City · Comunidad de Madrid · All places
A young, green, family-built suburb south-east of Madrid, with cycle lanes, lagoons and a long commute.
Rivas-Vaciamadrid is a suburb in the south-east of the Madrid region, on the edge of the Jarama valley. Until the 1990s it was a village of a few thousand people. Since then it has been built, mostly in planned districts, into a town of well-educated families, with wide streets, cycle lanes, parks and municipal sports centres.
It works as a family base more than as a destination. The shops, schools and playgrounds are close, the lagoons and the Parque Regional del Sureste are on the doorstep, and Madrid is reached by Metro and road. The downsides are a long commute and a town that is quiet once children are in bed.
The city has 103,148 residents (2025), and the people are young: seniors make up only 11.7% (2025). It suits families and professionals who work in Madrid and want space and green areas, and it suits anyone who wants an urban buzz far less.
Data as of · the latest figures cover Jun 2026
Fit for you
Neutral priorities. Pick who you are:
Working out your fit…
What the data says
Rivas-Vaciamadrid stands out for healthcare, prosperity and jobs; it is weaker on connectivity and transport. A typical 70 m² rental costs about €641 a month (2024).
Who it suits, 0 to 100
Practical conclusions we draw from Rivas-Vaciamadrid’s figures. They are inferences, not official statistics: each says what it rests on.
A large international and graduate population means English is common at work, in cafés and among neighbours. 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 people drive to work. Without a car, check bus routes from any flat before you commit.
Almost every home can get gigabit fibre, so working from home is not a gamble on the flat you pick.
Residents are younger than in most of Spain: more students, young families and evening life.
Family restaurants and terraces in the main squares, with Madrid's choice a metro ride away.
Calm and organised, with children and cyclists on the streets at the weekend.
A local scene of bars and terraces, mostly early, with Madrid for anything late.
Rivas Pueblo is the original village, Covibar the cooperative-housing district and newer districts such as Rivas Urbanizaciones and Rivas Futura follow.
Local fiestas with open-air concerts through the summer and early autumn.
The lagoons, the Jarama river and cycle lanes through the Parque Regional del Sureste.
Rivas is organised and calm. On a Saturday morning the streets are full of families on bikes, children heading to football and swimming, and people walking dogs in the parks that run between the districts. It is a town of clubs: sports, music and arts classes are well supplied by the municipality, and the library and cultural centre run busy programmes.
The districts have different personalities. Rivas Pueblo is the old village core, small and quiet. Covibar is the older cooperative-housing district with mature trees and a settled community. Further out, Rivas Urbanizaciones and Rivas Futura are newer, with larger flats and houses, shopping malls and playgrounds. Along the edges, paths lead into the Parque Regional del Sureste and to the El Campillo lagoon, where birdwatchers go for waterfowl in winter.
Going out is local and early. There are terraces and bars in the squares and around the shopping centres, an auditorium that hosts concerts and plays, and a cinema. For anything later or more urban, people take the Metro into Madrid. The town hall has put a lot into culture and recycling, and neighbours are active in local associations.
The people are mostly Spanish, with a growing Latin American presence and some international families. Spanish is the only language you need, and English is understood in the business world rather than in the street.
The town grew with the Madrid property boom. Cooperative housing at Covibar, then large new districts from the 1990s onwards, filled with young couples who could not afford central Madrid, and many of them stayed as their children grew up. The result is an unusually young and educated population. Adults with a university degree make up 59% (2024).
That population explains the town's feel and its numbers. Household income per person is €19,570 a year (2024), unemployment is 6.9% (2025) and prosperity comes out strong. Life expectancy is 86.0 years (2023), among the highest of any Spanish city.
Housing is higher than the outskirts suggest because the town is new, with good facilities, and because demand has risen with Madrid prices. A typical 70 m² flat rents for about €641 a month (2024), and buying costs €3,521 per square metre (Q2 2026). Housing comes out average.
The weakness is distance. The average one-way commute is 55 min (2021), and connectivity comes out weak. Most residents work in Madrid, and the Metro and the motorways are the two lifelines. There is no large hospital inside the town, with 0.5 per 1,000 people beds (2025), so people use the hospital in neighbouring Arganda or those in Madrid.
Figures for Rivas-Vaciamadrid itself, not its region. Each shows the period it covers.
Each card uses Rivas-Vaciamadrid data only and compares it with similar cities. Open “Why this score?” to see the measures behind it.
