Penso
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Parish of the municipality of Melgaço (Melgaço), district of Viana do Castelo.
Penso had 445 residents in the 2021 Census, 43,8% of whom were aged 65 or over, and 5,8% of the population aged 15 or over had completed higher education. It borders 6 parishes and its centroid is 9,1 km in a straight line from the centroid of the municipality of Melgaço.
- 146 – 239
- 422 – 445
- 477 – 492
- 503 – 559
- 1.030 – 2.300
- 4,7 – 13,0
- 16,0 – 50,3
- 53,8 – 65,9
- 75,9 – 112,8
- 121,3 – 199,8
- 3,7 – 5,6
- 7,2 – 8,9
- 10,0 – 11,2
- 11,5 – 18,6
- 29,8 – 106,1
The 13 parishes of Melgaço
Hover a row to highlight it on the map. Click a header to sort.
| # | Parish | Population | Area (km²) | Inhab./km² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alvaredo | 492 | 4,36 | 112,8 |
| 2 | Cousso | 239 | 7,23 | 33,1 |
| 3 | Cristoval | 422 | 5,56 | 75,9 |
| 4 | Fiães | 146 | 11,21 | 13,0 |
| 5 | Gave | 180 | 18,64 | 9,7 |
| 6 | Paderne | 1.030 | 12,85 | 80,2 |
| 7 | Penso | 445 | 8,85 | 50,3 |
| 8 | São Paio | 535 | 9,95 | 53,8 |
| 9 | União das freguesias de Castro Laboreiro e Lamas de Mouro | 503 | 106,09 | 4,7 |
| 10 | União das freguesias de Chaviães e Paços | 559 | 8,48 | 65,9 |
| 11 | União das freguesias de Parada do Monte e Cubalhão | 477 | 29,84 | 16,0 |
| 12 | União das freguesias de Prado e Remoães | 445 | 3,67 | 121,3 |
| 13 | União das freguesias de Vila e Roussas | 2.300 | 11,51 | 199,8 |
- Code (DTMNFR)
- 160313
- Resident population (2021)
- 445
- Area
- 8,85 km²
- Density
- 50,3 inh./km²
- Share of the municipality (population)
- 5,7%
- Rank in the municipality (population)
- 8th of 13
INE, Censos 2021 (população residente por freguesia, geografia 2025, ind. 0014584); DGT, CAOP2025 (área). Population refers to the 2021 census moment, compiled by INE for the parish boundaries in force in 2025.
2021 Census in detail
- Men
- 207 (46,5%)
- Women
- 238 (53,5%)
- Portuguese nationality
- 439 (98,7%)
- Foreign nationality
- 6 (1,3%)
- Ageing index
- 609,4 elderly per 100 young people
- Private households
- 203
- Average household size *
- 2,19 people
- Dwellings
- 422
- Classic family dwellings
- 422
- Buildings
- 422
- Buildings with 7 or more floors
- 0
- With higher education (15+)
- 5,8% (24)
- Unemployment rate *
- 4,51% (H 1,47% · M 7,69%)
- Active / employed population
- 133 / 127
Population by age group
| Age group | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-14 years | 32 | 18 | 14 |
| 15-24 years | 31 | 15 | 16 |
| 25-64 years | 187 | 91 | 96 |
| 65+ years | 195 | 83 | 112 |
Source: INE, Censos 2021 — indicators 0014630, 0014631, 0014627, 0014623, 0014621, 0014635, 0014636, 0012481, 0012328, 0014632, obtained from the INE indicators API on 24/09/2026 (licence CC BY 4.0). Parish geography of 2025 (CAOP2025). Nationality (Portuguese, foreign, stateless) is INE indicator 0014632. * Indicator published by INE only for 2013 parish geography (NUTS 2024); used because the parish has the same territory in both geographies (identical population by sex and age group). Ageing index = population aged 65+ ÷ population aged 0–14 × 100; share with higher education = residents with completed higher education ÷ residents aged 15 or over (our calculations from INE figures).
