An analysis by the real estate search engine Fotocasa, belonging to the first half of 2026, shows that the Canary Islands is the autonomous community that registers "one of the most significant increases in the entire country" in the percentage of citizens considering a change of residence for climatic reasons, which has jumped from 35% to 42% in just one year.
The growing intensity of extreme weather phenomena, such as heatwaves, floods, droughts, snowfalls, or storms, is also beginning to be reflected in the residential decisions of Canarians. According to this source, the "strong island component" and "pressure on the territory" place the archipelago at the forefront of a new residential mobility in Spain driven by the thermometer. The figure for the Canary Islands exceeds the national average, which stands at 36% of Spaniards who want to move due to climatic phenomena.
"The Canary Islands is the clearest reflection of how thermal comfort is becoming a decisive factor when looking for a home. Moving from 35% to 42% of citizens concerned about the impact of climate on their housing is an extraordinary increase in just twelve months. The combination of unusually high temperatures and the particularities of the island territory are accelerating the search by Canarian residents for 'climate refuges' or reconsidering their future residential plans with sustainability at the center,” explains María Matos, director of Studies at Fotocasa.
Climate is beginning to become a factor in residential mobility
Beyond the perceived impact, national data reveal that extreme weather phenomena are beginning to effectively influence housing movements. Currently, 18% of Spaniards claim to have changed their place of residence or are actively looking for housing in another location as a consequence of these types of climatic episodes.
A year earlier, this percentage was 16%, reflecting an upward trend in the ability of these phenomena to drive housing change decisions. Specifically, 6% of citizens state that they have already changed their place of residence due to the impact of these events, while another 12% are actively looking for housing in a different location. Furthermore, 18% indicate that, although they have not initiated any moving process, they have considered changing residence for this reason on occasion.
Young people lead concern over climate impact
The influence of extreme weather phenomena is not homogeneous across different age groups. Young people show greater sensitivity to this phenomenon and a greater predisposition to reconsider their place of residence. More than half of citizens between 18 and 24 years old state that these episodes have had some impact on reconsidering their residential situation, reaching 52% of the total. A very similar proportion is recorded among young people aged 25 to 34, where the percentage rises to 51%, after experiencing one of the largest year-on-year increases observed.
As age increases, the incidence progressively decreases. Among those aged 35 to 44, the impact reaches 40%, while among citizens aged 45 to 54, this concern stands at 33%. Finally, among those over 55, the percentage drops to 23%. This generational difference may be related to the dynamics of the residential market itself. Young people are currently the groups with the most activity in the processes of searching for and changing housing, while older groups concentrate a significant portion of residential property and show greater rootedness.
Canary Islands register one of the largest territorial increases
The territorial analysis also shows relevant differences between autonomous communities. The Canary Islands is the region that presents one of the most notable increases in concern about the effect of meteorological phenomena on housing. The percentage of citizens who declare having considered some type of change for this reason goes from 35% to 42% in the last year. Increases are also observed in Catalonia, where the impact grows from 36% to 39%, while in Andalusia it goes from 37% to 39%, and in the Balearic Islands it increases from 35% to 38%. For its part, the Valencian Community registers an impact of 38% (four points less than in the previous year), while Madrid remains at more contained levels, around 31%.
Add La Voz de Lanzarote as a preferred Google source.
Stay informed with the latest current news.
