Mapping Territorial Attractiveness in Spain: A Multidimensional Index for Depopulation Assessment

Depopulation has become a critical issue in Spain due to its widespread impact and severe socio-economic consequences. Despite ongoing efforts by scientists and policymakers to address this challenge, effective solutions remain elusive. The concept of “territorial attractiveness” has gained traction in the literature, proposing that depopulation results from the absence of key attributes that appeal to both current residents and potential newcomers. Building on this framework, this study introduces the Spanish Municipal Attractiveness Index (SMAI), a composite index designed to assist researchers and policymakers in evaluating municipalities currently or potentially affected by depopulation. The SMAI was computed for all 8,131 Spanish municipalities by aggregating 41 variables in 7 dimensions using the Adjusted Mazziotta-Pareto Index. The findings confirm a strong relationship between territorial attractiveness and depopulation risk and reveal that geographically proximate areas tend to exhibit similar attractiveness levels. Analyses show that low attractiveness is predominantly concentrated in certain inland regions, with key risk factors including rurality, location outside urban areas, small population size, and high altitude. The results also underscore the need for a local and multidimensional approach to depopulation, as broader regional analyses and single-factor explanations might fail to capture the complexity of the phenomenon.