Region · Spain · All places
Spain's smallest mainland region, built around wine, with quiet towns and long lunches.
La Rioja is a small, single-province region in the Ebro valley in northern Spain. Its landscape is made of vineyards, wine cellars, hilltop villages, river terraces and, to the south, mountain ranges with forests and a few ski runs. About half of its people live in Logroño, the capital, and most of the rest in small towns.
It is known for wine, and for a gentle, civilised way of life. It is a place to live at a slow pace, close to good food and the countryside, rather than a place with a big job market. Its small scale means everything is within reach. The region has 326,803 residents (2025).
Data as of · the latest figures cover Jun 2026
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What the data says
La Rioja stands out for housing; it is weaker on prosperity and jobs. A typical 70 m² rental costs about €414 a month (2024).
Who it suits, 0 to 100
Practical conclusions we draw from La Rioja’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.
Mushroom skewers, stuffed peppers, lamb chops and a glass of young Rioja at every bar.
Gentle and sociable, with shops closing at lunchtime and people greeting each other in the street.
Logroño's bar streets fill with small groups moving from one specialty to the next.
One flat, walkable capital with a tidy old town, then wine villages and mountain valleys.
Spanish only, with a clear local accent and no second official language.
The wine battle of Haro in June and the grape harvest festival in Logroño in September.
Vineyard cycling, walks on the Camino and hiking in the Sierra de la Demanda.
In Logroño, life is on the street. The Calle Laurel and its neighbouring lanes are crowded every evening with people hopping from one bar to the next, each of which serves one specialty, such as a mushroom skewer or a tiny stuffed pepper, with a small glass of Rioja. The city is flat, walkable and friendly, with a modern centre, a long riverside park and a tidy old town.
Haro and Briones are the places the wine trade comes to, and Laguardia, just over the line in the Basque province of Álava, is the best-known of the Rioja Alavesa villages. Cellars, from old stone bodegas to striking modern buildings, offer tours and tastings, and harvest in September is a social event. Santo Domingo de la Calzada and Nájera are historic stops on the Camino. The monasteries of Suso and Yuso, in San Millán de la Cogolla, are known as the cradle of the written Spanish language.
Rioja's pace is gentle. Shops close at lunchtime, people greet each other in the street, and festivals such as the grape-treading in September in Logroño and the Haro wine battle in June, in which participants soak each other in wine, are loud and joyous.
La Rioja is on the old pilgrim route of the Camino de Santiago, and its towns grew up around monasteries and bridges. For centuries it has made wine, and in the nineteenth century, when disease destroyed French vineyards, winemakers from Bordeaux arrived and helped to build the modern industry, with oak barrels and long ageing.
The economy is based on wine, agriculture, food processing, footwear, and a small amount of light industry and services. It is small, and employers are few. That keeps the employment rate high for people who fit the local trades and leaves little for specialised graduates. Unemployment is 8.1% (2025), and the average gross salary is €27,855 a year (2024). Jobs come out below average and prosperity weak.
Living costs are moderate because the towns are small and the housing stock is ample. A typical 70 m² flat rents for about €414 a month (2024), and buying costs €1,477 per square metre (Q2 2026). Housing comes out above average. Life expectancy is 83.9 years (2024).
Recorded crime is low, at 36.8 per 1,000 people (2025). The homicide rate, 1.85 per 100k people (2024), tops the regional table only because the population is so small that a single case moves the figure. Doctors per head are very low, at 359 per 100k people (2024), though waits for a specialist are short.
Figures for La Rioja. Each shows the period it covers.
Each card uses La Rioja data only and compares it with other regions. Open “Why this score?” to see the measures behind it.
Housing is above average: better than most Spanish regions.
Rent per m²: 5.91 €/m² a month — better than 76% of Spanish regions
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Households spending >40% of income on housingLa Rioja · 2025 | 6.80% | better than 71% of European metro regions |
| Rent per m²La Rioja · 2024 | 5.91 €/m² a month | better than 76% of Spanish regions |
| Rents, change in a yearLa Rioja · 2024 | 3.10% | better than 71% of Spanish regions |
| Buying price per m²La Rioja · 2026-Q2 | 1,477 €/m² | better than 76% of Spanish regions |
| House prices, change in a yearLa Rioja · 2026-Q2 | 14.4% | better than 26% of Spanish regions |
Healthcare is around the middle: around the middle of European metro regions.
Wait for a specialist appointment: 32.0 days — better than 97% of Spanish regions
Average: 52 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Wait for a specialist appointmentLa Rioja · 2025-H2 | 32.0 days | better than 97% of Spanish regions |
| Wait for surgeryLa Rioja · 2025-H2 | 78.0 days | better than 79% of Spanish regions |
| DoctorsLa Rioja · 2024 | 359 per 100k people | better than 0% of European metro regions |
| Life expectancyLa Rioja · 2024 | 83.9 years | better than 79% of European metro regions |
| Infant mortalityLa Rioja · 2024 | 2.90 per 1,000 births | better than 54% of European metro regions |
Safety is around the middle: around the middle of European metro regions.
Thefts: 253 per 100k people — better than 100% of European metro regions
Average: 51 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| HomicidesLa Rioja · 2024 | 1.85 per 100k people | better than 7% of European metro regions |
| Recorded crimeLa Rioja · 2025 | 36.8 per 1,000 people | better than 79% of Spanish regions |
| RobberiesLa Rioja · 2024 | 37.9 per 100k people | better than 78% of European metro regions |
| BurglariesLa Rioja · 2024 | 181 per 100k people | better than 40% of European metro regions |
| Road deathsLa Rioja · 2024 | 4.30 per 100k people | better than 18% of European metro regions |
| Assault rateLa Rioja · 2024 | 238 per 100k people | better than 66% of European metro regions |
| TheftsLa Rioja · 2024 | 253 per 100k people | better than 100% of European metro regions |
| Vehicle theftsLa Rioja · 2024 | 13.0 per 100k people | better than 97% of European metro regions |
Wellbeing is around the middle: around the middle of European metro regions.
