Canary Islands remain at 31.2% of population at risk of poverty in 2025

At the national level, 36.4% of households were unable to cover unexpected expenses in 2025, a rise of six tenths of a point from 2024.

Canary Islands stay at 31.2% of the population at risk of poverty or social exclusion (AROPE rate) in 2025 – the same share as in 2024 – according to the Living Conditions Survey released by the National Statistics Institute (INE). The national average stands at 25.7%.

• 22.9% of the island’s residents are at risk of poverty.
• 9.3% suffer severe material and social deprivation.
• 11.6% experience low‑intensity employment.
• 11.5% report great difficulty making ends meet.

The archipelago ranks fourth among Spain’s autonomous communities for the AROPE rate, behind Andalusia (34.7%), Castilla‑La Mancha (34.0%) and the Region of Murcia (32.5%). The autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla record higher rates at 40.8% and 43.7% respectively.

Conversely, the lowest AROPE rates are found in the Basque Country (14.7%), the Balearic Islands (15.2%) and Navarre (16.5%).

The INE defines a household’s ability to face unexpected expenses as having sufficient own resources, without resorting to loans or installment purchases to cover regular outlays that were previously paid cash.

The survey, conducted between February and May 2025, took place during a period of price moderation, with inflation ranging between 2% and 3%.

“In 2025, 8.5% of Spaniards reached the end of the month with ‘great difficulty’, down from 9.1% in 2024. This is the best figure since 2019, when 7.8% reported the same hardship.”

Castilla‑La Mancha and Murcia: Where Making Ends Meet Is Hardest

• Castilla‑La Mancha: 12.7% of residents report great difficulty.
• Murcia: 12.1%.
• Canary Islands: 11.5%.

The regions with the lowest percentages of severe financial strain are the Basque Country (3.8%), Aragón (4.7%) and the Balearic Islands (4.8%).

Vacations and Keeping the Home at a Comfortable Temperature

• 32.2% of households could not afford at least one week of vacation away from home in 2025, 1.2 points lower than in 2024.
• 13.3% delayed payments for primary housing costs (mortgage, rent, community fees) or installment purchases, 0.9 points lower than the previous year.
• 15.9% of families could not maintain their home at an adequate temperature, down from 17.6% in 2024 and 20.7% in 2023 (the 2023 peak since the series began in 2004).
• 5.4% of households cannot afford a chicken, meat, or fish meal at least every two days, 0.7 points lower than in 2024.
• 5.4% cannot afford a car (slightly 0.1 point higher than 2024).
• 27.1% cannot replace broken or old furniture, a modest decline from 27.7% in 2024.

Home Ownership Hits a Low

• 73.3% of Spanish households owned their home in 2025, the lowest level since the survey began in 2004.
• 20.2% rented their dwelling, 0.2 points lower than in 2024.
  • Of these, 16.7% rented at market prices (down 0.3 points).
  • 3.5% rented below market price (up 0.1 point).

Average Household Income Reaches Record €38,994

The 2025 Living Conditions Survey also reports income trends for 2024:

• Average per‑person income reached €15,620, 5.5% higher than the previous year and the highest since the series started.
• Net average household income rose 5.4% to €38,994, nearly €2,000 above 2023 and a record high for the series.

Nationally, the AROPE rate fell to 25.7% in 2025, 0.1 point lower than in 2024 and the lowest since the indicator’s inception in 2014.

Two of the three AROPE components improved:

• Relative risk of poverty.
• Severe material and social deprivation (down to 8.1%, the lowest since 2022).

The third component—low‑intensity employment—remained unchanged.

Specifically, 19.5% of Spaniards were at risk of poverty in 2025, the lowest share since 2008.