The 2025 Economic Report of Catalonia, prepared by the chambers of commerce, places Girona's gross value added at a 2.9% increase, one tenth below the Catalan average (3.0%). Girona slightly trails Barcelona (3.0%) and Tarragona (3.1%), and more clearly Lleida (3.4%), which leads territorial growth. This data confirms a positive trend after the pandemic, consolidating a recovery trajectory without leading provincial growth.
Girona stands out for its activity concentration in a small territory, ranking second in the number of companies and jobs. With nearly 838,000 residents by early 2026, it represents 10% of Catalonia's population. The 0.9% demographic growth in 2025, with a 22% foreign population, is key to understanding labor market vitality and housing pressure.
The labor market shows a favorable balance, with a 2.1% increase in Social Security affiliations (351,360 jobs) and a 3.4% growth in employed population according to the EPA. Registered unemployment decreased by 6.4%, the sharpest fall in Catalonia, standing at just over 28,500 people, the lowest level since 2007. However, the unemployment rate (8.4%) is higher than in Barcelona and Lleida.
Tourism recorded a record 4.5 million hotel travelers in 2025, up 4.4%, with 13 million overnight stays (+1.8%). Spanish tourism grew by 10.6%, while foreign tourism stagnated. The Costa Brava consolidates as Catalonia's second-largest destination, with 4.1 million travelers and 12.3 million overnight stays.
In the business sphere, the number of contribution accounts fell by 0.2% (28,035 workplaces), performing worse than the Catalan average. Regionally, employment grew in all counties, but company creation only increased in Garrotxa and Gironès.
Goods exports reached a historic high of 8.56 billion euros (+2.7%), maintaining a positive trade balance of 4.067 billion, largely due to the agri-food sector. Girona accounts for 44% of Catalonia's meat product exports.
The real estate market shows increasing tension. Sales transactions rose 7% (over 14,500 operations) with an average price of €2,438/m² (+8%). New construction prices increased by 14.3%. The rental market also shows strain, with an average rent of €816.03 in the municipality of Girona and a reduction in contracts compared to 2019.
Inflation in Girona was 2.4% annually, the lowest among provinces, but rising housing costs reduce affordability. Study director Carme Poveda points to paradoxes such as companies' difficulty finding staff despite record employment, and economic hardship for families with frozen real wages and rising prices.
