Podcast Summary: La economía de Hoy por Hoy | 74.000 euros es la diferencia de renta entre los habitantes del municipio más rico de España y el más pobre
Podcast: Hoy por Hoy
Host: SER Podcast (Àngels Barceló with Jordi Fábrega)
Date: October 2, 2025
Overview
This episode centers on economic inequality across Spanish municipalities, as revealed by fresh data from the Agencia Tributaria (Tax Agency). Àngels Barceló and economic analyst Jordi Fábrega examine the stark contrasts in declared annual income—highlighting that the gap between Spain’s richest and poorest municipalities surpasses €74,000 per person.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Huge Income Gap Revealed
- Data Source: 2023 Spanish tax returns (IRPF)
- Headline statistic:
"Hay una diferencia de más de 74.000 euros de media por persona entre lo que declaran en el municipio más rico, que es Pozuelo de Alarcón, y el más pobre, que es Benamargosa."
— Jordi Fábrega [00:25] - Pozuelo de Alarcón (Madrid): Residents declare, on average, over €88,000/year.
- Benamargosa (Málaga): Residents declare under €13,900/year.
- Thus, someone living in Pozuelo earns, on average, six times more than someone in Benamargosa.
- The disparity is not narrowing—"sino que se va ampliando" (but is actually widening over time). [00:25–01:21]
2. Ranking the Richest and Poorest Municipalities
Richest Municipalities:
- Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid: >€88,000 avg. income [01:25]
- Boadilla del Monte, Madrid: >€70,000
- Barcelona province: Sanchus, Dasbern, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Matadepera, Alella (€62,000–€67,000)
- Madrid region: Torrelodones, Alcobendas, Majadahonda
- Aiguas (Alicante)
- All these municipalities have average declared incomes >€60,000 [01:25–02:05]
Poorest Municipalities:
- Mostly located in Andalucía and some in Extremadura
- Benamargosa (Málaga): <€14,000 avg. income [02:08]
- Granada Province: Guadaortuna, Colomera, Monte Jícar (all between €14,000–€15,000)
- Higuera de Vargas (Badajoz)
- Montizón (Jaén)
3. Persistence of the Rankings
- Richest towns: The top ten are stable yearly with minimal changes in order.
"Entre los más ricos la respuesta es claramente que sí... Siempre son los mismos los que están en el top 10."
— Jordi Fábrega [02:47] - Poorest towns: More variation due to smaller populations—small statistical changes or one high earner can shift rankings.
"Por abajo sí que hay más cambios porque las diferencias entre ellos son más pequeñas... más fácil subir o bajar de repente en un año 5 o 10 posiciones de golpe."
— Jordi Fábrega [02:47]
4. What Causes Such Large Differences?
Factors driving the gap include:
- Presence (or absence) of businesses and local industries
- Economic sectors represented in each municipality
- Total population (smaller towns are more volatile statistically)
- Structure of declared income—richer areas see more financial earnings and property sales
"Hay muchísimos factores, desde qué empresas están radicadas en cada municipio, de qué sectores son, el número de habitantes... Muchos más ingresos por beneficios financieros o por venta de propiedades..."
— Jordi Fábrega [03:35–04:09]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On the multiplying effect of income inequality:
"La renta, una persona que vive en Pozuelo, multiplica por seis los ingresos de los que viven en Benamargosa."
— Jordi Fábrega [00:25] -
On the stability of richest municipalities:
"Siempre son los mismos los que están en el top 10..."
— Jordi Fábrega [02:47] -
On how easily rankings shift among small towns:
"En alguno de ellos haya una persona que tenga un buen año es más fácil que haga subir la media de lo que se declara..."
— Jordi Fábrega [02:47] -
Explaining financial disparities:
"En Pozuelo el desglose, vemos que hay muchos más ingresos por beneficios financieros o por venta de propiedades que en otros municipios."
— Jordi Fábrega [03:35]
Timeline of Key Segments
- [00:25–01:21] — Introduction to the size and persistence of the income gap
- [01:21–02:05] — Ranking of Spain’s richest municipalities
- [02:08–02:42] — Listing of Spain’s poorest towns
- [02:47–03:28] — Stability and shifts in the municipal rankings
- [03:35–04:09] — Factors explaining the disparities
Conclusion
In this episode, Àngels Barceló and Jordi Fábrega provide a lucid, data-driven look at the entrenched socioeconomic divides within Spain. The discussion underscores not only how vast these differences are, but also their durability—and the complex mix of factors (from local economies to financial investments) that sustain them. This critical analysis invites listeners to reflect on economic justice and the persistent barriers to equality in Spanish society.