More than seventy percent of households in the province live in areas that match the definition of stressed zones, signaling how future regulations could shape living spaces. The government has aligned with its partners to set rent limits that go beyond general rules, applying to all leases. This move aims to curb rapid price hikes seen in recent years, a policy welcomed by tenants but criticized by property owners and real estate agents who argue it will shrink the already tight supply while keeping millions out of the market. The challenge is that these constraints are likely to reduce current offerings even further.
Atlas Real Estate Analytics, a consultancy focused on data science tools for real estate, prepared the calculations used here. The analysis relies on postal codes, which serve as the minimum unit and census territory used by the new rules to identify stressed areas.
In detail, the measure considers the rent cost for an apartment set against disposable income, the rent plus expenses exceeding 30 percent, and price growth at least three points above the consumer price index. If either of these two criteria is met, the city councils or district administrations can initiate the declaration, though it will not become automatic within the next five years.
Using the latest available data, Atlas researchers found that 47.8 percent of the province’s postal codes meet one of the criteria, a substantial share by any measure. Yet these counties contain a larger share of the population, so the impact is likely to be felt where people live the most. In Alicante, as an example, around 70.46 percent of households are located in one of these stressed zones according to the same study that looks at how the new law might work on paper.
The study also highlights that several coastal areas and major cities carry the heaviest load. In Alicante city, out of 24 postal codes, up to 20 fall into one of the two prescribed cases, with the exception of rural zones. A similar pattern appears in Elche, where the metropolitan population centers absorb much of the demand that the city cannot meet. The metropolitan area around Vincent Street, Saint John, and Campello gathers a large portion of demand that Alicante itself cannot satisfy.
These areas also fit the definition used to identify the most strained rental markets. Tourist towns along the Costa Blanca attract nonlocal residents and visitors from across the country and abroad, which limits long term rental availability and raises prices. Municipalities such as Dénia, Pedreguer, Benissa, Altea, Calp, Callosa d’en Sarrià, Finestrat, La Nucía, l’Alfàs del Pi, Benidorm, and La Vila join the list of stressful zones in Las Marinas. The southern part of the province shows a similar pattern, with Santa Pola, Guardamar, Torrevieja and much of Vega Baja facing the same pressures, along with towns like Redován, Rojales, San Miguel de Salinas, Catral, and Cox.
On the flip side, areas with fewer stressed zip codes are the same regions that did not experience a building revival in recent years, such as Alto y Medio Vinalopó and La Montaña. The study suggests that several municipalities do not meet the required criteria for the assessment. Places like Aspe, Novelda, Monforte, Elda, Petrer, the Vinalopó towns, Alcoy, Castalla, Biar, and Ibi in the northern part of the region appear to be outside the stress zones.