The latest census from the INS shows that every municipality in the Marina Baja, the population has grown compared with the previous year.
Benidorm is not the only place filling up fast.
The region has now stayed above the 200000 resident mark for the second year in a row, which also happens to be the only time it has ever reached that milestone.
According to the data from the INS (National Institute of Statistics) for 1 January 2025, the municipalities together reached 209663 residents. That is higher than the 2024 figure of 203912 and it is the largest total ever recorded. The first records from 1996 show the Marina Baja with 119974 inhabitants. Almost three decades later, that is an increase of about 75%. We now wait for the figure for 1 January 2026 to see if the climb continues.
The real number of people living in the area is always higher than what appears in the registers or the census. This comes from the constant flow of tourists and from residents who do not always register. Many foreign residents also forget to renew their paperwork on time which does very little for accuracy.
Marina Baja population by municipality
Benidorm leads the list of 18 municipalities with 77221 inhabitants. This is the highest figure ever for the city and 2648 more than last year. Next is Villajoyosa with 37578 residents. Its growth is calmer with an increase of 616 but steady over the past decade and yet another record. Altea remains in third place with 24731 residents, again its highest total so far.
Next comes Alfaz del Pi which has moved up and down in recent years. It now has 21046 residents, more than the previous year with 20425, but still shy of its 2013 peak of 21969. A similar story is found in La Nucía which now has 19329 residents. That is more than last year with 18997 but still below its record of 20039 set in 2015.
Finestrat is the high speed climber. Since 1996 it has leapfrogged two municipalities that were once larger, Callosa d en Sarrià and Polop. It now sits in sixth place with 9980 residents, an increase of 609 in one year. In 1996 it had only 1504 residents. It passed Polop in 2001 and Callosa in 2022. Much of this growth comes from new residential developments.
A big shift from the past
Callosa d en Sarrià also reaches a record with 8301 residents, an increase of 232. In these smaller inland towns changes tend to be slower though usually positive. It is quite a shift from the past when many inland areas were losing population as younger residents moved elsewhere. The same pattern appears in Polop which now has 5894 residents and continues the growth it started in 2014 when it had only 4313. Relleu also moves upward with 1373 residents which is 143 more and again its highest figure to date.
Several other municipalities have grown but more modestly with fewer than 30 new residents. These include Orxeta with 934, Tàrbena with 667, Sella with 622, Benimantell with 544, Bolulla with 487, Castell de Guadalest with 280 and Benifato with 160. There are two exceptions. Confrides falls slightly to 293, down by eight, and Beniardà falls to 233, down by nine.
Overall the coastal towns are not the only ones growing. The inland villages are also managing to hold on to their inhabitants and in many cases they are even gaining a few. It is worth noting that Orxeta has doubled its population in the past three decades and Relleu has gained around 500 residents. Both are now at their highest levels on record which is quite an achievement for places once known mainly for peace and quiet.
Where is the Marina Baja?
Marina Baja (officially Marina Baixa in Valencian) is a region in the province of Alicante, Spain. Its capital is Villajoyosa and its most populous city is Benidorm. It borders the Mediterranean Sea and the regions of Campo de Alicante, Hoya de Alcoy, Condado de Cocentaina, and Marina Alta.
