City · Comunidad de Madrid · All places
A university and Cervantes town east of Madrid, with a World Heritage centre and a commuter's daily rhythm.
Alcalá de Henares sits on the flat plain of the Henares river, east of Madrid, and is joined to the capital by commuter rail. Its old centre is a World Heritage site built around a Renaissance university, and the long arcaded Calle Mayor is lined with columns, bars and bookshops. Miguel de Cervantes was born here in the sixteenth century, and the city has never let anyone forget it.
Today it is a mid-sized city with a double life. By day it is a university town and a local administrative centre, with a tidy historic core. At the edges it is a commuter city of apartment blocks, retail parks and business estates. The city has 203,208 residents (2025).
It suits people who want a real town with a good hospital and a clear identity, and who accept a daily train ride if their work is in Madrid.
Data as of · the latest figures cover Jun 2026
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What the data says
Alcalá de Henares stands out for healthcare, prosperity and jobs; it is weaker on connectivity and transport. A typical 70 m² rental costs about €659 a month (2024).
Who it suits, 0 to 100
Practical conclusions we draw from Alcalá de Henares’s figures. They are inferences, not official statistics: each says what it rests on.
A large international and graduate population means English is common at work, in cafés and among neighbours. Contracts, the town hall and most doctors work in Spanish.
Summer nights stay warm, so sleep depends on a cooled bedroom. Check for air-conditioning before you sign.
Frosty nights are common. Many older Spanish flats are poorly insulated: ask about heating and the winter energy bill.
Almost every home can get gigabit fibre, so working from home is not a gamble on the flat you pick.
Tapas on Calle Mayor and Calle Libreros, a solid set lunch and candied almonds from the pastry shops.
Calm by day, with the Madrid commuters gone early and back in the evening.
Student bars around the old colleges and terraces on the arcaded street, quiet by Madrid standards.
The historic centre is the heart, the Ensanche is where people live, and newer districts such as Espartales suit families.
Spanish only, with English found mostly among university staff and students.
Cervantes week in October, Don Juan Tenorio in November and the August fair.
Students, civil servants, military families from the nearby air base and a large foreign-born community.
The centre is small and walkable. Calle Mayor runs for the better part of a kilometre under a roofed colonnade, with the Plaza de Cervantes at one end and the old university buildings, the cathedral known as the Magistral and the Cervantes birthplace museum close by. At lunchtime the terraces fill with office workers and retired couples, and on Saturday the street is crowded with day-trippers from Madrid.
Food is hearty and unfussy. Bars along Calle Mayor and the lanes around Calle Libreros serve a free tapa with each drink in the old Madrid manner, and the pastry shops sell candied almonds and the local sweet pastries. The big dates are Cervantes week in October, with a market in period costume, the staging of Don Juan Tenorio in November, and the town fair in August.
Beyond the centre, Alcalá is a family and commuter city. The Ensanche has the shops and the daily routine, while the newer eastern districts have wide streets, playgrounds and big blocks of flats. Most evenings are quiet. For a night out, locals go to the student bars near the old colleges, or take the train to Madrid.
People are practical, unhurried and rooted. Many families have lived here for generations, and a growing foreign-born community, mostly Latin American and from Eastern Europe and Morocco, has made the schools and streets more mixed.
Alcalá was a Roman town called Complutum, then a Moorish fortress, then the seat of the archbishops of Toledo. In 1499 Cardinal Cisneros founded a university here, which became one of the great centres of learning in Spain. The university was moved to Madrid in 1836, and the town declined into a garrison and market town. A new University of Alcalá reopened in the late twentieth century, and the historic centre was added to the World Heritage list in 1998.
The modern city was built by Madrid's growth. From the middle of the twentieth century, the Henares corridor filled with factories, warehouses and housing for people priced out of the capital, and the nearby air base at Torrejón added a military population. This is why the city is large, and why many residents spend a long part of their day travelling. The average commute is 48 min (2021).
Health is a strength. A big public teaching hospital serves the city and the surrounding district, and life expectancy is 84.6 years (2023). Healthcare comes out strong against similar cities.
Prices sit below Madrid but have climbed. A typical 70 m² flat rents for about €659 a month (2024), and buying costs €2,942 per square metre (Q2 2026). House prices rose by 20.3% over the latest year (Q2 2026).
