Gozo’s Population Expected To Hit Over 52,000 by 2052

A new report published by the Gozo Regional Development Authority (GRDA) shows that Gozo’s population is expected to grow by around 30% over the next 30 years, rising from approximately 40,000 people in 2022 to over 52,000 by 2052.

The findings come from the Wellbeing Index 2025, part of the Gozo Regional Development Strategy 2023–2033, which outlines how the island’s economy, environment and society are expected to evolve in the coming decades.

According to the report, most of the projected population increase will come from foreign residents, whose numbers are forecast to grow sharply before eventually stabilising as the island approaches what the study calls “full capacity.”

The number of foreign residents is projected to rise from around 8,500 in 2022 to nearly 18,000 by 2052, while the Maltese population will grow at a much slower rate, from around 31,600 to 34,600 over the same period.

The study notes that this population growth will be accompanied by a gradual rise in GDP, as well as improvements in social and environmental wellbeing, if the Gozo Regional Development Strategy is fully implemented.

Under the strategy’s “benchmark scenario,” Gozo’s overall wellbeing index is projected to improve by 41% by 2052 compared to the base year of 2022, while under a “business-as-usual” scenario, where no new measures are taken, wellbeing would only improve by 28%.

The report highlights that population growth, infrastructure development and sustainability will continue to be central issues for Gozo in the years ahead, as the island seeks to balance economic opportunity with long-term quality of life.

The report warns that while the extra population brings money into the economy, it could also put a lot of pressure on housing, roads, waste and water. It also risks changing the island’s small-community feel and traditional culture, something the strategy says it wants to protect.

More people means higher demand for homes, and that means higher prices. More traffic, more waste and more energy use. The same things that make Gozo peaceful and different from Malta, space, quiet, nature, could slowly disappear.

While the government says the new strategy will create a better balance between growth and wellbeing, some critics believe it is too optimistic. They argue that Gozo is already struggling with overdevelopment, and adding thousands more residents might do more harm than good.

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