Monitor Municipios · por Unholster
Back to all municipalities
Escudo de Cauquenes

Cauquenes

Región del MauleFounded 174244.446 inhabitantsPoblación proyectada INE 20242.124 km² of area21 inh./km²$18.329M ingreso municipalSINIM · ingreso total percibido · 2025
Profile today2050
The comuna in context · among 346 comunas
Environment
51 species in conservation status
30th most documented threatened species
Explore
Population
−3,9%
Population would fall between now and 2050
Society
16,1%
Multidimensional poverty · 235th highest of 346
Finance
$412 thousand
per inhabitant per year · rank 247 of 346
Finance
78,38%
It depends on the Common Fund: almost no own revenue
Environment
15,6 µg/m³
Air below the Chilean standard, above the WHO guideline (PM2.5)
Education
575,5 pts
around the national median in the PAES (576,9 pts)
Finance
103rd
most dependent on the Common Fund of 340
Summary

What the comuna hasSource: OpenStreetMap

66 Squares and green areas
41 Schools
18 Health centers
11 Rodeo arenas (medialunas)
7 Kindergartens
6 Carabineros
4 Pharmacies
3 Fire stations
2 Hospitals
2 Universities
1 Institutes

Cauquenes es una ciudad y comuna de la Región del Maule, ubicada en la zona central de Chile. Es capital de la Provincia de Cauquenes. Tiene una población de 42.798 habitantes de acuerdo al censo de 2024.

Introductory text from Wikipedia, bajo licencia CC BY-SA.

Liveability index · EIU style

45.9 /100
Ver el ranking y simular
#221 of 346 · most liveable in the country (EIU weighting)
Safety30
Health55
Culture and environment62
Education27
Infrastructure45
AuthoritiesWho leads the comuna, its council, sessions and lobbying requests

Mayor · 2024-2028Source: DecideChile · SERVEL

Jorge Muñoz S.
CHILE VAMOS · INDEPENDIENTE
19.854
votes (62.42%)
37.966
Electoral roll
88,59%
Turnout
Mayoral history · 7 terms
JM
Jorge Muñoz S.
2024-2028 · INDEPENDIENTE
19.854
votes
NC
Nery Cristina Rodriguez Dominguez
2021-2024 · IND
6.034
votes
JC
Juan Carlos Muñoz Rojas
2008-2012 · RN
11.426
votes
GB
Guillermo Badilla Eulufi
2004-2008 · PDC
9.080
votes
GB
Guillermo Badilla Eulufi
2000-2004 · PDC
6.999
votes
AR
Aquiles Rodriguez Sandoval
1996-2000 · ILDUD
7.720
votes
HM
Héctor Manuel Landeros Vega
1992-1996 · DC
3.381
votes

SERVEL · TRICEL (1992-2008) · DecideChile (2024) · Wikidata (pre-1992)

Concejo MunicipalSource: DecideChile · SERVEL

MC
Matias Ceballos P.
CHILE VAMOS UDI-EVOPOLI E INDEPENDIENTES · UNION DEMOCRATA INDEPENDIENTE
4.297
votes
NR
Nelson Rodriguez G.
TU COMUNA RADICAL · PARTIDO RADICAL DE CHILE
2.234
votes
IR
Ignacio Rodriguez V.
REPUBLICANOS E INDEPENDIENTES · INDEPENDIENTE
1.473
votes
AA
Alvaro Apablaza A.
CHILE VAMOS RENOVACIÓN NACIONAL - INDEPENDIENTES · INDEPENDIENTE
1.407
votes
MC
Matias Castro V.
CHILE MUCHO MEJOR · PARTIDO SOCIALISTA DE CHILE
1.390
votes
GM
Grace Meza C.
CHILE VAMOS UDI-EVOPOLI E INDEPENDIENTES · INDEPENDIENTE
833
votes

Official council minutesSource: CPLT · Active Transparency inventory (Law 20.285)

What the council resolvesSource: Official minutes · AI extraction (ongoing)

