A British expat hotspot in Cadiz is riding a wave of demographic growth, with its population reaching 214,844 in 2024, according to new data from Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE).
That’s 1,613 more residents than in 2023, and 2,114 more than in 2022 – cementing its status as one of the fastest-growing urban centres in Andalucia.
The city in question is Jerez de la Frontera, which now ranks 26th nationwide and fifth in Andalucia in terms of population, leapfrogging several provincial capitals including Almeria, Huelva, Jaen and even Cadiz.
Mayor Maria Jose Garcia-Pelayo has welcomed the figures, calling the upward trend a sign of Jerez’s ‘permanent growth’ and appeal to both families and professionals seeking long-term residence.
According to Garcia-Pelayo, the numbers reflect a broader trend of more people actively choosing to relocate to Jerez.
The city is increasingly seen as a place to ‘build a future’, offering a mix of economic opportunity, quality of life and urban renewal.
Between 2022 and 2024, the city’s population rose by nearly 1%, reflecting a solid mix of internal growth and incoming migration that is part of a broader transformation that includes growing cultural diversity and active efforts to reshape the city’s infrastructure.
Diversity is key
New residents from Africa, the Americas and Asia are contributing to Jerez’s cultural fabric, which the mayor described as ‘richer and more varied’ than ever.
Jerez is home to significant communities from Morocco, Colombia, Venezuela, Ukraine, Peru, and the UK, among others.
The city’s multicultural profile, Garcia-Pelayo argues, is central to its bid to become European Capital of Culture in 2031.
More housing to cope with demand
Jerez’s City Council is also moving to revitalise its historic centre, with the aim of attracting more residents and restoring the city’s urban heart.
Recent efforts include roadworks, public space improvements and heritage preservation projects.
One key step has been the release of municipally owned land for private development. The sale of sites from the Municipal Register of Plots is expected to allow construction of up to 140 new homes in the city centre during this legislative term.
Meanwhile, a new agreement with the Andalusian government opens the door to the creation of more affordable housing, designed to keep locals living in Jerez instead of pushing them out to surrounding towns.
In the province of Cadiz, Jerez remains the most populated city, comfortably ahead of Algeciras, Cadiz, San Fernando, and El Puerto de Santa Maria.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