Material deprivation: 4.30% — better than 66% of European metro regions
Average: 43 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| At risk of povertyLa Rioja · 2025 | 18.4% | better than 21% of European metro regions |
| Material deprivationLa Rioja · 2025 | 4.30% | better than 66% of European metro regions |
Jobs is below average: behind most European metro regions.
Jobs in high-tech sectors: 2.20% of jobs — worse than 100% of European metro regions
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Median gross salaryLa Rioja · 2024 | 24,501 € a year per worker | better than 62% of Spanish regions |
| UnemploymentLa Rioja · 2025 | 8.10% | better than 28% of European metro regions |
| Employment rate (20–64)La Rioja · 2025 | 77.1% | better than 49% of European metro regions |
| Long-term unemploymentLa Rioja · 2025 | 2.00% of the workforce | better than 47% of European metro regions |
| Youth unemployment (15–24)La Rioja · 2025 | 25.5% | better than 15% of European metro regions |
| Labour-force participationLa Rioja · 2025 | 77.4% | better than 44% of European metro regions |
| Youth not in employment/education/trainingLa Rioja · 2025 | 10.5% | better than 41% of European metro regions |
| Jobs in high-tech sectorsLa Rioja · 2025 | 2.20% of jobs | better than 0% of European metro regions |
Prosperity is weak: in the bottom quarter of European metro regions.
Economic output per person: 38,100 PPS per person — worse than 88% of European metro regions
Weak: 16 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 personLa Rioja · 2023 | 21,000 PPS per person | better than 21% of European metro regions |
| Economic output per personLa Rioja · 2024 | 38,100 PPS per person | better than 12% of European metro regions |
What we cannot score for La Rioja yet
La Rioja has a continental climate with some Atlantic influence. Summers are warm to hot and dry in the valley, while winters are cool, foggy at times, and cold in the mountains. Cold north winds from the Ebro valley (cierzo) can make days feel colder.
Spring and autumn are the best seasons, and September and October, during harvest, are the most beautiful. It is a year-round place with no extreme, though the valley winters ask for good heating and a warm coat.
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72/100 · above average · 8th of 35 European metro regions
8.1% in 2025
4.6% in Sep 2026
3.2% in 2024
38,100 PPS in 2024
14.4% in Q2 2026
€5.9 per m² a month in 2024
€1,477 per m² in Q2 2026
83.9 years in 2024
77.1% in 2025
Facts about the people who live in La Rioja. Shown as context only: none of this changes a score.
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Fit from the data, 0 to 100, against other Spanish regions. Open a group to see the figures behind it.
Reasonable rents and cheap, good food. Jobs are the main limit.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Price level vs EU average.
Excellent wine and restaurants and peaceful surroundings, but few luxury services.
Not measured yet: Average dwelling size, Distance to the main airport, Education, Environment, Income tax and social security, average earner, Total tax on labour, average earner.
The University of La Rioja is small and friendly, with cheap life and a lively bar scene in Logroño.
Not measured yet: Commute by public transport, Cost of Living, Cycle most, Education, Lifestyle, Median age, Price level vs EU average, Transport, Walk most.
Safe towns, short distances and affordable housing. Choices for work and specialist services are limited.
Better in the region for families with children: Logroño (72)
Not measured yet: 15-year-olds' maths (PISA), Average commute (one way), Average dwelling size, Childcare availability, Education, Environment, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Pre-primary participation.
Calm, safe and affordable, with good food and a public hospital in Logroño. Winters are cold and the region is far from the sea.
Better in the region for retirees: Logroño (61)
Not measured yet: Climate, Cost of Living, Days above 35 °C, Environment, Frost days, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry).
Few employers and a small nightlife outside Logroño's bar streets. Many young people leave for larger cities.
Better in the region for young professionals: Logroño (64)
Not measured yet: Commute by public transport, Lifestyle, Median age, Transport.
Good for wine, food and tourism businesses. Harder elsewhere, as the market is small.
Better in the region for founders and self-employed: Logroño (56)
Not measured yet: Connectivity, Digital, Distance to the main airport, Regulatory quality.
Wine culture, medieval monasteries and a bar-hopping tradition. Small, but rich in detail.
Nothing stands out.
Nothing stands out.
Better in the region for culture, food and nightlife: Logroño (58)
Not measured yet: Commute by public transport, Lifestyle, Median age, Transport, Walk most.
Low costs and a pleasant life. The region lacks coworking and air links, but Bilbao, Zaragoza and Madrid are reachable.
Not measured yet: Climate, Connectivity, Cost of Living, Digital, Distance to the main airport, Fixed broadband penetration, Homes with fibre to the door, Lifestyle, Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry).
Cycling through vineyards, hiking in the Sierra de la Demanda and Camino walks. Not a region for beaches or big peaks.
Nothing stands out.
Nothing stands out.
Not measured yet: Climate, Days above 35 °C, Environment, Fine-particle pollution (PM2.5), Frost days, Lifestyle, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry), Rainy days (≥1 mm), Strong-wind days.
Taxes, residency and the wider economy are set nationally, so they are the same in La Rioja as anywhere in Spain.
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| Place | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Logroño | 66 | €451 | 8.9% | 37.1 per 1,000 people | 94 | 84.2 years |
Guide 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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