City · Comunidad de Madrid · All places
A big, orderly dormitory city south of Madrid with some of the lowest recorded crime in Spain and a very long commute.
Fuenlabrada is one of the biggest cities in the south of Madrid, a place that grew from a village of a few thousand to a city of nearly two hundred thousand in barely two generations. It is flat, planned and tidy, with wide streets, public parks and blocks of flats grouped around squares.
There is no old town to speak of and no tourist trade. What the city offers is a quiet, low-crime place to live that sits on the commuter rail and metro lines into Madrid. The city has 190,076 residents (2025).
It suits families and commuters who value safety, services and a lower cost than the capital. It is a poor choice for anyone who wants a historic centre, a coast or a short commute.
Data as of · the latest figures cover Jun 2026
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What the data says
Fuenlabrada stands out for healthcare, digital and safety; it is weaker on connectivity and prosperity. A typical 70 m² rental costs about €633 a month (2024).
Who it suits, 0 to 100
Practical conclusions we draw from Fuenlabrada’s figures. They are inferences, not official statistics: each says what it rests on.
You will meet English speakers, mostly in the centre and at international employers. Shops, landlords and schools expect Spanish. 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.
Most commuters walk, cycle or take public transport. Owning a car is optional, and parking is the bigger cost.
Almost every home can get gigabit fibre, so working from home is not a gamble on the flat you pick.
Family bars with a free tapa, set lunches and big Sunday lunches at home.
Quiet and family-centred, with the long commute shaping the morning and evening.
Local bars, shopping centres and sports halls, and Madrid for anything bigger.
Loranca and Nuevo Versalles are the newer family districts, the old centre is small and La Serna is a well-known residential area.
Spanish, with a sizeable Latin American and Moroccan population.
Local fiestas, with basketball and football as the weekly events.
Families from the south of Madrid, shift workers, public employees and a mixed immigrant population.
Fuenlabrada is domestic and calm. The centre has a town hall square, a market, a municipal theatre and a pedestrian street of shops, but life happens in the neighbourhoods: a local bar, a bakery, a park, a sports centre. Children play in the squares until late on summer evenings, and the streets feel safe in a way that surprises people used to Madrid.
The Parque de Polvoranca, shared with Leganés, is the largest green space, with a lake, running tracks and picnic areas. The sports calendar gives the week its shape. The basketball club plays in the top divisions and draws a loyal crowd, and the football club fills its small stadium named after the local-born striker.
The city has a large and settled immigrant community, mostly from Latin America and Morocco, alongside the families who came from the Spanish countryside in the last century. People are friendly, practical and used to getting up early. Nights out happen in Madrid, and the last metro or train is a constraint. The university campus brings communications and engineering students, but the town does not feel like a student city.
Fuenlabrada was an agricultural village until the 1950s. As Madrid's industry expanded south, factories and migrants arrived from Extremadura, Castile and Andalucía, and the village was surrounded by new neighbourhoods built to a plan. Most of the city dates from after 1970, which is why it feels so orderly. A second boom of estates such as Loranca and Nuevo Versalles added newer housing on the edges.
The safety figures are striking. Recorded crime is 31.3 per 1,000 people (2024), one of the lowest rates among large Spanish cities, and the city comes out strong on safety. Sexual offences are 0.24 per 1,000 people (2024). Nobody can say for sure why, but a planned grid, a young family population and a stable community probably help, and with few visitors there is little opportunist theft.
Health is another strength. A public teaching hospital serves the city, and life expectancy is 84.5 years (2023). Healthcare comes out strong.
The weaker side is money and time. Household income per person is €14,321 a year (2024), and prosperity comes out below average. Adults with a university degree make up 30% (2024), low for a city next to the capital. The average commute is 55 min (2021), and public transport carries 30% of commuters (2021).
Housing sits in the middle. A typical 70 m² flat rents for about €633 a month (2024), and buying costs €2,922 per square metre (Q2 2026).
Figures for Fuenlabrada itself, not its region. Each shows the period it covers.
Each card uses Fuenlabrada 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: 84.5 years — better than 87% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Strong: 87 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancyFuenlabrada · 2023 | 84.5 years | better than 87% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Digital is strong: in the top 10% of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Homes that can get gigabit internet: 99.6% — better than 88% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Strong: 86 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 internetFuenlabrada · 2025 | 99.6% | better than 88% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Homes with fibre to the doorFuenlabrada · 2025 | 99.7% | better than 83% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| 5G coverageFuenlabrada · 2025 | 100% | better than 85% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Safety is strong: in the top 10% of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Recorded crime: 31.3 per 1,000 people — better than 99% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Strong: 83 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| HomicidesFuenlabrada · 2025 | 0.00 per 100k people | better than 78% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Recorded crimeFuenlabrada · 2024 | 31.3 per 1,000 people | better than 99% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| RobberiesFuenlabrada · 2025 | 94.7 per 100k people | better than 44% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| BurglariesFuenlabrada · 2025 | 76.8 per 100k people | better than 80% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Sexual offencesFuenlabrada · 2024 | 0.24 per 1,000 people | better than 95% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| TheftsFuenlabrada · 2025 | 733 per 100k people | better than 88% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Vehicle theftsFuenlabrada · 2025 | 95.8 per 100k people | better than 29% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Jobs is above average: better than most Spanish cities above 50,000.