Healthcare is strong: in the top 10% of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Life expectancy: 86.0 years — better than 100% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Strong: 100 out of 100, where 50 is typical for the comparison group. These are the measures behind it.
| Measure | Value | Compared with peers |
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancyRivas-Vaciamadrid · 2023 | 86.0 years | better than 100% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Prosperity is strong: in the top 10% of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Household income per person: 19,570 € a year per person — better than 91% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Strong: 90 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 personRivas-Vaciamadrid · 2024 | 19,570 € a year per person | better than 91% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Jobs is above average: in the top 10% of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Unemployment: 6.92% — better than 94% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| UnemploymentRivas-Vaciamadrid · 2025 | 6.92% | better than 94% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Unemployment, change in a yearRivas-Vaciamadrid · 2025 | -0.79 points | better than 37% 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: 3.56% — better than 91% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Rent per m²Rivas-Vaciamadrid · 2024 | 9.16 €/m² a month | better than 30% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rents, change in a yearRivas-Vaciamadrid · 2024 | 2.70% | better than 87% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Buying price per m²Rivas-Vaciamadrid · 2026-Q2 | 3,521 €/m² | better than 15% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Rent growth a year, over 3 yearsRivas-Vaciamadrid · 2024 | 3.56% | better than 91% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| House prices, change in a yearRivas-Vaciamadrid · 2026-Q2 | 17.6% | better than 25% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Safety is around the middle: around the middle of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Sexual offences: 0.28 per 1,000 people — better than 83% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| HomicidesRivas-Vaciamadrid · 2025 | 0.00 per 100k people | better than 78% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Recorded crimeRivas-Vaciamadrid · 2024 | 51.7 per 1,000 people | better than 34% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| RobberiesRivas-Vaciamadrid · 2025 | 84.3 per 100k people | better than 47% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| BurglariesRivas-Vaciamadrid · 2025 | 196 per 100k people | better than 12% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Sexual offencesRivas-Vaciamadrid · 2024 | 0.28 per 1,000 people | better than 83% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| TheftsRivas-Vaciamadrid · 2025 | 1,788 per 100k people | better than 18% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Vehicle theftsRivas-Vaciamadrid · 2025 | 68.8 per 100k people | better than 46% 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)Rivas-Vaciamadrid · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 84.2 days a year | better than 61% of major European cities |
| Days above 35 °CRivas-Vaciamadrid · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 32.6 days a year | better than 7% of major European cities |
| Nights above 20 °CRivas-Vaciamadrid · 2015-01-01..2024-12-31 | 11.3 nights a year | better than 42% of major European cities |
Digital is below average: behind most Spanish cities above 50,000.
Homes that can get gigabit internet: 97.1% — worse than 73% of Spanish cities above 50,000
Below average: 39 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 internetRivas-Vaciamadrid · 2025 | 97.1% | better than 27% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Homes with fibre to the doorRivas-Vaciamadrid · 2025 | 98.2% | better than 45% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| 5G coverageRivas-Vaciamadrid · 2025 | 100.0% | better than 48% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Transport is below average: in the bottom 10% of Spanish cities above 50,000.
Average commute (one way): 55.2 minutes — worse than 97% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Average commute (one way)Rivas-Vaciamadrid · 2021 | 55.2 minutes | better than 3% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Commute by carRivas-Vaciamadrid · 2021 | 73.3% | better than 7% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
| Commute by public transportRivas-Vaciamadrid · 2021 | 20.0% | better than 81% of Spanish cities above 50,000 |
Connectivity is weak: in the bottom 10% of major European cities.
Distance to the main airport: 17.5 km — worse than 78% of major European cities
Weak: 22 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 airportRivas-Vaciamadrid · 2026-10-21 | 17.5 km | better than 22% of major European cities |
What we cannot score for Rivas-Vaciamadrid 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 |
Rivas has the continental climate of the Madrid plateau: hot summers and cold winters. Days above the heat threshold number 33 a year (2015–2024), and frost is frequent, with 46 a year (2015–2024). Mild, dry days, the ones people call pleasant, number only 84 a year (2015–2024).
Summer afternoons are for the pool and the shade of the parks, and the nights cool better than on the coast. Winters are dry and cold, with the Jarama valley adding fog and frost on some mornings, and the city gets 480 mm a year a year (2015–2024). Spring and autumn are the best seasons, and also the time when the lagoons are at their best.
It is a year-round town for people who accept the extremes of the plateau, and who have good heating and cooling in their flat.
Lines start with Spain; switch the others on to compare.
51/100 · average · 67th of 106 Spanish cities above 50,000
6.9% in 2025
17.6% in Q2 2026
€9.2 per m² a month in 2024
€3,521 per m² in Q2 2026
86.0 years in 2023
Facts about the people who live in Rivas-Vaciamadrid. Shown as context only: none of this changes a score.
