In the European Commission’s Regional Competitiveness Index for 2022, Madrid stands out as the leading region in health within the broader European landscape, surpassing Stockholm to claim the top spot among areas covered by the assessment. This ranking highlights Madrid not only for its health performance but also for showing sustained momentum across other critical dimensions that contribute to regional vitality.
The index also acknowledges Madrid’s notable strides in infrastructure. The region advanced significantly, rising from eighth place in the European Union’s list of top ten and moving more than twenty positions in the broader European innovation rankings. Such progress reflects a focused effort to build a connected, modern framework that supports business activity, resident well being, and long term growth across multiple sectors.
Specifically praising the Community of Madrid for the progress achieved over the past three years, the ranking places Madrid among the best communities in Spain for quality of life and work opportunities. The latest report shows a remarkable improvement for the Community of Madrid, jumping from 63rd to 32nd place among 263 European regions, illustrating the region’s rapid development and enhanced competitiveness on the continental stage.
When considering all evaluated factors, Madrid is positioned at number 32 in Europe and is the only Spanish region in the top one hundred. Taken together with the ranking’s broader indicators, the EU analysis identifies Madrid as the most developed region in Spain. The Basque Country and Catalonia follow at a considerable distance, and these three communities are the only ones in Spain that exceed the European average in the index published by the European Commission.
Given the distribution of regional performance across Southern Europe, this result stands out. The European Commission table also notes that only these three Spanish regions are above average, alongside the metropolitan area of Lombardy and the Lisbon region in Portugal. In contrast, other communities such as Cantabria, Asturias, Aragon, Navarra, and the Valencian Community are positioned below the average, though not far from it, with some variation across different indicators. The results show that Andalusia, Canarias, Extremadura, Melilla, and Ceuta close the group of regions in the lower half of the ranking, illustrating a broad spectrum of regional competitiveness across the country.
The EU Regional Competitiveness Index measures, since 2010, the competitive strength of 263 European regions through a wide set of indicators. Each region’s ability to provide an attractive environment for businesses and residents to live and work is evaluated, reflecting factors such as health outcomes, infrastructure quality, innovation capacity, and the overall ease of doing business. This framework helps policymakers and investors understand where Madrid and other regions stand relative to peers and where targeted improvements can yield the greatest benefits for economic and social wellbeing. The consistent performance across health, infrastructure, and innovation in Madrid signals a robust platform for ongoing investment, talent development, and sustainable growth in the years ahead.