Which Spanish regions and cities have the strongest job markets?

Key rules

• Lowest unemployment: The Basque Country, Navarra, the Balearics, Aragón, Cantabria, La Rioja and Madrid have the lowest unemployment.
• Biggest markets: Catalonia, Madrid and Andalucía employ the most people, but Andalucía also has high unemployment.
• Vacancies: Catalonia, Madrid, Andalucía and the Basque Country usually have the most job vacancies.
• Check latest data: Regional figures change every quarter, so read the newest release before you choose a region.

The short answer

No single region wins on every measure. Madrid and Catalonia offer the most jobs and vacancies. The Basque Country, Navarra and Madrid combine low unemployment with strong industry. The south and the islands have many jobs in tourism but higher unemployment.

Where unemployment is lowest and highest

Nationally, unemployment was roughly 10.5–11.5% in 2025, the lowest since 2008.

• Lowest (about 6–9%): the Basque Country, Navarra, the Balearics, Aragón, Cantabria, La Rioja and Madrid.
• Highest (about 13–25%): Andalucía, Extremadura, Canarias, Ceuta and Melilla.

Activity rates, the share of people working or looking for work, are highest in Madrid, the Balearics, Catalonia and Murcia (about 59–61%). They are lowest in Asturias, Galicia and Castilla y León (about 51–54%). A low rate there often reflects an older population.

These are 2025 patterns. The figures for the third quarter of 2026 are due out now, so read the latest regional table before you decide.

Where the most people work

By number of employed people, the biggest markets are Andalucía, Catalonia and Madrid, each at roughly 3.4–3.8 million. Catalonia and Madrid lead by a narrow margin, and Andalucía is first or second depending on the quarter. Next come the Comunitat Valenciana (about 2.3–2.4 million), then Galicia, Castilla y León, the Basque Country and Canarias (about 1.0–1.2 million each). Smaller markets include Asturias, Extremadura, Navarra, Cantabria and La Rioja.

Size is not strength. Andalucía has huge employment and high unemployment, because it also has many job seekers.

Where the vacancies are

Spain has roughly 140,000–180,000 job vacancies in a typical quarter. Catalonia, Madrid, Andalucía and the Basque Country usually have the most. Catalonia and Madrid each typically have about 25,000–40,000. Vacancy numbers move from quarter to quarter, so treat these as rough magnitudes.

What each region is known for

• Madrid: public administration, finance, technology, consulting and business services, company head offices, commerce, health and education.
• Catalonia: manufacturing (cars, chemicals, pharma, food), logistics, tourism, creative and tech industries, finance.
• Basque Country: advanced manufacturing (steel, machinery, car and aerospace parts), energy, engineering, and finance in Bilbao.
• Valencia: food and farming, ceramics, cars, logistics and ports, tourism and a growing tech sector.
• Andalucía: tourism and hospitality, farming (Almería and Huelva), commerce, public services, and aerospace in Seville.
• Balearics and Canarias: tourism and hospitality provide a very large share of jobs, along with construction and commerce.

How to use this

1. Find your field in the lists above and note the two or three regions where it clusters.
2. Compare their unemployment and vacancy numbers in the latest releases.
3. Remember that work in tourism is often seasonal, and that tech, finance and consulting jobs are concentrated in Madrid and Barcelona.

The timeline, data sources and FAQ below show when new figures appear and where to read them.

Timeline and deadlines

• Wait for the quarterly unemployment survey (EPA) to be published: About four weeks after each quarter ends

• Read the Q3 2026 regional figures: Released in late October 2026

Release dates can move; check INE's calendar for the exact publication day.

Where to find regional labour market data

• INE (national statistics institute): Encuesta de Población Activa (EPA): Use the quarterly EPA survey for the official unemployment rate, employment and activity rates by region and province. It is a sample survey, and its rate is usually higher than the registered count.

• SEPE (public employment service): Estadísticas: Download monthly registered unemployment (paro registrado), contracts signed (including fijo discontinuo) and benefit data by region, province and municipality. Paro registrado counts only people signed up at employment offices, so read it as a number, not a rate.

• Seguridad Social: monthly affiliation statistics: Check the number of people paying into the system by sector, region and regime to see which fields are adding jobs. Figures come out in the first days of the following month, together with the SEPE data.

• INE: Encuesta Trimestral de Coste Laboral (ETCL): Read job vacancies (vacantes) and labour cost per worker by autonomous community. Catalonia, Madrid, Andalucía and the Basque Country usually have the most vacancies, so compare the latest quarterly release rather than older figures.

• INE: Encuesta Anual de Estructura Salarial: Look up average annual earnings by region, sector, occupation, age and contract type. It appears about 18 to 24 months after the year it covers, so it will not show the latest year.

• Tax agency and Ministry of Labour statistics: Use the tax agency's income-tax and labour market statistics for wage earnings by region and province. Use the Ministry of Labour's collective agreements statistics to see agreed wage increases.

• Regional statistics institutes and employment services: Check your region's own institute for finer local detail, such as Idescat in Catalonia, IECA in Andalucía, IBESTAT in the Balearics or ISTAC in the Canary Islands. Regional employment services such as SOC, SAE or LABORA also publish local figures.

Frequently asked questions

Does the region with the most jobs have the lowest unemployment?

Not necessarily: Andalucía has one of the largest numbers of employed people but also some of the highest unemployment. The Basque Country, Navarra and Aragón are much smaller but have low unemployment, roughly 6–9%.

Which regions have the most job vacancies?

Catalonia and Madrid lead, typically with about 25,000–40,000 vacancies each in a quarter. Andalucía and the Basque Country usually follow.

How often do the official employment figures change?

Employment figures come out every quarter, about four weeks after the quarter ends. The rankings of the biggest regions, especially Andalucía, Catalonia and Madrid, can swap places from one release to the next.

Where should I look if I work in tourism?

Look at the Balearics, Canarias, Andalucía and Catalonia, where tourism and hospitality make up a large share of jobs. The Balearics and Canarias depend on it most, but they also have high activity or higher unemployment, so compare before choosing.