Neighbouring parishes
Alvaredo · União das freguesias de Messegães, Valadares e Sá (Monção) · Cousso · Paderne · Riba de Mouro (Monção) · União das freguesias de Ceivães e Badim (Monção)
- Straight-line distance to the centroid of the municipality of Melgaço
- 9,1 km
Neighbourhood calculated from official boundaries: DGT, Carta Administrativa Oficial de Portugal (CAOP) 2025 (licence CC BY 4.0); two parishes are neighbours when they share a boundary segment. The distance is the straight-line (great-circle) distance between the geometric centroid of the parish and that of the municipality (in territories with islets, of the main part), not a road distance.
2025 local elections — Parish assembly
- Registered voters
- 506
- Voters
- 331
- Turnout
- 65,42% (2021: 46,25%)
- Seats
- 7
| List | Votes | % | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| PPD/PSD.CDS-PP AD - Coligação PPD/PSD-CDS/ PP | 167 | 50,45% | 4 |
| PS Partido Socialista | 152 | 45,92% | 3 |
| Blank votes | 5 | 1,51% | |
| Null votes | 7 | 2,11% |
Most-voted list, which elects the parish-council president: PPD/PSD.CDS-PP.
Source: SGMAI — official results of the local elections of 12 October 2025 (Secretary-General of the Ministry of Internal Administration), consulted on 25/09/2026. Percentages calculated by SGMAI over total voters.
Heraldry
Coat of arms: escudo de verde, duas gavelas de trigo de ouro, atadas de vermelho, e um púcaro de prata, tudo alinhado em roquete; em chefe, três setas de prata, duas em aspa e uma em pala, atadas de ouro. Coroa mural de prata de três torres. Listel branco, com a legenda a negro: «PENSO - Sernancelhe».
Flag: amarela. Cordão e borlas de ouro e verde. Haste e lança de ouro.
Seal: nos termos da lei, com a legenda: «Junta de Freguesia de Penso - Sernancelhe»
Heraldic ordinance published by Edital n.º 115/2012, Diário da República n.º 21/2012, Série II de 2012-01-30 (issuer: Freguesia de Penso). Excerpt of the official text (coat of arms, flag and seal), reproduced unchanged.
Parish-council contacts
- Address
- Estrada do Pomar, n.º 80 S.Bartolomeu
Melgaço
4960-310 PENSO MLG - Telephone
- 251401207
Source: DGAL - Portal Autárquico (Direção-Geral das Autarquias Locais), consulted on 25/09/2026.
More information
- Coordinates
- 42,08222, -8,32250
- Wikipedia
- Penso (Melgaço)
- Wikidata
- Q2069292
Source: Wikidata (data under CC0 1.0), consulted on 24/09/2026. The patron saint and coordinates are those recorded on Wikidata.
Services and territory
Education · Emergencies · Health · Fire services · Citizen desks · Climate · Rents · Codes · Bodies
Education
Infoescolas 2020 (DGEEC) lists 4 schools in the municipality of Melgaço. The source names the municipality, not the parish.
- EPRAMI - Escola Profissional do Alto Minho Interior (Deleg.) — Código DGEEC 1603891. Ciclos no Infoescolas 2020: secundário profissional. A fonte indica o concelho, não a freguesia.
- Escola Básica de Melgaço — Código DGEEC 1603773. Ciclos no Infoescolas 2020: 1.º ciclo. A fonte indica o concelho, não a freguesia.
- Escola Básica de Pomares, Melgaço — Código DGEEC 1603780. Ciclos no Infoescolas 2020: 1.º ciclo. A fonte indica o concelho, não a freguesia.
- Escola Básica e Secundária de Melgaço — Código DGEEC 1603190. Ciclos no Infoescolas 2020: 2.º ciclo, 3.º ciclo, secundário científico-humanístico, secundário profissional. A fonte indica o concelho, não a freguesia.
