Forget 73% — Record Numbers Are Moving In

Last week, I wrote about the viral claim that 73% of Americans leave Spain. This week? Eurostat dropped new data showing record numbers moving in. Both can’t be true, or can they?

Eurostat’s latest report shows Spain was the number one EU destination for Americans in 2024, with residency applications climbing year after year and hitting a record high.

As a recipient of one of those 2024 residency applications, it isn’t hard to see why. Spain has an energy that’s hard to ignore: the long lunches, the slower pace, the sunshine that seems endless. Add excellent healthcare and more affordable living than most U.S. cities, and Americans are arriving in record numbers. Throw in some cobblestone streets and Roman ruins, and Spain sells itself — no marketing required.

So if the number of Americans moving to Spain is rising, why does the Globexs article imply that few stay?

Let’s be real: Scary stats will always get more clicks. Whether we admit it or not, on some level, we all want to know what could trip us up and keep us from achieving the impossible. Fear is a powerful motivator.

When you’re afraid, you are more likely to pursue help, i.e., the services Globexs offers to Americans moving to Spain. You are also far more likely to talk about bad news rather than good.

As I pointed out in my previous post, moving abroad is never easy. It means learning a new language if you don’t already speak Spanish. It means figuring out how to juggle the dollar against the euro. You’ll need to learn how to navigate a whole new type of bureaucracy and adapt to a whole new culture.

Clearly, those who try find it worth the emotional and financial costs.

You can’t predict what fresh hell life will throw at you. A parent might pass away. A child might need more specialized attention than you feel comfortable obtaining in your second language. Job loss or loss of income streams can force you into returning to your home country.

The numbers never tell the whole story. Spain is magnetic. Some will leave, moving on to address life's issues or pursue another adventure. Those who choose to stay and overcome the bureaucracy, language, and cultural differences will find both the magic and the madness.

The messy middle isn’t as clickable as a scary stat, but it’s the reality most of us live. Spain is still magnetic. People are still coming. And 73% leaving? Still B.S.