Family income in the richest municipality in Catalonia is double that of the poorest

BarcelonaSant Just Desvern, in Baix Llobregat, and Montferrer and Castellbò, in Alt Urgell, were the municipalities with the highest and lowest household incomes in Catalonia in 2022, respectively, according to data published this Wednesday by Idescat, the statistical agency of the Generalitat (Catalan Government). The difference between the incomes of both municipalities was 144%, meaning that the average household income in the richest municipality is double that of the poorest. At the regional level, Barcelona and the regions of the metropolitan region of the Catalan capital once again occupied the top positions in per capita income.

On average, Catalan households had an income of €19,140 per person three years ago, an increase of €782 (4.2%). compared to 2021The Barcelonès region recorded the highest per capita income, at €21,297 per capita, while at the other end was Montsià, with €14,415. Baix Llobregat, both Vallès regions, Garraf, and Maresme remain the regions with the highest household disposable incomes, all above €19,000 per capita.

On the other hand, at the other end of the ranking were four regions from three different corners of the country, all with household incomes below €15,000. Montsià again ranked at the bottom, closing 2022 with an average of €14,415 per capita, followed, in reverse, by Alt Urgell, Alt Empordà, and Terra Alta.

The figures published by Idescat correspond to gross disposable family income, which the institution itself defines as "the income available to residents of a territory to allocate to consumption or savings – and clarifies –: This income depends on the income of families directly linked to the remuneration for their contribution to the exploitation activity), but it is also influenced by the activity of the public administration through taxes and social benefits."

More pronounced differences between municipalities

By municipalities, Sant Just Desvern overtook Matadepera (Vallès Occidental) as the town with the highest average income in the country. These two towns have per capita incomes of 30,352 and 29,265 euros, more than 50% higher than the Catalan average. They are followed by three municipalities in Maresme –Tiana, Alella and Teià–, followed by two in Vallès Occidental –Sant Cugat and Sant Quirze– and by Ametlla del Vallès, in Vallès Oriental. All of them exceeded the average Catalan income by 30%, between 26,539 and 24,932 euros available per capita.

These municipalities usually occupy the top positions in the family income rankings compiled by both Idescat and its equivalent national body, the National Statistics Institute (INE). In this regard,Atlas of Household Income Distributionfor 2022, which was published last October by the INE, placed Matadepera in first place of the Catalan municipalities in terms of average annual income per capita, followed by Sant Just Desvern, Sant Cugat del Vallès, and Alella. Both institutions compile the rankings using different methodologies, which explains the differences in results.

When these data are compared with those of the poorest municipalities, the inequalities between populations become evident. Family income in Sant Just Desvern was 2.5 times that of Montferrer and Castellbò, the poorest, where each family had an income of €12,421 per person in 2022. The difference was €17,931 per capita.

At the bottom of the ranking, just above the municipality of Alt Urgell, was Lloret de Mar (Selva), which had occupied the last position as the poorest town for several years. These two municipalities, along with Ribarroja de Ebro, in the Ribera d'Ebre, are the three where the income per person did not reach 13,000 euros in 2022. They were followed by Salt (Gironès), La Jonquera (Alt Empordà), El Perelló (Alt Empordà), and Castelló d'Empú, 70% of the Catalan average.

By region, the richest, El Barcelonès, exceeds the Catalan average by 11%, while El Montsià, the poorest, is almost 25% below.