Tiny Spanish Village Offering Free Houses and Jobs to Families Who Move There — 116 Applied in a Week

A Free Home, a Job and Free School Transport

Tucked away in the province of Soria, less than three hours from Madrid, the tiny village of Arenillas is doing something extraordinary to keep itself alive.

With just 40 registered residents, it's offering families with school-age children:

• A fully renovated, rent-free house
• A full-time permanent job maintaining and renovating municipal buildings
• Free school transport — taking children 20km to the nearest school in Berlanga de Duero

116 Families Applied in Under a Week

Word spread fast. According to the town council, more than 116 families applied within a week of the offer being announced.

The initiative is a joint effort between the Arenillas Cultural Association and the local council, with backing from the Castilla y León regional government.

Keeping the Village Alive

Rodrigo Gismera, president of the Cultural Association, explained that keeping the village's community bar running is also part of the vision, describing it as "what gives life to a town, what creates unity and community." Managing the bar isn't a requirement for applicants, but it's on the table for whoever moves in.

'La España Vaciada' — Empty Spain

Arenillas is part of what's widely known as "la España vaciada" — Empty Spain — a stretch of inland territory that has been losing people to the cities for decades. In August the village swells to around 300 people when former residents return for summer, but the goal now is to build something that lasts all year round.

For anyone dreaming of a completely different pace of life in rural Spain — with a free house and a job included — opportunities like this don't come along often. The catch? You need to be willing to commit to village life for good.

This article is based on reporting from Spanish News Today, published April 14, 2026. This article is for informational purposes only.