Region · Spain

Living in the Valencia region

the Valencia region runs hot and dry: summer highs average 31.5°C over only about 42 rainy days a year, with plenty of sun. That suits sun-seekers, but summer water stress is worth watching (WEI+ 132 vs a national 56). On our six settler profiles, the Valencia region is worth a look if you're retiring couples (ranks #3 of 17 regions).

On the wallet: homes run about €1,632/m² (19% below the national average (€2,024/m²)); median net income is about €13,277 per person (7% below the national average (€14,279)).

Public healthcare here means a mean surgical wait around 88 days (15% below the national average (103 days)), with 16.1% of the surgical list waiting over six months — a real, published number, not a brochure claim.

We publish 16 of the Valencia region's 542 municipalities in depth so far — the ones with a full guide portrait to sit alongside the numbers, weighted toward the warm-summer south and interior. Every figure below is shown against the national reference, gaps included.

Schools PISA science 483 — 6 points below the national average (489)

Surgery wait 88 days — 15% below the national average (103 days)

Homes €1,632/m² — 19% below the national average (€2,024/m²)

Who the Valencia region is for — and who should look elsewhere

Not our opinion: we ran the same scoring engine behind the quiz for six settler profiles across all 8,132 municipalities, then took the median score of the Valencia region's towns and ranked it among Spain's 17 comunidades. It answers "how does the typical town here score, versus the typical town elsewhere?"

Good to explore if you're

Retiring couples #3 of 17 regions
winter_sun #3 of 17 regions
year_round_mild #3 of 17 regions
American retirees #4 of 17 regions

Ranked 1–17 by the median national percentile of the region's municipalities for each profile (higher median = better place to explore). Hover a town's own page for the town-level version.

The numbers for the Valencia region

Region-level data, each figure against the national reference. Where a figure is a comunidad-autónoma reading rather than a town measurement, we say so under the card.

Climate

Winter average: 11.9°C #2 of 17 regions · +4.2°C vs national 4.2 °C above the national average (7.8°C)
Summer high: 31.5°C #13 of 17 regions · +1.4°C vs national 1.4 °C above the national average (30.2°C)
Rainy days a year: 42 days #3 of 17 regions · −27 days vs national 39% below the national average (69 days)
Sunshine: 7.9 h/day #4 of 17 regions · +0.6 h/day vs national 9% above the national average (7.2 h/day)
Summer water stress (WEI+): 132 #15 of 16 regions · +75 vs national 75 points above the national average (56)

Aggregated from the region's municipalities (AEMET/derived); summer water stress is a river-basin (WEI+) reading.

Schools

PISA maths: 473 #10 of 17 regions · −6 vs national 6 points below the national average (479)
PISA reading: 482 #8 of 17 regions · +4 vs national 4 points above the national average (478)
PISA science: 483 #9 of 17 regions · −6 vs national 6 points below the national average (489)

PISA 2022, reported per comunidad autónoma (INEE). National reference = the mean across the 17 comunidades.

Healthcare

Surgical wait: 88 days #6 of 17 regions · −15 days vs national 15% below the national average (103 days)
Waiting over 6 months: 16.1% #7 of 17 regions · −0.5 pts vs national 0.5 pts below the national average (16.6%)
Specialist consult wait: 95 days #9 of 17 regions · at the national mark about the national average (95 days)

Public waiting lists, SISLE-SNS Dic 2025 (2025-12-31), per comunidad autónoma.

Cost & economy

Median net income / person: €13,277 #13 of 17 regions · −€1,002 vs national 7% below the national average (€14,279)
Median home price: €1,632/m² #6 of 17 regions · −€392/m² vs national 19% below the national average (€2,024/m²)

Median across the region's municipalities (INE net income; Catastro-derived sale price).

Who lives here

Born in Spain: 82.5% 6.3 pts below the national average (88.8%)
Born elsewhere in EU/UK: 8.1% 4.3 pts above the national average (3.8%)

Share of residents by place of birth, averaged across the region's municipalities (INE).

Tax posture (2025)

Wealth tax standard: Own tariff (0.25–3.12%) with no general bonificación, but the minimum exemption was raised to €1,000,000 for 2025 (plus €300k home) — real wealth tax only on larger fortunes.
Inheritance & gifts none: 99% bonificación for spouse, ascendants and descendants (Grupo I & II).
Buying resale (ITP): General transfer tax around 10% — General 10% through early 2026; regional reform scheduled/announced to lower general ITP (often cited toward ~9% from June 2026) — verify before budgeting.
Buying new-build: IVA/IGIC around 10%; AJD around 1.5%.
Annual property tax (IBI): Municipal rates typically 0.4–1.1% of cadastral value — set by each town, not the region.

State ITSGF above ~€3M net worth; wealth tax paid is credited against it. Source: primary source. General posture, not personal tax advice — thresholds, reduced rates and reliefs change and depend on your circumstances. ITP/AJD figures are regional general rates for budgeting, not a quote.

Best towns in the Valencia region, by what you're after

The same engine as the quiz, run over the Valencia region's towns and filtered to the ones we profile in depth. Top of each list, in the engine's order — not hand-picked.

Best towns in the Valencia region for families

schools, coast and cost, scored for remote-working parents

Castelló de la Plana/Castellón de la Plana 3 km from the sea · a hospital in town
Elx/Elche 11 km from the sea · a hospital in town
Xàtiva 29 km from the sea · homes around €1,237/m²
Vinaròs 10 km from the sea · 30,516 people
Torrevieja 5 km from the sea · a hospital in town

Best towns in the Valencia region for winter sun

ranked on winter warmth and sunshine

Castelló de la Plana/Castellón de la Plana a hospital in town · a health centre close by
Elx/Elche a hospital in town · only 33 rainy days a year
Alacant/Alicante a hospital in town · only 35 rainy days a year
Torrevieja a hospital in town · only 31 rainy days a year
Vinaròs a hospital in town · only 39 rainy days a year

Best-value towns in the Valencia region

cheap to buy in, but still a real town with services

Castelló de la Plana/Castellón de la Plana 3 km from the sea · a hospital in town
Xàtiva homes around €1,237/m² · 30,925 people
Elx/Elche 11 km from the sea · a hospital in town
Vinaròs 30,516 people · 10 km from the sea
Torrevieja 5 km from the sea · 100,470 people

Town profiles in the Valencia region

We profile 16 of the Valencia region's 542 municipalities in depth — numbers plus an honest portrait. More as we cover them.

Compare the Valencia region with…

Torn between two regions? Head-to-head, data-only — climate, cost, schools, health waits and tax, side by side.

See how the Valencia region's towns rank for you

These are the Valencia region's regional numbers. Whether it fits you depends on your priorities — winter sun or mild summers, short medical waits, a city or a village, an easy flight home. The 3-minute quiz scores every one of Spain's 8,132 municipalities on what you care about — and we'll flag the Valencia region as one to watch, so your results surface its best towns for you.

Take the quiz — rank the Valencia region for you →

Overview