | 13.8% | ranked 250 of 307 | |
| Median selling price of housing per m² (2025) | 585 €/m² | – | 1,108 €/m² | ranked 257 of 305 |
Energy
| Indicator | Murça | Vila Real | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usual residences without heating (2021) | 7.9% | 11.0% | 18.6% | ranked 283 of 307 | |
| Usual residences with central heating (2021) | 30.3% | 30.2% | 12.6% | ranked 41 of 307 | |
| Electricity consumption per inhabitant (2024) | 2,770 kWh/inh. | 3,212 kWh/inh. | 3,690 kWh/inh. | ranked 273 of 307 |
Economy
| Indicator | Murça | Vila Real | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprises (2023) | 1,221 | 30,702 | 1,510,274 | ranked 205 of 308 | |
| Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2023) | 234.8 | 164.5 | 128.1 | ranked 7 of 307 | |
| Declared gross income per inhabitant (2024) | 8,818 € | 10,158 € | 10,553 € | ranked 286 of 307 | |
| Purchasing power per capita (Portugal = 100) (2023) | 65.9 | 80.4 | 79.5 | ranked 288 of 307 |
Employment
| Indicator | Murça | Vila Real | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate (2021) | 8.1% | 7.8% | 7.0% | ranked 89 of 307 | |
| Average monthly earnings of employees (2024) | 1,189 € | – | 1,258 € | ranked 217 of 307 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Murça | Vila Real | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays in tourist accommodation (2025) | 4,142 | 727,979 | 82,011,658 | ranked 295 of 307 | |
| Overnight stays per 100 inhabitants (2025) | 81.0 | 389.0 | 275.0 | ranked 261 of 306 |
Education
| Indicator | Murça | Vila Real | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population with completed higher education (2021) | 10.5% | 16.0% | 13.2% | ranked 244 of 307 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Murça
Business sectors: Murça
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing61.1% ×7.6
- Wholesale and retail trade8.3% ×0.6
- Administrative and support services4.5% ×0.3
- Accommodation and food services4.3% ×0.5
- Health and social work4.3% ×0.6
- Construction4.0% ×0.6
- Professional, scientific and technical3.0% ×0.3
- Manufacturing2.9% ×0.6
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Murça?
Murça has 5,100 residents (2025), ranking 257 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Murça?
Murça covers 189.4 km², with a density of 27 people per km².
Is the population of Murça growing?
Between 2021 and 2025, the population of Murça went from 5,242 to 5,100, a change of −2.7%.
Where is Murça?
Murça is in Vila Real. Latitude 41.400, longitude −7.450.
Buildings in need of medium or extensive repair: what is the figure for Murça?
In Murça, “Buildings in need of medium or extensive repair” stands at 4.4% (2021), ranking 306 of 307 municipalities; the national median is 14.2%.
Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Murça?
In Murça, “Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 234.8 (2023), ranking 7 of 307 municipalities; the national median is 128.1.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Murça?
In Murça, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 34° produces about 1,482 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Murça?
The nearest to Murça are Alijó (14 km), Vila Pouca de Aguiar (18 km), Sabrosa (18 km), Carrazeda de Ansiães (21 km), Mirandela (24 km).
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