See all schools in the municipality
1 higher-education units (universities and polytechnics, DGEEC) with an address in this municipality:
- Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo - Escola Superior de Desporto e Lazer de Melgaço — Ensino Superior Público - Politécnico · Complexo Desportivo e Lazer de Melgaço – Monte de Prado 4960-320
Bank branches are left out: there is no republishable national open list. NHS hospitals appear below when the official name includes the municipality. Fire services exist only for Lisbon (CML POI).
Emergency contacts
- Linha SNS 24
- 808 24 24 24
- Número europeu de emergência
- 112
National numbers, the same in every parish. Confirmado na página oficial de SNS 24. Source: SNS 24; INEM.
NHS hospitals
No NHS institution with this municipality in the official name. See the national list in the catalogue.
Fire services
No fire stations in this municipality in the open list we republish. Only Lisbon publishes a usable POI (CC0); INE series are counts, not directories. See what exists in the catalogue.
Citizen shops and desks
AMA service points in the municipality (rows linked to this parish first when the locality matches):
- Espaço Cidadão de Penso — Horário: 2ª a 6ª das 09:00 às 12:30 · Estrada da Ranhó, n,º138 4960-310 Melgaço 4960-310
There are 3 in the municipality in total.
Source: AMA / dados.gov.pt (CC BY).
Climate
1991–2020 climate normals for the station Monção (IPMA no. 605), 5,3 km in a straight line from the geometric centre of the parish. Temperature and precipitation are those of the station.
| Month | Mean temp. (°C) | Maximum (°C) | Minimum (°C) | Precipitation (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9,2 | 13,5 | 5,0 | 142,8 |
| Feb | 10,1 | 15,4 | 4,9 | 99,5 |
| Mar | 12,9 | 18,5 | 7,2 | 105,2 |
| Apr | 14,3 | 20,1 | 8,6 | 109,4 |
| May | 17,1 | 23,2 | 11,0 | 93,2 |
| Jun | 20,1 | 26,7 | 13,6 | 42,8 |
| Jul | 22,6 | 29,9 | 15,4 | 22,2 |
| Aug | 22,8 | 30,2 | 15,4 | 27,6 |
| Sep | 20,5 | 27,2 | 13,8 | 67,4 |
| Oct | 16,7 | 21,8 | 11,5 | 160,8 |
| Nov | 12,1 | 16,3 | 7,8 | 157,1 |
| Dec | 9,8 | 13,8 | 5,8 | 154,2 |
| Year | 15,7 | — | — | 1.182,2 |
Source: IPMA, ficha da normal climatológica, período 1991-2020. Climate region: Entre Douro e Minho e Beira Litoral. Station altitude: 80,0 m. Distance calculated between the CAOP2025 centroid and the coordinates published by IPMA.
Rent and cost of living
INE does not publish the median rent for this parish (indicator 0014773, 2025 geography).
In the municipality of Melgaço the median value in 2025 is 4,23 €/m². This figure is for the municipality.
The consumer price index is national, not by parish. Year-on-year change in Agosto de 2026: 3,3% (INE 0014648).
Source: INE, indicador 0014773 (CC BY 4.0), Local housing rent statistics, 2026 methodology. Reference year 2025. IPC: indicator 0014648.
Postcodes and telephone
Postcode of the parish-council address: 4960-310 (Estrada do Pomar, n.º 80 S.Bartolomeu, Melgaço, 4960-310 PENSO MLG).
Geographic telephone code of the district/region seat (Viana do Castelo): 258. It is not exclusive to this parish.
We do not republish the full CTT postcode database. The parish council telephone is 251401207.
Public bodies
Junta de Penso — Estrada do Pomar, n.º 80 S.Bartolomeu, Melgaço, 4960-310 PENSO MLG · 4960-310 · 251401207 · [email protected]
Câmara Municipal de Melgaço — Presidente: José Albano Esteves Domingues · Largo Hermenegildo Solheiro, 4960-551 Melgaço · 4960-551 · 251410100 · [email protected] · https://www.cm-melgaco.pt
Other parish councils of the municipality in the catalogue · Catalogue filtered by Melgaço
Sources: INE, 2021 Census (resident population) · DGT, CAOP2025 (area and parishes) · more details · Data updated on 24/09/2026