Resolutions extracted
130
of 134 minutes read
Money involved
$7.085.490.273
sum of resolutions with amounts
ResolutionTypeAmountVote
4.1 · Dar inicio al proceso de Enmienda N°3 al Plano Regulador Comunal para reclasificar la calle Padre Alberto Hurtado en Barrio Estación.Regulationunanimidad
4.3 · Renovación del Comodato para la Agrupación de Contadores y Secretarias en una parte del inmueble ubicado en Balmaceda S/N°.Loan for use
4.2 · Renovación del Comodato para la Junta de Vecinos N° 21-R Liucura en la ex casa del Director de la Escuela Silvestre Paiva Manriquez.Loan for use
4.1 · Renovación del Comodato para el Multitaller Femenino Mujeres Emprendedoras de Pocillas en la ex Posta de Salud de Pocillas.Loan for use
Aprobar Actas Ordinarias N° 52 del 04 de octubre de 2022, N° 53 del 11 de octubre de 2022, N° 55 del 2 de noviembre de 2022, N°58 del 06 de diciembre de 2022, N°59 del 13 de diciembre de 2022, N° 61 del 03 de enero de 2023 y N° 62 del 10 de enero de 2023.Otherunanimidad
4.2 · Adjudicación y contratación de la empresa Salinas y Fabres S.A. para adquirir una retroexcavadora.Tender$133.999.950unanimidad

Resolutions voted by the council, automatically extracted from the official minutes (extraction ongoing: coverage grows as the 94.917 indexed minutes are processed). May contain reading errors; the official document is the municipality's PDF.

Comptroller auditsSource: CGR · Municipal Observatory

Findingstotal
351
Highly complex
58
Audit reports
0
YearFindingsAltam.Compl.Median.Reports
2023422
2021603921
2019201145
201879141944
2017142111
201677174313

CGR severity classification · audit findings on the municipality and its corporations

Who requests meetings with the municipalitySource: InfoLobby · CPLT (Law 20,730)

  • CG
    Compañía General de Electricidad S.A.
    Lobby / interest management · 5 audiencias · 2021–2025
  • CL
    Creatimus Linuxcorp Limitada
    Lobby / interest management · 4 audiencias · 2025–2026
  • Cd
    Centro de Salud San Rafael
    Lobby / interest management · 4 audiencias · 2023–2025
  • FS
    Fedok SpA
    Lobby / interest management · 4 audiencias · 2024–2026
  • PR
    Pozo, Ríos, Rodríguez y Torres Ltda. (Zecovery)
    Lobby / interest management · 4 audiencias · 2020–2024
  • CP
    Constructora Pyl SpA
    Lobby / interest management · 3 audiencias · 2021
  • DT
    Dahua Technology Chile SpA
    Lobby / interest management · 3 audiencias · 2022
  • LE
    Lg Electronics Inc. Chile Limitada
    Lobby / interest management · 3 audiencias · 2015–2016
  • HS
    Health Systems Design & Connection
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2025
  • AG
    APS Gestión SpA
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2025
  • IC
    Ingenieria, Consultoria e Inversiones Kimia SpA
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2025–2026
  • SI
    Salazar Israel
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2018
  • SL
    Sisinf Ltda.
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2025–2026
  • SD
    Sistema de Gestion Multiproductos Sector Automotor - Siga
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2026
  • HC
    Habitat Crate Ltda.
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2019
  • OS
    On Street S.A.
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2025–2026
  • VD
    Voluntariado de Hospital Damas de Rojo
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2015
  • FC
    Fundacion Canil Gea
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2015–2016
  • SL
    Sociedad Literaria Anita Cabrera SpA
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2025
  • L
    Ligup
    Lobby / interest management · 2 audiencias · 2025
and 100 more organizations that requested meetings

Organisations that registered Lobby Law meetings with this municipality. Registering the meeting is mandatory for the official, so the list shows who asked to be heard, not whether they got anything.

PopulationWho lives here, how they study, their healthcare and more

Population and living conditionsSource: INE · CENSO · MINEDUC · ADIS

Population trend

42.922
inhabitants
44.498
inhabitants
20022025

How it has changedSource: Official INE series 2002–2026 (2017 base).

