City · Principado de Asturias · All places
The elegant, orderly capital of Asturias, with pre-Romanesque churches, cider streets and a civil-service calm.
Oviedo is the capital of Asturias, set in a green valley a short way inland from the Bay of Biscay. Its old town is compact and pedestrian, with a Gothic cathedral, small squares, sculptures on street corners and a famous cider street. Around it are parks, wide avenues and tidy residential districts.
It is a calm, clean and orderly city of civil servants, professors and professionals. It is less lively than Gijón, its seaside neighbour, but safer, quieter and more refined. The cost of that calm is a thin private job market and an ageing population.
The city has 223,968 residents (2025). Residents born abroad make up 16.4% (2025).
Data as of · the latest figures cover Jun 2026
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What the data says
Oviedo stands out for prosperity, climate and safety; it is weaker on connectivity and digital. A typical 70 m² rental costs about €512 a month (2024).
Who it suits, 0 to 100
Practical conclusions we draw from Oviedo’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.
Almost every home can get gigabit fibre, so working from home is not a gamble on the flat you pick.
Residents are older than in most of Spain: calmer streets, and fewer young people to share a flat or a night out with.
Fabada, cheese, cachopo, almond pastries and rice pudding, with cider poured from a height.
Unhurried and tidy, with a daytime city of civil servants, professors and shoppers on Calle Uría.
Cider houses on Calle Gascona on Friday night, bars around the Fontán and a quiet Sunday.
The pedestrian old town, the leafy Ciudad Naranco and Ciudad Jardín, and the denser Pumarín and Vallobín.
Spanish everywhere, with Asturian in place names, music and festivals.
San Mateo in September, the Day of America in Asturias, Carnival and the Princess of Asturias week in autumn.
Polite, reserved and cultured, proud of the city and a little conservative in manner.
Oviedo is a city for strolling. The historic centre has plazas, fountains and a surprising number of statues, from a Woody Allen figure on a street corner to La Regenta, a character from a famous novel set here. The Calle Gascona, known as the Cider Boulevard, is lined with sidrerías where waiters pour cider from above their heads, and on a Friday night the street is full.
The Campo San Francisco is a large central park, popular with families, and the city has a strong tradition of music and theatre, with a respected opera season at the Campoamor Theatre and the annual Princess of Asturias Awards, which bring scientists, artists and writers from around the world. Food is hearty: bean stew, cheese, cachopo, almond pastries and rice pudding.
The shopping and business streets run along Calle Uría, and the covered market at El Fontán is the daily food stop. Ciudad Naranco, on the slope under Monte Naranco, and Ciudad Jardín are the comfortable residential districts. Pumarín, Vallobín and La Corredoria are denser and cheaper. The two pre-Romanesque churches on the hillside, Santa María del Naranco and San Miguel de Lillo, are a short walk or bus ride up.
The people of Oviedo are polite and reserved, cultured and conservative in manner, and proud of their city. It is easy to get around on foot, the pace is slow, and weekends are for walks in the hills and drives to the coast. The San Mateo festival in September fills the streets with music and parades.
Oviedo was founded in the eighth century and became the capital of the first Christian kingdom after the Moorish conquest, the Kingdom of Asturias. Its early churches, built in a style found nowhere else, are now UNESCO-listed. The university, founded in 1608, has shaped the city's intellectual life since.
The mining and steel industries sat in the valleys and ports outside the city, and Oviedo remained mostly an administrative and academic centre. Today the regional government, the university, the large Central University Hospital of Asturias (HUCA) and services provide most of the jobs, and the population is among the oldest in Spain. Median age is 51.3 years (2025). Jobs come out above average and prosperity strong, with unemployment at 8.1% (2025). Adults with a university degree make up 54% (2024).
The quiet shows up in the crime figures. Recorded crime is 34.0 per 1,000 people (2024), one of the lowest of any large Spanish city, and safety comes out above average.
