This increase represents a jump from 89,876 to 129,956 inhabitants in 25 years, significantly exceeding the average growth rate of Catalonia (27.9%) and the European Union (4.9%). This demographic dynamism is mainly concentrated in the eastern part of the region, near the Barcelona metropolitan area.
Currently, five municipalities in Anoia surpass the 10,000 inhabitants threshold: Igualada (42,449), Piera (17,884), Vilanova del Camí (12,886), Santa Margarida de Montbui (10,601), and Masquefa (10,111). Piera and Masquefa are two of the three new Catalan municipalities that reached this figure during the analyzed period.
The largest growth is concentrated in municipalities near Baix Llobregat and Alt Penedès, with Cabrera d’Anoia leading the increase with a 236.55% population surge.
Despite the overall growth, four micro-villages have lost residents, notably Castellfollit de Riubregós, which lost 34.33% of its population. Projections from the Institute of Statistics of Catalonia (Idescat) indicate that Anoia could reach 160,000 inhabitants by 2049 in the medium scenario, driven by international migration.
