Latest figures from Spain's National Statistics Institute indicate that Mallorca's foreign population has grown twice as fast as the Spanish population since 2021.
In that year, there were 172,275 foreign residents. The figure for 2025 is 206,338. The increase of over 34,000 contrasts with a Spanish population increase of 16,400 to 764,730 in 2025.
There has been a decrease in the foreign population in only two of Mallorca's 53 municipalities - Porreres by over two per cent to 1,262 out of a total population of 5,871; and Ses Salines with a fall of just over one per cent to 1,331 out of 5,201.
In certain instances, percentage increases have to be considered in the context of small populations. Ariany experienced the highest increase from 2021 to 2025 - 9.6% - but this was for a total population of 1,071, of whom almost 30% were foreign nationals. Banyalbufar and Estellencs, with the second and third highest percentages, have populations of just 578 and 374 respectively.
Of municipalities with 20,000 or more inhabitants, Alcudia had the highest percentage increase - 3.3%. Alcudia is tenth on the list; 28.7% of its population (close to 22,000) is foreign.
In Palma there was an increase of just over three per cent. Of a total population of 443,196 in 2025, 20.75% were foreign. In the second largest municipality, Calvia, the increase was under two per cent. But Calvia is only second behind Deia in having the largest foreign population in percentage terms; this is 33.8% of a total population of 54,082.
These increases in foreign population are absolutely no surprise. There have been repeated reports about population growth in Mallorca and the Balearics and they all point to the same thing - it is predominantly as a consequence of immigration.