Safety is middling, and comes out average. Recorded crime is 48.5 per 1,000 people (2024), and the figure that stands out is vehicle theft at 137 per 100k people (2025).
Figures for Alcalá de Henares itself, not its region. Each shows the period it covers.
Each card uses Alcalá de Henares data only and compares it with similar cities. Open “Why this score?” to see the measures behind it.
Healthcare is strong: in the top quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Life expectancy: 84.6 years — better than 89% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Strong: 89 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancyAlcalá de Henares · 2023 | 84.6 years | better than 89% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Prosperity is above average: better than most Spanish cities above 50,000.
Household income per person: 16,532 € a year per person — better than 68% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Above average: 68 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Household income per personAlcalá de Henares · 2024 | 16,532 € a year per person | better than 68% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Jobs is above average: better than most Spanish cities above 50,000.
Unemployment: 9.58% — better than 63% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Above average: 62 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| UnemploymentAlcalá de Henares · 2025 | 9.58% | better than 63% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Unemployment, change in a yearAlcalá de Henares · 2025 | -1.30 points | better than 60% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Digital is around the middle: around the middle of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Homes that can get gigabit internet: 98.5% — better than 57% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Average: 54 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Homes that can get gigabit internetAlcalá de Henares · 2025 | 98.5% | better than 57% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Homes with fibre to the doorAlcalá de Henares · 2025 | 98.6% | better than 54% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| 5G coverageAlcalá de Henares · 2025 | 100.0% | better than 53% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Safety is around the middle: around the middle of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Sexual offences: 0.34 per 1,000 people — better than 70% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Average: 54 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| HomicidesAlcalá de Henares · 2025 | 0.49 per 100k people | better than 51% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Recorded crimeAlcalá de Henares · 2024 | 48.5 per 1,000 people | better than 47% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| RobberiesAlcalá de Henares · 2025 | 67.4 per 100k people | better than 67% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| BurglariesAlcalá de Henares · 2025 | 93.0 per 100k people | better than 64% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Sexual offencesAlcalá de Henares · 2024 | 0.34 per 1,000 people | better than 70% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| TheftsAlcalá de Henares · 2025 | 1,111 per 100k people | better than 56% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Vehicle theftsAlcalá de Henares · 2025 | 137 per 100k people | better than 14% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Climate is around the middle: around the middle of major European cities.
Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry): 88.6 days a year — better than 70% of major European cities
Average: 48 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry)Alcalá de Henares · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 88.6 days a year | better than 70% of major European cities |
| Days above 35 °CAlcalá de Henares · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 29.4 days a year | better than 8% of major European cities |
| Nights above 20 °CAlcalá de Henares · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 8.90 nights a year | better than 43% of major European cities |
Housing is below average: in the bottom quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
House prices, change in a year: 20.3% — worse than 89% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Below average: 40 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Rent per m²Alcalá de Henares · 2024 | 9.42 €/m² a month | better than 26% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rents, change in a yearAlcalá de Henares · 2024 | 3.30% | better than 49% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Buying price per m²Alcalá de Henares · 2026-Q2 | 2,942 €/m² | better than 31% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rent growth a year, over 3 yearsAlcalá de Henares · 2024 | 4.17% | better than 77% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| House prices, change in a yearAlcalá de Henares · 2026-Q2 | 20.3% | better than 11% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Transport is below average: in the bottom quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Average commute (one way): 48.3 minutes — worse than 89% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Below average: 37 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Average commute (one way)Alcalá de Henares · 2021 | 48.3 minutes | better than 11% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Commute by carAlcalá de Henares · 2021 | 63.7% | better than 32% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Commute by public transportAlcalá de Henares · 2021 | 18.5% | better than 74% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Connectivity is weak: in the bottom 10% of major European cities.
Distance to the main airport: 17.1 km — worse than 78% of major European cities
Weak: 22 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Distance to the main airportAlcalá de Henares · 2026-10-21 | 17.1 km | better than 22% of major European cities |
What we cannot score for Alcalá de Henares yet
Highs around 34° in July, lows around -0° in January. 89 pleasant days a year (dry, 18–28 °C).