Housing is moderate, though prices are climbing. A typical 70 m² flat rents for about €512 a month (2024), and buying costs €2,215 per square metre (Q2 2026). Over the latest year, house prices rose 18.0% (Q2 2026). Housing comes out above average. The airport is 27 km away (2026), and connectivity comes out weak, because the regional airport has few direct routes.
Figures for Oviedo itself, not its region. Each shows the period it covers.
Each card uses Oviedo data only and compares it with similar cities. Open “Why this score?” to see the measures behind it.
Prosperity is strong: in the top quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Household income per person: 17,757 € a year per person — better than 83% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Household income per personOviedo · 2024 | 17,757 € a year per person | better than 83% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Climate is strong: in the top 10% of major European cities.
Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry): 116 days a year — better than 89% of major European cities
Strong: 80 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)Oviedo · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 116 days a year | better than 89% of major European cities |
| Days above 35 °COviedo · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 0.40 days a year | better than 68% of major European cities |
| Nights above 20 °COviedo · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 1.80 nights a year | better than 76% of major European cities |
Safety is above average: in the top quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Recorded crime: 34.0 per 1,000 people — better than 96% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Above average: 74 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| HomicidesOviedo · 2025 | 0.45 per 100k people | better than 54% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Recorded crimeOviedo · 2024 | 34.0 per 1,000 people | better than 96% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| RobberiesOviedo · 2025 | 67.0 per 100k people | better than 67% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| BurglariesOviedo · 2025 | 71.0 per 100k people | better than 83% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Sexual offencesOviedo · 2024 | 0.42 per 1,000 people | better than 49% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| TheftsOviedo · 2025 | 818 per 100k people | better than 80% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Vehicle theftsOviedo · 2025 | 20.1 per 100k people | better than 91% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Jobs is above average: in the top quarter of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Unemployment: 8.10% — better than 82% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Above average: 71 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| UnemploymentOviedo · 2025 | 8.10% | better than 82% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Unemployment, change in a yearOviedo · 2025 | -1.15 points | better than 54% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Housing is above average: better than most Spanish cities above 50,000.
Rent growth a year, over 3 years: 3.91% — better than 84% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Above average: 60 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Rent per m²Oviedo · 2024 | 7.32 €/m² a month | better than 53% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rents, change in a yearOviedo · 2024 | 2.90% | better than 77% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Buying price per m²Oviedo · 2026-Q2 | 2,215 €/m² | better than 55% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rent growth a year, over 3 yearsOviedo · 2024 | 3.91% | better than 84% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| House prices, change in a yearOviedo · 2026-Q2 | 18.0% | better than 22% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Transport is around the middle: better than most Spanish cities above 50,000.
Commute by car: 53.0% — better than 80% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Average commute (one way)Oviedo · 2021 | 41.2 minutes | better than 31% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Commute by carOviedo · 2021 | 53.0% | better than 80% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Commute by public transportOviedo · 2021 | 14.7% | better than 58% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Healthcare is around the middle: around the middle of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Life expectancy: 83.4 years — better than 52% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Average: 52 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancyOviedo · 2023 | 83.4 years | better than 52% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Digital is below average: behind most Spanish cities above 50,000.
5G coverage: 99.9% — worse than 89% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Below average: 34 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 internetOviedo · 2025 | 98.2% | better than 47% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Homes with fibre to the doorOviedo · 2025 | 98.1% | better than 40% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| 5G coverageOviedo · 2025 | 99.9% | better than 11% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Connectivity is weak: in the bottom 10% of major European cities.
Distance to the main airport: 27.1 km — worse than 95% of major European cities
Weak: 5 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 airportOviedo · 2026-10-21 | 27.1 km | better than 5% of major European cities |
What we cannot score for Oviedo yet
Highs around 25° in August, lows around 7° in January. 116 pleasant days a year (dry, 18–28 °C).
