Penalva do Castelo: population and statistics
Penalva do Castelo has a population of 7,160 (2025) across 134.3 km², or 53.3 people per km². It ranks 215 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is stable: +0.3% between 2021 and 2025.
- 7,160 residents
- 134.3 km²
- 53 people/km²
- 376 m
Key points
Among the 24 municipalities in Viseu, Penalva do Castelo ranks No. 18 by population.
Owner-occupied usual residences: 88.6% in Penalva do Castelo, compared with an average of 80.7% in Viseu and 69.8% nationally.
Usual residences with central heating: 34.6% in Penalva do Castelo, compared with an average of 32.3% in Viseu and 13.8% nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 40.0% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 35° generates about 1,500 kWh a year here.
Penalva do Castelo in numbers
Where is Penalva do Castelo?
Population of Penalva do Castelo over time
Penalva do Castelo had 7,139 residents in 2021 and 7,160 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 7,139 |
| 2022 | 7,158 |
| 2023 | 7,130 |
| 2024 | 7,135 |
| 2025 | 7,160 |
Did you know?
- “Owner-occupied usual residences”: higher than in 96% of municipalities.
- “Usual residences with central heating”: higher than in 94% of municipalities.
- “Population with completed higher education”: lower than in 92% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 18,815 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.3 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Sátão (11,295 residents), 7.9 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 6,000 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
All indicators for Penalva do Castelo
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 | Penalva do Castelo | Viseu | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population aged 65 and over (2025) | 35.3% | 28.7% | 26.9% | ranked 53 of 307 | |
| Population under 15 (2025) | 10.6% | 11.5% | 11.7% | ranked 215 of 307 | |
| Ageing index (older people per 100 young people) (2025) | 331.9 | – | 229.9 | ranked 62 of 307 | |
| Population density (inhabitants per km²) (2025) | 53.3 inh./km² | – | 69.6 inh./km² | ranked 175 of 307 | |
| Population change between 2021 and 2025 (2025) | 0.29% | – | 4.50% | ranked 252 of 307 |
Housing
| Indicator | Penalva do Castelo | Viseu | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buildings (2021) | 5,293 | 207,281 | 3,573,416 | ranked 211 of 308 | |
| Buildings built before 1946 (2021) | 13.6% | 11.7% | 12.8% | ranked 136 of 307 | |
| Buildings built since 2001 (2021) | 19.8% | 18.7% | 16.8% | ranked 90 of 307 | |
| Buildings in need of medium or extensive repair (2021) | 15.3% | 16.7% | 14.2% | ranked 129 of 307 | |
| Conventional family dwellings (2021) | 5,649 | 245,876 | 5,970,677 | ranked 218 of 308 | |
| Dwellings used as secondary residences (2021) | 31.3% | 27.4% | 25.8% | ranked 119 of 307 | |
| Vacant dwellings (2021) | 17.5% | 14.0% | 13.1% | ranked 52 of 307 | |
| Owner-occupied usual residences (2021) | 88.6% | 80.7% | 77.8% | ranked 11 of 307 | |
| Rented usual residences (2021) | 5.6% | 12.7% | 13.6% | ranked 291 of 307 | |
| Usual residences in buildings with 3 or more dwellings (2021) | 7.1% | 20.4% | 13.8% | ranked 231 of 307 | |
| Median selling price of housing per m² (2025) | 400 €/m² | – | 1,108 €/m² | ranked 291 of 305 |
Energy
| Indicator | Penalva do Castelo | Viseu | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usual residences without heating (2021) | 12.6% | 13.6% | 18.6% | ranked 234 of 307 | |
| Usual residences with central heating (2021) | 34.6% | 32.3% | 12.6% | ranked 18 of 307 | |
| Electricity consumption per inhabitant (2024) | 2,593 kWh/inh. | 4,171 kWh/inh. | 3,690 kWh/inh. | ranked 285 of 307 |
Economy
| Indicator | Penalva do Castelo | Viseu | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprises (2023) | 909 | 45,832 | 1,510,274 | ranked 229 of 308 | |
| Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2023) | 127.5 | 127.7 | 128.1 | ranked 160 of 307 | |
| Declared gross income per inhabitant (2024) | 9,190 € | 10,408 € | 10,553 € | ranked 268 of 307 | |
| Purchasing power per capita (Portugal = 100) (2023) | 66.4 | 81.7 | 79.5 | ranked 282 of 307 |
Employment
| Indicator | Penalva do Castelo | Viseu | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate (2021) | 7.6% | 7.4% | 7.0% | ranked 117 of 307 | |
| Average monthly earnings of employees (2024) | 1,187 € | – | 1,258 € | ranked 219 of 307 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Penalva do Castelo | Viseu | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays in tourist accommodation (2025) | 13,520 | 1,062,144 | 82,011,658 | ranked 243 of 307 | |
| Overnight stays per 100 inhabitants (2025) | 189.2 | 291.8 | 275.0 | ranked 199 of 306 | |
| Share of overnight stays in local accommodation (alojamento local) (2025) | 13.1% | – | 18.4% | ranked 112 of 178 |
Education
| Indicator | Penalva do Castelo | Viseu | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population with completed higher education (2021) | 9.2% | 16.1% | 13.2% | ranked 281 of 307 |
Sunshine and temperatures: Penalva do Castelo
Business sectors: Penalva do Castelo
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing40.0% ×5.0
- Construction11.8% ×1.6
- Wholesale and retail trade9.8% ×0.7
- Accommodation and food services6.5% ×0.8
- Administrative and support services6.3% ×0.4
- Professional, scientific and technical4.7% ×0.5
- Manufacturing4.6% ×1.0
- Health and social work4.0% ×0.5
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Penalva do Castelo?
Penalva do Castelo has 7,160 residents (2025), ranking 215 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Penalva do Castelo?
Penalva do Castelo covers 134.3 km², with a density of 53 people per km².
Is the population of Penalva do Castelo growing?
Between 2021 and 2025, the population of Penalva do Castelo went from 7,139 to 7,160, a change of +0.3%.
Where is Penalva do Castelo?
Penalva do Castelo is in Viseu. Latitude 40.667, longitude −7.683.
Owner-occupied usual residences: what is the figure for Penalva do Castelo?
In Penalva do Castelo, “Owner-occupied usual residences” stands at 88.6% (2021), ranking 11 of 307 municipalities; the national median is 77.8%.
Usual residences with central heating: what is the figure for Penalva do Castelo?
In Penalva do Castelo, “Usual residences with central heating” stands at 34.6% (2021), ranking 18 of 307 municipalities; the national median is 12.6%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Penalva do Castelo?
In Penalva do Castelo, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 35° produces about 1,500 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Penalva do Castelo?
The nearest to Penalva do Castelo are Sátão (7.9 km), Mangualde (10 km), Fornos de Algodres (14 km), Viseu (19 km), Gouveia (20 km).
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