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Small area socioeconomic index. 2021

In 2021, the municipalities with more than 500 inhabitants in Catalonia with the highest territorial socioeconomic index (IST) were Matadepera (131.8), Castellolí (126.0), Sant Just Desvern and Tiana (both 124.6) and Sant Cugat del Vallès (124.5). At the other extreme, Barbens (52.9), Salt (60.2) and Seròs (65.5) were the municipalities with the lowest socioeconomic index.

Of the 947 Catalan municipalities, 49 had the highest IST (i.e. more than 20 percentage points higher than the Catalan average). Of these, 13 were in the Central Counties, 12 in the Metropolitan Area and 10 in the Girona Counties. The largest group, made up of 520 municipalities, had a high average IST level (between the Catalan average and 20 percentage points above it) and was distributed throughout Catalonia except in Les Terres de l'Ebre. There were 347 municipalities that had a medium-low IST (between the Catalan average and 20 points below it) and most of these were in Les Terres de l'Ebre. Finally, out of the 31 municipalities with the lowest socioeconomic level, 15 were in Ponent and 9 in the Girona Counties.

The IST is a synthetic index for small areas that summarises in a single value various socioeconomic characteristics of the population and quantifies the differences within Catalonia and its municipalities. This index concentrates in a single value the information of 6 indicators: 2 on employment situation, 2 on educational level, 1 on immigration and 1 on income.

Among the municipalities with more than 500 inhabitants, those with the highest and lowest values for each component were the following:

  • Employed population aged 20 to 64 (65.1% for Catalonia as a whole). This indicator shows the highest value in Vilanova de la Barca (90.8%) and the lowest in Sant Climent Sescebes (47.5%).
  • Low-skilled workers (12.1% in Catalonia as a whole). The municipality with the lowest value was Matadepera (3.0%) and the one with the highest was Sant Pere Pescador (35.8%).
  • Population aged 20 years and over with low education levels (15.2% for Catalonia as a whole). The municipality with the lowest value was Matadepera (4.2%) and the highest value was in La Fatarella (33.1%).
  • Young population without post-compulsory education (25.7% for Catalonia as a whole). This indicator shows the greatest inequality between municipalities. The municipality with the lowest value was Fontanals de Cerdanya (1.3%) and the highest was Barbens (58.0%).
  • Foreigners from low- or middle-income countries (13.0% in Catalonia as a whole). The municipality with the lowest value was Olius (1.0%) and the highest was Guissona (52.1%).
  • Average income per person (€14,748 in Catalonia as a whole). The municipality with the highest value was Matadepera (€24,091) and the one with the lowest value was Salt (€9,842).

The availability of inframunicipal data makes it possible to quantify socioeconomic differences within municipalities.

The results for the municipality of Barcelona are also presented for the city’s 73 neighbourhoods as defined by the City Council. Of these, 9 had an IST that exceeded the Catalan average by more than 20 percentage points, including Les Tres Torres (135.1), Sant Gervasi-Galvany (131.2) and Sarrià (129.8). At the other extreme, 11 neighbourhoods had an IST 20 percentage points lower than the Catalan average, including Ciutat Meridiana (64.9), La Trinitat Vella (73.1), and El Besòs i El Maresme (73.5).

In 2021 there were 5,083 census tracts in Catalonia, of which 464 had an IST more than 20 percentage points above the Catalan average and, at the other extreme, 607 census tracts had an IST 20 points or more below the average. The 5 census tracts with the highest socioeconomic level were in the municipality of Barcelona, with an IST between 137.2 and 139.6, while the 5 census tracts with the lowest level were in Figueres (IST 29.6), Tortosa (29.8), Tarragona (32.2) Salt (33.1) and Figueres (33.6).

Mapa

Regarding the 853 census tract groups, there were significant differences in the socioeconomic level of their inhabitants: 70 groups had an IST that was more than 20 percentage points higher than the Catalan average. Of these, 66 were in the Metropolitan Area, two in the Girona Counties, one in El Camp de Tarragona and one in El Penedès. By contrast, the 104 census tract groups with the lowest socioeconomic level were distributed throughout all the areas of the Territorial Plan (except in L’Alt Pirineu and Aran).

The results by counties, municipalities, census tract groups and census tracts can be consulted through the Map viewer of statistical data .

In this edition, Idescat expands the information of the indicators by census tracts. Specifically, the indicators for the population with low education, foreigners from low- or middle-income countries and average income per person are published for all census tracts, while the indicator for the population without post-compulsory education is only published for municipalities with 500 inhabitants or more. Idescat also provides more municipal information since this time the data on the young population without post-compulsory education are provided for municipalities with 500 inhabitants whereas in the last edition the information was provided for municipalities with 1,000 inhabitants.

Further information