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Diari Valencià

Child vulnerability persists in Castellón despite overall improvement

One in three children under 16 in the province of Castellón is at risk of poverty or social exclusion, according to the 2025 Living Conditions Survey.

Generic image of a child's hand conveying vulnerability and social challenge.
IA

Generic image of a child's hand conveying vulnerability and social challenge.

The province of Castellón presents a mixed picture regarding poverty and social exclusion, with overall improvement, but with child vulnerability remaining a key challenge.

According to the Living Conditions Survey (ECV) published by the Valencian Institute of Statistics, the AROPE rate —a European indicator of risk of poverty or social exclusion— stood at 22.7% in the province of Castellón in 2025. This figure is more than three points below the autonomous community average of 25.8%, and significantly lower than the 30.7% recorded in Alicante. The province remains in line with Valencia, which registered 22.9%.
Despite this general improvement, the most delicate situation is concentrated among children. In Castellón, 32.1% of children under 16 were at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2025. This percentage, although lower than the autonomous average of 34.5% and Alicante's 39.2%, highlights that child vulnerability continues to be one of the main social challenges in the province.
Territorial differences within the Valencian Community are notable. The regions with the highest AROPE rates are Vega Baja (36.3%), Marina Alta (33.7%), and Marina Baixa (32.3%), all in the province of Alicante. In contrast, Castellón regions such as Els Ports (19.2%) and Alto Mijares (19.5%) record the lowest rates in the entire Community.
The analysis by gender shows a slightly lower incidence of social exclusion among men in Castellón, with an AROPE rate of 21.3%, while among women it rises to 24.2%. This trend, common in both the Valencian Community and the State, reflects a greater female exposure to situations of economic and social vulnerability.
The lower incidence of social exclusion in Castellón is also reflected in other indicators, such as the risk of poverty rate (17.8% compared to the autonomous 20.2%) and severe material and social deprivation (6% compared to the Valencian 6.8%). Regions like Els Ports, Alt Maestrat, and Alto Mijares stand out for their good results in these indicators.
The average income per consumption unit in the Valencian Community was 20,584 euros in 2025. Els Ports stands out with 23,474 euros, one of the highest levels in the autonomous community, surpassed only by Horta Nord. At the other extreme, the Alicante regions of Vega Baja, Marina Alta, and Marina Baixa coincide with the highest rates of poverty and social exclusion.

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