Alella
A municipality in the Maresme comarca, province of Barcelona
15th most populous of 30 municipalities in Maresme
With 10,251 residents, Alella sits in the larger half of the 30 municipalities in the Maresme comarca (province of Barcelona). Disposable household income is €35,425 per resident, 61% above the Maresme median — among the highest in the comarca. The unemployment rate is 4.9%. The nearest train station is El Masnou, 2.3 km away (Rodalies / Renfe), and the fastest scheduled train reaches Barcelona in 25 min — a workable daily commute. 84% of residents said they could speak Catalan in the 2011 census, the last to ask at municipal level. Under the Generalitat's civil-protection plans, flood risk is high.
How Alella compares in Maresme
Where the municipality sits among those of the Maresme comarca, indicator by indicator.
Where it stands out
- Income per resident35,425 €1st of 29
- Unemployment rate4.9%2nd of 30
- Train time to Barcelona~25 min3rd of 30
Around the middle
- Higher education52.8%4th of 30
Neither better nor worse
- Foreign-born17.6%14th of 30
- Can speak Catalan84%15th of 30
On these indicators neither end is better — it depends what you are looking for. Shown highest to lowest.
Each position is computed only among the municipalities of the comarca that publish that indicator: Idescat suppresses figures for the smallest ones, so the total can be lower than the comarca's municipality count. No position is published for a cohort of fewer than 5.
All the data
Demographics
- Population
- 10,2512025
- Density
- 1,070 inh./km²2025
- Surface area
- 9.6 km²2025
- Altitude
- 90 m
- Population aged 65+
- 22.9%2025
- Foreigners
- 17.6%2025
- Annual Growth
- +0.5%2024
Economy
- Income (per person)
- 35,425 €2023 (p)
- Unemployment
- 4.9%2024
- Higher education
- 52.8%2024
Housing
- Rented dwellings
- 16.3%2021
Getting around
- Nearest train station
- El Masnou · 2.3 km · Rodalies / Renfe
- To Barcelona by train
- ~25 min
Straight-line distance to the nearest station. Time is the fastest scheduled train (approximate, not a specific departure); it may require a change.
Natural risk
- Flood risk
- High2026
- Main flood sources
- Ravines and torrents
- Wildfire hazard
- Below the Catalan average2026
- Wildfire vulnerability
- High2026
- Wildfires 2011-2024
- 6 fires started here · 0.1 ha burned
Official Generalitat classification: the INUNCAT (flood) and INFOCAT (wildfire) special plans, Departament d'Interior. The flood level is the maximum across every flood type affecting the municipality. Wildfire hazard is expressed relative to the Catalan average, not as an absolute probability. Fires (2011-2024, Departament d'Acció Climàtica) are attributed to the municipality where they started, so the burned area may extend into neighbouring municipalities.
Language
- Can speak Catalan
- 84%2011
Source: Idescat, 2011 census — the last one to carry this question at municipal level. Real, but old.
Frequently asked questions
- How many people live in Alella?
- Alella had 10,251 residents on the 2025 municipal register, making it the 15th most populous of the 30 municipalities in Maresme.
- How long does it take to get from Alella to Barcelona by train?
- The nearest station to Alella is El Masnou, 2.3 km away, and the fastest train reaches central Barcelona in ~25 min (approximate schedule).
- What do people earn in Alella?
- Household disposable income per resident in Alella is 35,425 € a year (Idescat, 2023 (p)), 61% above the comarca median.
- Do people speak Catalan in Alella?
- 84% of residents in Alella reported being able to speak Catalan in the 2011 census, the last edition to carry the question at municipal level. It measures the ability to speak it, not everyday use.
- Is Alella at risk of flooding or wildfire?
- The civil-protection plans in force (2026) classify the flood risk in Alella as "High" and its wildfire hazard as "Below the Catalan average". Wildfire hazard is relative to the Catalan average, not a probability of burning.
- Do people rent or own in Alella?
- 16.3% of main dwellings in Alella are rented (2021).
Data from Idescat (EMEX). Per-indicator sources have different reference years; see each section's note.