Region · Spain · All places
Green mountains, cider houses and a rugged coast, in a region that has been reinventing itself since the mines closed.
Asturias is a small region on Spain's northern coast, squeezed between the Bay of Biscay and the Cantabrian mountains. Steep green valleys run from the Picos de Europa peaks to a coastline of cliffs, coves and small fishing ports. The three biggest cities, Oviedo, Gijón and Avilés, sit close together in the middle.
It is a region with a strong identity and a hard-working history. Asturians are proud of their cider, their cheese, their stews and the fact that Christian Spain began here in the early Middle Ages. For a mover it offers nature, safety, good food and low living costs, and a quiet job market. About 1,015,128 people live here (2025).
Data as of · the latest figures cover Jun 2026
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What the data says
Principado de Asturias stands out for housing and safety; it is weaker on prosperity and wellbeing. A typical 70 m² rental costs about €464 a month (2024).
Who it suits, 0 to 100
Practical conclusions we draw from Principado de Asturias’s figures. They are inferences, not official statistics: each says what it rests on.
Few residents come from English-speaking or northern European countries, so daily life runs in Spanish. Contracts, the town hall and most doctors work in Spanish.
Fabada, grilled seafood, strong blue cheese and natural cider poured from a height.
Calm and civic in Oviedo, more casual and seaside in Gijón.
Cider houses in Oviedo's Gascona street and bars along Gijón's old fishermen's quarter.
Three cities close together in the middle, then small fishing ports and mountain villages.
Spanish, with the Asturian language heard from older speakers and in local culture.
Cider festivals, mountain village fiestas and the Descent of the Sella canoe race in August.
Hiking in the Picos de Europa, surf in Gijón and Salinas, and cliff coast in every direction.
Asturias is a place for the outdoors, the table and the cider house. A sidrería serves natural cider poured from a height into a wide glass, a little at a time, and drunk at once. People share a bottle and a plate of cheese, chorizo or fried squid. The signature dish is fabada, a white-bean stew with pork and blood sausage, and the blue cheese of Cabrales is one of the strongest in Europe.
Oviedo is the capital: a tidy, elegant, university city with a pedestrian old town, ninth-century churches on the hill that are UNESCO-listed and a calm, civic pace. Gijón is the big coastal city, with a long city beach, surf in the bay, a working harbour and a younger, more casual feel. Avilés is smaller, with a pretty old town and a steel-making past across the river.
The coast has quiet beaches and fishing ports such as Cudillero and Lastres. Inland, the Picos de Europa National Park offers hiking, the Covadonga lakes and deep gorges. Asturians are warm, direct and talkative, and many are happy to switch to the Asturian language with family. Weekends are for walking, football and visiting relatives.
For more than a century, Asturias lived on coal and steel. The mining valleys of the interior and the steelworks around Avilés and Gijón made it one of Spain's industrial regions, and a stronghold of the labour movement. When coal mining and heavy industry declined from the 1980s, young people left, and the population began to age and shrink. Asturias now has one of the oldest populations in Spain.
The economy has moved towards services, tourism, food and high-value industry such as metals, chemicals and port logistics. That keeps wages decent for people who already work in industry, but leaves few new openings for graduates. Unemployment is 8.8% (2025), and the average gross salary is €28,562 a year (2024). Jobs come out below average and prosperity weak.
Costs are modest because demand is modest. A shrinking, ageing population means flats and houses stay on the market, and rents are well below the national middle. A typical 70 m² flat rents for about €464 a month (2024), and buying costs €1,798 per square metre (Q2 2026). Housing comes out above average.
The region is also safe, with recorded crime at 35.6 per 1,000 people (2025), and safety comes out above average. Life expectancy is 83.4 years (2024). The old industrial valleys carry a legacy of lung and heart disease that pulls the average down compared with the rest of the north.
Figures for Principado de Asturias. Each shows the period it covers.
Each card uses Principado de Asturias data only and compares it with other regions. Open “Why this score?” to see the measures behind it.
Housing is above average: in the top quarter of Spanish regions.
Rents, change in a year: 2.70% — better than 85% of Spanish regions
Above average: 70 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 housingPrincipado de Asturias · 2025 | 5.40% | better than 82% of European metro regions |
| Rent per m²Principado de Asturias · 2024 | 6.62 €/m² a month | better than 61% of Spanish regions |
| Rents, change in a yearPrincipado de Asturias · 2024 | 2.70% | better than 85% of Spanish regions |
| Buying price per m²Principado de Asturias · 2026-Q2 | 1,798 €/m² | better than 61% of Spanish regions |
| House prices, change in a yearPrincipado de Asturias · 2026-Q2 | 15.0% | better than 8% of Spanish regions |
Safety is above average: in the top 10% of European metro regions.
Thefts: 174 per 100k people — better than 100% of European metro regions
Above average: 65 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| HomicidesPrincipado de Asturias · 2024 | 0.69 per 100k people | better than 68% of European metro regions |
| Recorded crimePrincipado de Asturias · 2025 | 35.6 per 1,000 people | better than 85% of Spanish regions |
| RobberiesPrincipado de Asturias · 2024 | 34.1 per 100k people | better than 88% of European metro regions |
| BurglariesPrincipado de Asturias · 2024 | 76.6 per 100k people | better than 77% of European metro regions |
| Road deathsPrincipado de Asturias · 2024 | 4.30 per 100k people | better than 18% of European metro regions |
| Assault ratePrincipado de Asturias · 2024 | 235 per 100k people | better than 66% of European metro regions |
| TheftsPrincipado de Asturias · 2024 | 174 per 100k people | better than 100% of European metro regions |
| Vehicle theftsPrincipado de Asturias · 2024 | 12.8 per 100k people | better than 97% of European metro regions |
Healthcare is around the middle: better than most European metro regions.
