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Santa Maria island · report

People and new homes in Santa Maria island

In 2025 the population fell by 24 while 9 homes were finished.

Homes finished, 2025
9
Population change, 2025
−24

Population change and homes finished in Santa Maria island

The population's yearly change, net migration plus births minus deaths, against homes finished. INE.

Population change

Show the numbers
YearPopulation change
2025-24
202419
202324
202272
202128

Homes finished

Show the numbers
YearHomes finished
20259
20248
20235
202213
20216

Year by year

YearNet migrationBirths minus deathsPopulation changeHomes finished
2021+33−5+286
2022+103−31+7213
2023+47−23+245
2024+46−27+198
2025−15−9−249

Population change is INE's net migration plus births minus deaths, by municipality since 2021. Homes finished are dwellings completed in new buildings. A home houses a household, not a person: two or three new residents per new home is roughly one home per new household.

Other reports for Santa Maria island

Asking prices have an 80% chance of landing between €1,250/m² and €1,888/m² by September 2027.

Expected, September 2027
€1,569/m²
Chance of a rise
44%

Figures for Portugal: Santa Maria island has no reliable figures of its own.

At the bank valuation, a 90 m² home costs €205,020. With 10% down and a 30-year mortgage, the payment is €778 a month. Banco de Portugal caps it at 50% of a household's net income.

Payment, two incomes
31%
Payment, one income
63%

Figures for Portugal: Santa Maria island has no reliable figures of its own.

Owning a 90 m² home costs less each month than renting it. Owning counts interest, running costs and the return the deposit could earn, at the median sale price. Repaying the loan is saving, so it is left out.

Rent per month
€878
Owning per month
€715

0.4% more homes were licensed for construction in the last 12 months than in an average year of the past decade.

Licensed, 12 months
13
Per 1,000 residents
2.3

Figures for Portugal: Santa Maria island has no reliable figures of its own.

Over the last 12 months, buyers domiciled abroad paid 33.5% more per m² than buyers living in Portugal.

Abroad against residents
+33.5%

Asking prices have fallen by 3% or more 5 times since 2023. The deepest began in February 2024.

Deepest fall
−13.0%
Recovery from the low
3 months

14.7% of the 3,646 homes counted in the 2021 census stood empty, whether for sale, to let or for other reasons.

Empty, 2021 census
14.7%
Empty homes
535

In 2025, 52% of the buildings finished were work on existing buildings: extensions, alterations and reconstructions.

Work on existing buildings, 2025
52%
Reconstructions per 100 new buildings
20.0

Public bodies signed €8.7K of housing works here in 2021, and €373K since 2012.

Signed in 2021
€8.7K
Per resident, 2021
€2

Data: INE, ECB and others · updated October 27, 2026

Asking prices and bank valuations are not sale prices. This is a description of public data, not financial advice.

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