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 12.4°C | 6.6°C | 135 mm |
| February | 13.3°C | 6.9°C | 108 mm |
| March | 14.5°C | 7.4°C | 88 mm |
| April | 16.4°C | 8.8°C | 69 mm |
| May | 18.8°C | 11.2°C | 60 mm |
| June | 21.3°C | 14.1°C | 70 mm |
| July | 23.8°C | 16.1°C | 30 mm |
| August | 24.8°C | 16.7°C | 42 mm |
| September | 22.9°C | 15.2°C | 67 mm |
| October | 20.6°C | 13.1°C | 104 mm |
| November | 15.9°C | 9.9°C | 145 mm |
| December | 14.1°C | 8.3°C | 136 mm |
Oviedo has a mild, damp Atlantic climate. Summers are cool to warm and pleasant, and winters are mild but wet, with many grey days and low cloud. Snow falls on the nearby mountains, and rain can be steady for days. Rainfall is 1,054 mm a year (2015–2024), and rain days run at 153 a year (2015–2024).
Very hot days: 0 a year (2015–2024). Frost days are 0 a year (2015–2024). Pleasant days, mild and dry, number 116 a year (2015–2024).
It is a summer city, in the sense that the long, green days of June to September are the best, and the beaches are a half-hour drive. The rest of the year is for people who enjoy rain, hearty food and cosy interiors. Heating matters more than cooling, and damp is a standing complaint in older flats.
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60/100 · above average · 49th of 106 Spanish cities above 50,000
8.1% in 2025
18.0% in Q2 2026
€7.3 per m² a month in 2024
€2,215 per m² in Q2 2026
83.4 years in 2023
Facts about the people who live in Oviedo. 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.
Moderate costs and strong public services, with few jobs outside government.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Households spending >40% of income on housing, Price level vs EU average.
Safe, clean, flat in the centre and well served by hospitals, with cool summers. Winters are wet, and most neighbours are of retirement age.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Doctors, Environment, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂).
Safe streets, parks and schools; a city built for walking with children. Jobs for both parents are mostly in the public sector.
Not measured yet: 15-year-olds' maths (PISA), Average dwelling size, Childcare availability, Education, Environment, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Pre-primary participation.
Opportunities in the public sector, health, education and services, but a small private job market with modest pay.
Not measured yet: Jobs in high-tech sectors, Lifestyle, Median gross salary, Youth unemployment (15–24).
Elegant, safe and quiet, with a good restaurant scene. Little luxury infrastructure.
Not measured yet: Average dwelling size, Education, Environment, Income tax and social security, average earner, Total tax on labour, average earner.
Pre-Romanesque churches, opera, literature, cider and a long calendar of events. One of the more cultured small cities in northern Spain.
Not measured yet: Lifestyle, Walk most.
The Asturian mountains and coast within an hour, including the Picos de Europa. The city itself is green but not wild.
Not measured yet: Environment, Fine-particle pollution (PM2.5), Lifestyle, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Strong-wind days.
A historic university and a pleasant, safe city. Student life is quieter than in Salamanca or Granada.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Cycle most, Education, Lifestyle, Price level vs EU average, Walk most, Youth unemployment (15–24).
Low costs and regional support, but a small local market and a distant hub airport.
Nothing stands out.
Not measured yet: Jobs in high-tech sectors, Regulatory quality.
Calm, affordable and green, with fast fibre in most of the city, though the fibre is patchier than in the big hubs. Flights are limited, and a hub is a few hours away.
Better nearby for remote workers: Avilés (64)
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Fixed broadband penetration, Lifestyle.
Taxes, residency and the wider economy are set nationally, so they are the same in Oviedo as anywhere in Spain.
Compared with Oviedo; each card says where it is better or worse for someone living there.
70 m²: €419 a month
Compare with Oviedo70 m²: €422 a month
Compare with Oviedo70 m²: €505 a month
Compare with OviedoGuide 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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