As the country’s capital and a major city, the cost of living in Madrid has risen considerably in recent years. Housing prices—both for purchase and rent—have skyrocketed in the city center, leading more and more people to seek affordable alternatives that allow them to stay close to the city without putting too much of a strain on their finances. In this context, the city of Alcorcón is one of the most attractive options, both because of its proximity to Madrid and its high quality of life at an affordable price.
So today, we want to tell you about the benefits of living in Alcorcón. It’s one of the main cities in the southern part of the Community of Madrid, offering everything you need for a comfortable and peaceful stay without having to give up all that the capital has to offer. Will you join us to discover all its secrets?
What You Need to Know Before Moving to Alcorcón
Alcorcón is a municipality and city in the Community of Madrid, located about 14 kilometers southwest of the capital’s metropolitan area. It covers an area of 33.73 square kilometers and lies at an average elevation of 718 meters.
Thanks to its proximity to Madrid, the city experienced significant industrial growth during the 20th century and currently (2023) has a census population of 171,772. This makes it the 7th most populous city in the Community, ahead of others such as Torrejón de Ardoz, Parla, and Alcobendas.
The average age of its residents is 45.12 years ( 2023), as the largest age group consists of people aged 40–49 (30,390). In addition, 88.3% of its population is Spanish (152,657) and 11.7% is of foreign origin, with the Americas being the most common region of origin for immigrants.
And when it comes to income, Alcorcón ranks in the middle compared to the rest of Madrid’s municipalities. Specifically, the average rent was 31,258 euros per person in 2023, ahead of other towns such as Móstoles (27,854 euros) and Collado Villalba (30,555 euros).
Reasons to Live in Alcorcón
Proximity to Madrid
As we’ve mentioned, this town is very close to the capital. By car, you can reach downtown in just over 20 minutes, while there are several options for public transportation.
Specifically, in addition to its comprehensive network of intercity buses, it also has three commuter rail stations on Line C-5 ( San José de Valderas, Alcorcón Central, and Las Retamas) and five Metro Sur stations (Joaquín Vilumbrales, Puerta del Sur, Parque de Lisboa, Alcorcón Central, and Parque del Oeste), which connect virtually any part of the city with Madrid and other neighboring towns, such as Móstoles and Fuenlabrada, in less than half an hour.
Employment Growth
Now is a good time to look for a job in Alcorcón, because the unemployment rate at the end of 2024 is at its lowest level since 2006. Overall, the unemployment rate stands at 7.86%, well below the 16.47% recorded by the municipality in 2014. This demonstrates the great work being done, as the year-over-year decrease compared to 2023 stands at 6%, a figure that outperforms the 4.46% average for the entire Community of Madrid.
Health
Living in Alcorcón also allows you to enjoy first-rate health care, because the municipality has its own hospital, the Universitario Fundación de Alcorcón, which is part of the public healthcare network administered by the Regional Ministry of Health. In addition to this facility, there are eight health centers spread throughout the municipality, all equipped to provide excellent primary care services.
Education
This city has 13 preschools, of which 7 are municipally operated and 6 are run by the regional government, in addition to 2 children’s homes. In addition to these, there are about twenty public elementary schools, about ten high schools, more than ten private or charter schools, and five vocational training centers.
And let’s not forget the UNED’s Madrid Sur Affiliated Center and the Rey Juan Carlos University Campus, where courses are offered in Health Sciences, Education and Sports Sciences, Interdisciplinary Studies, and Legal and Political Sciences.
In any case, when it comes to education, quality is almost more important than quantity. And in this regard, living in Alcorcón is also a plus, because according to a recent study conducted by the website “Micole” on more than 20,000 state-subsidized, public, and private schools nationwide, the city has three schools ranked among the top 20 in Spain. To reach this conclusion, the study took into account the interest families show in the schools, the number of online searches they generate, the requests for visits they receive, and the web traffic they attract.
Green areas
The city boasts 340 hectares of green spaces, with 21,000 trees planted along its streets and another 27,000 in parks. What’s more, one of the city’s greatest sources of pride is the Las Presillas Peri-urban Park, located near the La Fortuna neighborhood and the M-40. Spanning 57.50 hectares, it features a large forest of stone pines and 32 centuries-old cork oaks, as it is an area that preserves remnants of the mountainous Mediterranean ecosystem.
The Castles of Valderas
From an architectural standpoint, these are the most striking buildings in the town. They are part of a palatial complex built around 1917 by José Sanchiz de Quesada, Count of Piedrabuena and Villaminaya and Marquis of Valderas. Initially, the complex consisted of a main castle in the Saxon style and two smaller ones—one serving as a private chapel and the other intended for the servants.
In 1991, they were renovated and restored, so that today the main castle houses the town’s Museum of Glass Art, while the smaller one hosts cultural activities as well as programs offered by the Adult Education Center and the Theater School. The chapel, meanwhile, was demolished due to its poor condition.
Leisure and Entertainment
If you decide to live in Alcorcón, you’ll have at your disposal six cultural centers offering a wide range of courses, workshops, and recreational activities. We’re talking about more than 400 activities promoted by the “XlaCultura” program, organized by the local city council’s Department of Culture, Festivities, and Senior Citizens of the local city council. This year, the program has added new offerings to its lineup, such as creative writing, comics, manga, illustration, mindfulness, sign language, self-defense, and coaching.
And if you’re wondering when the town’s patron saint festivities take place, let us tell you that they are held between late August and early September. They’re held in honor of the Virgin of Los Remedios, whose feast day is September 8, and each year they feature live concerts, a fair, rides, and activities for all ages. Special mention goes to the “Ciudadella Fest”, a festival that brings together artists, vendors, and performers to blend medieval culture with the best of electronic music.
CULMIA offers you a future in Alcorcón
As you’ve seen, living in Alcorcón is a great choice if you want to be close to Madrid at an affordable price. That’s why, at CULMIA, we’d like to offer you an option that has everything you need to give you and your family the best possible future: our CULMIA Retamar Alcorcón development.
This is a new-construction development set to go on the market very soon. It will include 2-, 3-, and 4-bedroom homes (single-family homes and apartments) with a private pool, garage, community pool, security, and sports facilities. In other words, it offers dream-like amenities in a unique location just a few minutes from downtown Madrid, as it is situated in the southwest of the city, very close to the commuter train station of the same name.
As such, CULMIA Retamar Alcorcón offers excellent public transportation connections, allowing residents to use the Cercanías commuter train or the Metro Sur, as well as buses or cars via its various highway connections to Madrid (M-50, M-40, A5, R5…).
Doesn’t that sound great? Don’t hesitate— fill out the form here to request information about this upcoming promotion. We’ll keep you updated on all the latest news so you don’t miss a thing and can make the home of your dreams a reality in a city with a vibrant present and future like Alcorcón.
We’re looking forward to seeing you!
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