El artículo analiza el desfase entre la población empadronada y la real en Orihuela Costa, el área litoral del municipio de Orihuela. Aunque oficialmente solo hay 26.596 empadronados (de 85.674 en todo el municipio), se estima que viven allí más de 60.000 personas de forma permanente. Esta diferencia se nota en indicadores como el consumo de agua, generación de residuos y crecimiento demográfico, muy superiores a los que corresponderían a los datos oficiales.
Las causas principales son que muchos residentes extranjeros (británicos, alemanes, escandinavos, belgas, etc.) no se empadronan por desconocimiento o por mantener su residencia fiscal en otro país. También hay propietarios de segundas viviendas que ya viven allí todo el año sin actualizar su padrón.
El texto plantea una simulación hipotética: si los 60.000 residentes reales se empadronaran, Orihuela tendría unos 119.000 habitantes y pasaría de 25 a 27 concejales. Políticamente, si existiera un voto costero unido, Orihuela Costa podría dominar el Ayuntamiento con mayoría absoluta. Sin embargo, muchos extranjeros no pueden votar, lo que limita ese impacto real.
Económicamente, un empadronamiento masivo implicaría más fondos públicos para el municipio, ya que la financiación estatal y autonómica se basa en el número de empadronados. Eso permitiría mejorar servicios como sanidad, limpieza y transporte, actualmente insuficientes para la población real.
El artículo concluye destacando la paradoja de una zona que genera gran parte del dinamismo económico y social del municipio, pero carece de representación política y recursos proporcionales. Orihuela Costa es, por tanto, una “ciudad sin voz” que podría transformar el equilibrio político y administrativo de Orihuela si sus residentes se empadronaran.
Aunque el artículo es muy bueno y agradecemos el mismo al escritor y recomendamos su página web, así como sus servicios de venta de viviendas, que también es de buena calidad, creemos necesario explicar varias cosas.
El primer punto es que esa voz unida ya existe y es PIOC. Todos unidos a PIOC y en Mayo del 2027 conseguiremos muchos concejales.
El segundo punto es que a fecha de hoy hay 30 000 empadronados.
El tercer punto es que Orihuela Costa está creciendo a más de 1000 personas al año y en unos 7 a 20 años tendremos a este ritmo más vecinos empadronados que todo el resto de Orihuela. Y si sucede algún problema en Europa, tendremos en poco tiempo muchos más. Recordad que hay 60 000 viviendas en Orihuela Costa y 30 000 en todo el resto de Orihuela y se siguen construyendo 1000 nuevas viviendas en Orihuela Costa cada año. El reto es en votar. Si votamos los 22000 posibles votantes en mayo 2027 a PIOC, tenemos la mayoría de los concejales.
TRANSLATION INTO ENGLISH OF THE ARTICLE
Orihuela Costa, the Invisible City: What Would Happen If All Its Residents Registered
Orihuela boasts of being one of the largest and most diverse municipalities in the province of Alicante. However, beneath the official census figures — 85,674 inhabitants in 2024, according to the Town Hall — lies an anomaly everyone knows about, as mentioned in a previous article: the real population of Orihuela Costa, the coastal area of the municipality, is much higher than statistics reflect.
The municipal report Portrait of Orihuela’s Families (2024) lists 26,596 registered residents in Orihuela Costa — barely one-third of the total. But other evidence points to a different reality. Technical documents from the Town Hall already estimated in 2010 that more than 60,000 people lived permanently on the coast, even though only 27,000 were officially registered. Fifteen years later, the gap appears to have remained or even widened.
Recent trends reinforce that suspicion. In 2024, the municipal census grew by 5% in the coastal area, compared to just 0.1% in the urban center, an “abnormal” rise for an already developed zone. Moreover, water consumption and waste generation on the coast are far higher than what would correspond to the number of registered residents — an indirect sign that the real population is much larger.
The reasons for this “invisible city” are varied. Many foreign residents — British, German, Scandinavian, or Belgian — live permanently on the coast but do not register, either out of ignorance, disinterest, or because they maintain tax residency in another country. Others own second homes that, over time, have become their main residences without updating their registration.
The Simulation: If All 60,000 Registered
What would happen if all those “invisible” residents were officially registered? If Orihuela Costa’s population rose from 26,596 to 60,000, the municipality would reach around 119,000 inhabitants, moving into a higher demographic tier. According to Spain’s Electoral Law (LOREG), Orihuela would go from 25 to 27 councilors, but the deeper changes would be political and economic.
Politically, the simplest hypothesis is that of a cohesive coastal population with its own interests and possibly a “coastal party” that could capitalize on that vote. With 60% voter turnout and a unified vote, such a force could obtain about 14 of the 27 council seats, an absolute majority capable of running the Town Hall. Of course, this is a theoretical simulation: many foreign residents cannot vote (only EU citizens and those from countries with reciprocal agreements may do so), but it illustrates the political potential of a population that today has no real representation (no councilor in the last elections lived on the coast).
The Impact on Services and Funding
A mass registration would have immediate consequences for municipal management. More registered residents mean greater state and regional funding, since much of local financing depends on census figures.
It would also increase demand for public services — especially healthcare, transport, and cleaning. Pressure on health centers, bus routes, streets, and beaches would grow proportionally.
In return, the Town Hall would receive more funds and legitimacy to strengthen services in the coastal area, which currently operates with resources designed for a much smaller official population.
The Power of a City Without a Voice
The paradox of Orihuela Costa is that, despite its economic, touristic, and social importance, it remains a “city without a voice” within the municipality. Its real population likely represents half of Orihuela’s total, yet its political and administrative power is practically nonexistent.
The Town Hall has launched several campaigns — with little success — to encourage foreign residents to register, aware that this gap affects urban planning and funding. However, progress is slow, and the “invisible city” continues to sustain much of the municipality’s economic dynamism without appearing in the official numbers.
If, one day, those residents decided to register and participate fully in municipal life, Orihuela’s political balance and priorities would change completely. The coastline would cease to be a mere tourist appendage and become the demographic and electoral heart of the municipality — a voice that, for now, remains unheard.
Note:
The difference between empadronados and censados is that empadronados are the habitual residents officially registered in a municipality, while censados are those included in the electoral or national census and have the right to vote.