Guides for the practical side of moving to Spain: residency, housing, healthcare, tax and schools. Where the rules or prices depend on where you live, the guide says so.
Is Spain right for you, when to go, and how to try it before you commit.
Visas, residence permits, the route that fits you, and keeping your status.
Budgeting the first year, banking, tax residency, income and social security.
Employment, remote work, self-employment, running a business and your rights at work.
Choosing where to live, renting safely, buying, and settling into a home.
Public and private care, health cover, and insurance for your life in Spain.
Family, children, and education
Partners, children, schools, childcare and studying in Spain.
Paperwork, identity numbers, belongings, pets, utilities and the first weeks.
Learning Spanish, understanding local life and building a social circle.
Routines, food, local customs, holidays, transport and getting around.
Scams, disputes, emergencies, your rights and where to get help.
Long-term settlement and leaving
Staying for good, long-term residence and citizenship, retiring, or returning home.
You will know where Spanish rentals are found, what they cost, how to time and run a search, and how to judge a flat before you commit.
You will know whether you need an NIE, which route to take and how to handle its paperwork.
Finding your public healthcare route
You will know which route applies to your situation and what, if anything, you have to do to start it.
Becoming a Spanish tax resident
You will know whether and from when Spain taxes you as a resident, and how to keep the evidence to back your position.
School types and choosing a school
You will know which stage your child is in, what each school type means in Spain, and how to shortlist schools that fit your family's stay and goals.
You will have a step-by-step way to pick a barrio in Spain and the tools to test it before signing.
Fit from the data, 0 to 100, against other Spanish cities. Open a group to see the figures behind it.
Comfortable, safe and well-equipped, with larger houses and good sports facilities, although the area is middle-class rather than exclusive.
Not measured yet: Average dwelling size, Education, Environment, Income tax and social security, average earner, Total tax on labour, average earner.
A good option for those with a Madrid job who want to rent a larger flat and save, but the social life is in the capital.
Not measured yet: Jobs in high-tech sectors, Lifestyle, Median gross salary, Youth unemployment (15–24).
Municipal culture and an auditorium keep a steady local programme, while Madrid's museums and theatres are a Metro ride away.
Not measured yet: Lifestyle, Walk most.
A well-educated population and low unemployment, with Madrid's networks one Metro ride away.
Nothing stands out.
Not measured yet: Jobs in high-tech sectors, Regulatory quality.
The strongest match: schools, sports centres, parks, young families around and flat streets for bikes. Space is not cheap, but it is cheaper than central Madrid.
Not measured yet: 15-year-olds' maths (PISA), Average dwelling size, Childcare availability, Education, Environment, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), Pre-primary participation.
Close to Madrid campuses by Metro, with a calm home base, but the daily commute is long and student life is elsewhere.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Cycle most, Education, Lifestyle, Price level vs EU average, Walk most, Youth unemployment (15–24).
Safe, green and very healthy by the numbers, with a modern housing stock, but hot summers, cold winters and a hospital in the next town.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Doctors, Environment, Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂).
Not cheap by suburban standards, because rents here follow Madrid; the cheaper towns are further out.
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Households spending >40% of income on housing, Price level vs EU average.
Good fibre and space for a home office, but the airport is a drive away and there is little cafe-and-coworking culture.
Better nearby for remote workers: Coslada (62), Torrejón de Ardoz (58), Alcobendas (54)
Not measured yet: Cost of Living, Fixed broadband penetration, Lifestyle.
The lagoons and river paths are good for walking, cycling and birdwatching, but the Sierra and big mountains are a long drive.
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 Rivas-Vaciamadrid as anywhere in Spain.
Compared with Rivas-Vaciamadrid; each card says where it is better or worse for someone living there.
70 m²: €829 a month
Compare with Rivas-Vaciamadrid70 m²: €713 a month
Compare with Rivas-Vaciamadrid70 m²: €659 a month
Compare with Rivas-Vaciamadrid70 m²: €553 a month
Compare with Rivas-Vaciamadrid70 m²: €569 a month
Compare with Rivas-Vaciamadrid70 m²: €885 a month
Compare with Rivas-VaciamadridGuide 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
Need certainty before you act?
For important relocation decisions, speak with a qualified human specialist.
Always verify important information with the relevant official authority or a qualified adviser before acting. This website uses large language models together with various public data sources, official government documents and other established sources. Due to the amount of data on this website, some information might be wrong. Information may also be incomplete or outdated.