Life expectancy: 83.4 years — better than 68% of European metro regions
Average: 55 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 appointmentPrincipado de Asturias · 2025-H2 | 103 days | better than 38% of Spanish regions |
| Wait for surgeryPrincipado de Asturias · 2025-H2 | 91.0 days | better than 62% of Spanish regions |
| DoctorsPrincipado de Asturias · 2024 | 530 per 100k people | better than 57% of European metro regions |
| Life expectancyPrincipado de Asturias · 2024 | 83.4 years | better than 68% of European metro regions |
| Infant mortalityPrincipado de Asturias · 2024 | 3.10 per 1,000 births | better than 48% of European metro regions |
Jobs is below average: in the bottom quarter of European metro regions.
Jobs in high-tech sectors: 3.50% of jobs — worse than 91% of European metro regions
Below average: 30 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Median gross salaryPrincipado de Asturias · 2024 | 24,197 € a year per worker | better than 56% of Spanish regions |
| UnemploymentPrincipado de Asturias · 2025 | 8.80% | better than 22% of European metro regions |
| Employment rate (20–64)Principado de Asturias · 2025 | 72.0% | better than 18% of European metro regions |
| Long-term unemploymentPrincipado de Asturias · 2025 | 3.20% of the workforce | better than 15% of European metro regions |
| Youth unemployment (15–24)Principado de Asturias · 2025 | 27.9% | better than 13% of European metro regions |
| Labour-force participationPrincipado de Asturias · 2025 | 73.8% | better than 24% of European metro regions |
| Youth not in employment/education/trainingPrincipado de Asturias · 2025 | 12.1% | better than 25% of European metro regions |
| Jobs in high-tech sectorsPrincipado de Asturias · 2025 | 3.50% of jobs | better than 9% of European metro regions |
Wellbeing is below average: in the bottom quarter of European metro regions.
At risk of poverty: 17.2% — worse than 76% of European metro regions
Below average: 28 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 povertyPrincipado de Asturias · 2025 | 17.2% | better than 24% of European metro regions |
| Material deprivationPrincipado de Asturias · 2025 | 6.70% | better than 32% of European metro regions |
Prosperity is weak: in the bottom quarter of European metro regions.
Economic output per person: 33,100 PPS per person — worse than 88% of European metro regions
Weak: 18 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 personPrincipado de Asturias · 2023 | 21,600 PPS per person | better than 25% of European metro regions |
| Economic output per personPrincipado de Asturias · 2024 | 33,100 PPS per person | better than 12% of European metro regions |
What we cannot score for Principado de Asturias yet
Asturias has a cool, humid Atlantic climate. Summers are mild, often pleasantly cool, with some of the best weather in Spain for walking and swimming. Winters are mild on the coast but wet, grey and windy, with snow in the high mountains and a small ski resort at Pajares.
It is a summer region, and the other seasons are an acquired taste. If you want to be out in the sun in December, go south. If you enjoy green landscapes, wood smoke and rain on the window, it is a good place for winter reading.
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72/100 · above average · 8th of 35 European metro regions
8.8% in 2025
4.5% in Sep 2026
3.0% in 2024
33,100 PPS in 2024
15.0% in Q2 2026
€6.6 per m² a month in 2024
€1,799 per m² in Q2 2026
83.4 years in 2024
72.0% in 2025
Facts about the people who live in Principado de Asturias. Shown as context only: none of this changes a score.
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Cost of living and housing by region
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Fit from the data, 0 to 100, against other Spanish regions. Open a group to see the figures behind it.
Pleasant living and good food, with little in the way of luxury services or a society scene. Property is good value.
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.
Cool summers, low crime, good hospitals and easy living in cities such as Oviedo and Gijón. The rain and the hills may be too much for some.
Not measured yet: Climate, Cost of Living, Days above 35 °C, Environment, Frost days, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Pleasant days (18–28 °C, dry).
Low rents and prices compared with the big cities, with solid public services. Jobs are the weak point.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Price level vs EU average.
A safe, green region with good schools, beaches and plenty of space. Work for both parents can be hard to find outside the main cities.
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.
The University of Oviedo is respected, and student life in Oviedo and Gijón is lively and cheap. The climate is grey.
Not measured yet: Commute by public transport, Cost of Living, Cycle most, Education, Lifestyle, Median age, Price level vs EU average, Transport, Walk most.
The cost of doing business is low, and there are regional grants and industrial know-how. The local market is small and investors are in other regions.
Nothing stands out.
Better in the region for founders and self-employed: Avilés (58), Oviedo (55)
Not measured yet: Connectivity, Digital, Distance to the main airport, Regulatory quality.
Opportunities are limited, and many young Asturians leave. Gijón and Oviedo have a small tech and service sector.
Better in the region for young professionals: Oviedo (65), Gijón (63), Avilés (55)
Not measured yet: Commute by public transport, Lifestyle, Median age, Transport.
Cider houses, Romanesque and pre-Romanesque art, music festivals and a food culture of the first order, at a small scale.
Nothing stands out.
Better in the region for culture, food and nightlife: Oviedo (63), Gijón (61), Avilés (41)
Not measured yet: Commute by public transport, Lifestyle, Median age, Transport, Walk most.
A low-cost, quiet base with good fibre in the cities and nature at the door. It is further from the main flight hubs than other options.
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).
One of the best regions in Spain for hiking, mountain sports, surfing and cycling. The weather is the only limit.
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 Principado de Asturias as anywhere in Spain.
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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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