10% of residents in Portugal municipalities are foreigners

Portugal’s population is becoming increasingly international, and nowhere is that more apparent than in parts of the Algarve.

By Kam Heskin, in News, Community · 19 Oct 2026, 18:03 · 0 Comments

New figures from the National Statistics Institute (INE), analysed by Jornal de Notícias, show that foreign nationals now account for at least 10% of the population in 101 of Portugal’s 308 municipalities.

That’s almost one in three municipalities across the country.

At the end of 2025, Portugal had approximately 1.6 million foreign residents, representing around 14% of the total population.

But the figures vary considerably depending on where you live.

In Odemira, in the Alentejo, foreign nationals now make up 52.06% of the population, making it the only municipality where they outnumber Portuguese nationals.

The Algarve also stands out, with several municipalities reporting figures well above the national average.

In Vila do Bispo, 41.73% of residents have foreign nationality, followed by Aljezur at 40.50% and Albufeira at 38.79%.

Lagos is not far behind at 35.92%, while Loulé stands at 31.21% and Tavira at 30.32%.

These figures reflect just how international many Algarve communities have become, with foreign residents accounting for roughly one in three people in several parts of the region.

Lisbon and Porto also see high numbers

Portugal’s two largest cities have substantial international populations as well.

In Lisbon, 25.64% of residents have foreign nationality, while Porto’s figure exceeds 22%.

And the trend isn’t limited to major cities or coastal destinations.

In Pedrógão Grande, in the Leiria district, foreign nationals represent 20.8% of residents. Oliveira de Frades, Idanha-a-Nova and Vila Velha de Ródão also have foreign populations above 13%.

At the other end of the scale, some municipalities have very few foreign residents.

Resende, in the Viseu district, has one of the lowest proportions at just 1.31%, while Vinhais stands at 1.38%.

The figures show how differently Portugal’s population is changing from one municipality to another.

While some communities have become highly international, others remain predominantly Portuguese, highlighting the considerable regional differences behind the national statistics.