The interest in leaving cities and moving to small municipalities is gaining ground among those seeking housing in Spain. 23% of young people aged 18 to 24 analyzed by Fotocasa Research expect to move in the coming months to a locality of less than 10,000 inhabitants, according to a survey conducted during the first half of 2026.
The appeal is even greater if we include those who would like to take that step even if they do not yet have a concrete project: seven out of ten people under 25 show interest in living in a rural environment. Among all housing seekers, six out of ten claim they will move to a village or would like to do so.
Housing appears as one of the factors explaining the change. Fotocasa links the growing interest in rural municipalities with the pressure of prices in urban markets, although it warns that the availability of jobs, services, internet connection, and infrastructure will be decisive in turning that interest into permanent residential changes.
From desire to relocation: 13% already have plans
The majority have not yet taken the step. 46% of seekers say they would like to live in a village, but do not plan to do so soon, four points less than the 50% recorded a year earlier.
What is increasing is the group that has a concrete project. 13% expect to settle in the short term in a locality of less than 10,000 inhabitants, compared to 11% in 2025.
Within that group, teleworking is not the main way to leave the city. 4% will move while maintaining their remote job, the same percentage as last year, while 9% plan to change jobs in order to settle in a rural area. That last percentage was 7% in both 2024 and 2025.
On the opposite end, 41% claim they would not move to live in a village under any circumstances, a percentage that has barely changed over the past year.
Those under 25 lead the change
The age differences are pronounced. Young people aged 18 to 24 have the highest percentage of effective relocation plans, at 23%. Most of them would have to look for a different job to make the change.
They are followed by people aged 25 to 34. 16% plan to move to a rural environment, compared to 13% in 2025 and 10% in 2024. Among them, 12% expect to do so through a job change and 4% by resorting to teleworking.
The interest also increases among older generations, although with fewer concrete plans. Among citizens aged 55 to 75 years, 51% say they would like to settle in a village but cannot do so, five points more than a year before.
Madrid is where plans to move to a village grow the most
The Community of Madrid stands out in the territorial comparison. 17% of individuals over 18 analyzed in the region plan to move soon to a rural area, according to Fotocasa.
The increase occurs through two avenues. The percentage considering moving while maintaining their job through teleworking rises from 4% to 7%, while those planning to change jobs increase from 7% to 10%.
To these, a much larger group is added that has not yet turned the desire into a plan: 61% of the analyzed madrileños claim they are attracted to the possibility of living in a village, even if they do not plan to move soon. Fotocasa points out that, outside of Madrid, the variations recorded during the last year are much smaller.
Spain maintains a reduced rural population
The renewed interest occurs in a country with a high concentration of population in cities. Fotocasa's own research includes, citing Eurostat data, that 14% of the Spanish population resided in rural areas in 2025, eleven points below the community average.
According to that comparison collected by the real estate portal, Spain only surpassed Malta and the Netherlands among the EU countries mentioned, while Ireland and Slovenia presented significantly higher percentages of rural population.
Whether the interest detected by the survey ends up turning into demographic recovery will depend, however, on whether the plans materialize. Fotocasa points out that more affordable housing can facilitate the move, but considers employment, services, connectivity, and sufficient infrastructure necessary to stabilize the population.