Unemployment, change in a year: -1.33 points — better than 64% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Above average: 61 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| UnemploymentFuenlabrada · 2025 | 9.78% | better than 60% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Unemployment, change in a yearFuenlabrada · 2025 | -1.33 points | better than 64% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Transport is around the middle: around the middle of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Commute by public transport: 30.1% — better than 95% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Average: 51 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)Fuenlabrada · 2021 | 55.3 minutes | better than 2% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Commute by carFuenlabrada · 2021 | 57.0% | better than 65% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Commute by public transportFuenlabrada · 2021 | 30.1% | better than 95% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Housing is around the middle: around the middle of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Rent growth a year, over 3 years: 4.19% — better than 75% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Average: 50 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Rent per m²Fuenlabrada · 2024 | 9.04 €/m² a month | better than 34% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rents, change in a yearFuenlabrada · 2024 | 3.00% | better than 71% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Buying price per m²Fuenlabrada · 2026-Q2 | 2,922 €/m² | better than 32% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rent growth a year, over 3 yearsFuenlabrada · 2024 | 4.19% | better than 75% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| House prices, change in a yearFuenlabrada · 2026-Q2 | 16.4% | better than 34% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Climate is around the middle: behind most major European cities.
Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry): 84.2 days a year — better than 61% of major European cities
Average: 43 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)Fuenlabrada · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 84.2 days a year | better than 61% of major European cities |
| Days above 35 °CFuenlabrada · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 32.6 days a year | better than 7% of major European cities |
| Nights above 20 °CFuenlabrada · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 11.3 nights a year | better than 42% of major European cities |
Prosperity is below average: behind most Spanish cities above 50,000.
Household income per person: 14,321 € a year per person — worse than 71% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Below average: 29 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 personFuenlabrada · 2024 | 14,321 € a year per person | better than 29% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Connectivity is weak: in the bottom 10% of major European cities.
Distance to the main airport: 30.2 km — worse than 97% of major European cities
Weak: 3 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 airportFuenlabrada · 2026-10-21 | 30.2 km | better than 3% of major European cities |
What we cannot score for Fuenlabrada yet
Highs around 35° in July, lows around -0° in January. 84 pleasant days a year (dry, 18–28 °C).
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9.9°C | -0.1°C | 40 mm |
| February | 12.2°C | 0.9°C | 32 mm |
| March | 14.9°C | 2.7°C | 57 mm |
| April | 18.2°C | 5.1°C | 59 mm |
| May | 23.6°C | 9.1°C | 33 mm |
| June | 29.2°C | 14.1°C | 28 mm |
| July | 34.7°C | 17.7°C | 10 mm |
| August | 33.9°C | 17.5°C | 19 mm |
| September | 27.1°C | 13.1°C | 41 mm |
| October | 21.7°C | 9.3°C | 70 mm |
| November | 14.5°C | 4.2°C | 49 mm |
| December | 11.4°C | 1.8°C | 43 mm |
Fuenlabrada shares the continental climate of the Madrid plain, with a hot dry summer and a cold winter. Streets are wide and shade is thin, so July afternoons are hard to bear without cooling. Winters bring frost most mornings in January.
The number of very hot days is 33 a year (2015–2024), and frost days number 46 a year (2015–2024). Pleasant days, mild and dry, number 84 a year (2015–2024). Spring and autumn are the best seasons.
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65/100 · above average · 39th of 106 Spanish cities above 50,000
9.8% in 2025
16.4% in Q2 2026
€9.0 per m² a month in 2024
€2,922 per m² in Q2 2026
84.5 years in 2023
Facts about the people who live in Fuenlabrada. 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.
A safe and comfortable suburb with roomy homes at moderate prices, but few luxury services.
Not measured yet: Average dwelling size, Education, Environment, Income tax and social security, average earner, Total tax on labour, average earner.
A strong fit for families who put safety and services first, with lots of children, parks and sports.
Not measured yet: 15-year-olds' maths (PISA), Average dwelling size, Childcare availability, Education, Environment, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Pre-primary participation.
One of the safest big cities in Spain, with a university hospital and flat streets, but hot summers and cold winters.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Doctors, Environment, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂).
A municipal theatre and a lively sports calendar, but nothing like a heritage or gallery scene.
Not measured yet: Lifestyle, Walk most.
Workable for those with a job in Madrid, though the commute is a daily tax.
Better nearby for young professionals: Madrid (65), Rivas-Vaciamadrid (65), Las Rozas de Madrid (64)
Not measured yet: Jobs in high-tech sectors, Lifestyle, Median gross salary, Youth unemployment (15–24).
One of the cheaper large suburbs in the south of Madrid, with real services and a safe setting.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Households spending >40% of income on housing, Price level vs EU average.
Fibre and calm streets, but a modest social setting and a long way from the airport.
Better nearby for remote workers: Coslada (62), Torrejón de Ardoz (58)
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Fixed broadband penetration, Lifestyle.
The Rey Juan Carlos campus brings communications and engineering students, many of them commuting from home.
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).
Cheap premises and local clients, but a small start-up community and no investors close by.
Better nearby for founders and self-employed: Alcobendas (69), Madrid (68), Coslada (64)
Not measured yet: Jobs in high-tech sectors, Regulatory quality.
Flat and built up, with a big park and the Sierra de Guadarrama a drive away.
Better nearby for beach, mountains and the outdoors: Madrid (44), Aranjuez (38), Pinto (38)
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 Fuenlabrada as anywhere in Spain.
Compared with Fuenlabrada; each card says where it is better or worse for someone living there.
70 m²: €829 a month
Compare with Fuenlabrada70 m²: €713 a month
Compare with Fuenlabrada70 m²: €659 a month
Compare with Fuenlabrada70 m²: €553 a month
Compare with Fuenlabrada70 m²: €569 a month
Compare with Fuenlabrada70 m²: €885 a month
Compare with FuenlabradaGuide 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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