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10.0°C | -0.4°C | 33 mm |
| February | 12.5°C | 0.7°C | 26 mm |
| March | 15.1°C | 2.5°C | 54 mm |
| April | 18.4°C | 5.0°C | 56 mm |
| May | 23.4°C | 8.9°C | 35 mm |
| June | 28.9°C | 13.7°C | 34 mm |
| July | 34.3°C | 17.3°C | 10 mm |
| August | 33.5°C | 17.2°C | 20 mm |
| September | 26.8°C | 12.9°C | 38 mm |
| October | 21.5°C | 9.1°C | 58 mm |
| November | 14.6°C | 3.9°C | 42 mm |
| December | 11.5°C | 1.6°C | 34 mm |
Alcalá has a continental climate with little sea influence. Winters are cold and clear, with frosts and a persistent morning chill, and fog can linger over the river meadows. Summers are hot and dry, and the old centre bakes in the afternoon.
The number of very hot days is 29 a year (2015–2024), and frost days number 52 a year (2015–2024). Rainfall is low at 439 mm a year (2015–2024). Spring and autumn are the best seasons. Heating costs matter in January, and a flat with good shade matters in July.
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63/100 · above average · 42nd of 106 Spanish cities above 50,000
9.6% in 2025
20.3% in Q2 2026
€9.4 per m² a month in 2024
€2,942 per m² in Q2 2026
84.6 years in 2023
Facts about the people who live in Alcalá de Henares. Shown as context only: none of this changes a score.
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Fit from the data, 0 to 100, against other Spanish cities. Open a group to see the figures behind it.
Pleasant, safe-feeling districts and good private clinics, but little in the way of luxury services.
Not measured yet: Average dwelling size, Education, Environment, Income tax and social security, average earner, Total tax on labour, average earner.
One of the best-preserved Renaissance university towns in Spain, with a literary tradition and a theatre year.
Not measured yet: Lifestyle, Walk most.
A decent local job market in logistics, public service, health and education, and the capital within reach.
Not measured yet: Jobs in high-tech sectors, Lifestyle, Median gross salary, Youth unemployment (15–24).
Business estates along the Henares corridor, with logistics, retail and light industry, and a university with research parks.
Nothing stands out.
Not measured yet: Jobs in high-tech sectors, Regulatory quality.
A settled family city with parks, schools and a historic centre for weekends, at lower prices than Madrid.
Better nearby for families with children: Fuenlabrada (62), Aranjuez (60), Coslada (60)
Not measured yet: 15-year-olds' maths (PISA), Average dwelling size, Childcare availability, Education, Environment, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Pre-primary participation.
Strong healthcare and long life expectancy, with a flat, walkable centre and a cultural calendar, but cold winters and hot summers.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Doctors, Environment, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂).
The University of Alcalá fills the old colleges and gives the town its student bars, a student rhythm and a cultural programme.
Better nearby for students: Madrid (57), Rivas-Vaciamadrid (57), Parla (56)
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Cycle most, Education, Lifestyle, Price level vs EU average, Walk most, Youth unemployment (15–24).
Reliable fibre and calm streets, with cheaper rents than Madrid, but a distant and thin international scene.
Better nearby for remote workers: Coslada (62), Torrejón de Ardoz (58), Alcobendas (54)
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Fixed broadband penetration, Lifestyle.
Cheaper than Madrid but not cheap in absolute terms, with a labour market that depends on the capital.
Better nearby for budget-conscious movers: Aranjuez (55), Valdemoro (54), Fuenlabrada (51)
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Households spending >40% of income on housing, Price level vs EU average.
Flat ground along the Henares and some river parks, with the Sierra de Guadarrama a drive away.
Better nearby for beach, mountains and the outdoors: Madrid (44)
Not measured yet: Environment, Fine-particle pollution (PM2.5), Lifestyle, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Strong-wind days.
Taxes, residency and the wider economy are set nationally, so they are the same in Alcalá de Henares as anywhere in Spain.
Compared with Alcalá de Henares; each card says where it is better or worse for someone living there.
70 m²: €829 a month
Compare with Alcalá de Henares70 m²: €713 a month
Compare with Alcalá de Henares70 m²: €553 a month
Compare with Alcalá de Henares70 m²: €569 a month
Compare with Alcalá de Henares70 m²: €885 a month
Compare with Alcalá de Henares70 m²: €665 a month
Compare with Alcalá de HenaresGuide written 2026-10-22. Figures are refreshed as new official data is published; the period beside each number says what it covers. “Our read” cards are our inferences from those figures. How we score
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