See the full trajectory to 2050
Since 2002
+4%
inhabitants
Estimated population 2050
42.812
-4% vs. 2035 (44.715)
Over 60 · 2050
46,59%
35,52% in 2035 · +11 pts of ageing

INE projects comuna population only through 2035; the 2050 values are an own estimate by the monitor, anchored to the official INE 2050 national total (21,626,079 inhab, 32.1% aged 60+). Not an official comuna figure.

IndicatorValueSource
Homes with public water supply (2017 Census)85,37 %CENSO 2017 2017
School disengagement (leaves the system)0,5 %MINEDUC 2023
School enrollment593 studentsMINEDUC · aggregated by hexagons 2024
Municipal enrollment80 %MINEDUC · aggregated by hexagons 2024
PAES reading comprehension (DEMRE)575,5 ptsDEMRE · MINEDUC datos abiertos 2026
PAES mathematics M1 (DEMRE)589,7 ptsDEMRE · MINEDUC datos abiertos 2026
poblacion_censo42.798 inh.2024 Census 2024
Income poverty (CASEN 2022)11,6 %CASEN 2022 · SAE Observatorio MDSF 2022
Pobreza multidimensional (CASEN 2022)16,1 %CASEN 2022 · SAE Observatorio MDSF 2022
Indigenous peoples3 %2024 Census 2024

The PAES year is that of the admission process: the test is sat in November of the previous year. The average covers only those who registered to apply to university —not every secondary-school graduate— and groups them by the comuna of the school they graduated from, not by where the student lives. Here it rests on 616 students registered for the PAES.

Registro Social de Hogares

People in the RSH
46.692
25.055 households
Households in the most vulnerable 40%
16.305
65% of RSH households
Female-headed households
52%
13.108
Elderly (60+)12.24126%
Children and adolescents (<18)9.67021%
Foreign nationals4671%
Belonging to indigenous peoples7262%
People with moderate/severe dependency6151%
Single-person households12.36849%

A monthly administrative snapshot of the Social Household Registry (self-registration to access benefits), as of abril 2026. The "bracket 40" is the socioeconomic rating of the most vulnerable 40%. It is a registry, not a survey: it complements CASEN (biennial) with fresh data, but well-off comunas under-register. Source: ADIS, Ministry of Social Development and Family.

School educationSource: MINEDUC Open Data 2025

School enrollment
9.138
41 schools
Students per teacher
11,8
773 teachers
national median: 10,15
Average attendance
88,1%
national median: 89,8%
Priority studentsSEP
67,3%
socioeconomic vulnerability
national median: 66,8%
Where they study · by provider
Public (municipal + SLEP) 67%Private subsidized 33%
Pass rate
96,6%
national median: 98,2%
Dropoutschool withdrawal
2,65%
dropout during the year
national median: 1,77%

Aggregate of all the comuna's schools (RBD → comuna). Pass/withdrawal and attendance are from the 2025 school year. SIMCE is not published as open data (managed by the Quality Agency, by request only); the available quality proxy is passing, dropout and attendance. The PAES result appears in the social section.

Municipal healthcare (primary care)Source: SINIM · MINSAL / FONASA

CESFAM
2
Clinics
0
Rural health posts
11
FONASA enrollees
42.522
96% of the population
Doctors employed
27
Health staff by contract type
Permanent staff: 295Contract staff: 174Fee contracts: 17
Primary-care medical visits · per year
37.063
95.260
20102025
Medical specialties served · 16 in the comuna (public system)
Internal MedicinePediatricsFamily MedicineAdult Orthopedics and TraumaAdult General SurgeryOphthalmologyAnesthesiologyAdult GynecologyOtorhinolaryngologyObstetricsAdult CardiologyAdult GastroenterologyPediatric Orthopedics and TraumaNeonatologyChild Psychiatry
surgery:OtorhinolaryngologyGeneral Surgery

Specialties with services recorded at the comuna's public facilities (REM DEIS, 2024). These are services performed, not doctor headcount. Excludes the private network.

Comprehensive home visits · per year
2.403
1.700
20192025

REM-26 section A (DEIS/MINSAL): comprehensive family visits, summed across the comuna's facilities. The last year is partial while DEIS consolidates monthly reports.

Comuna's primary-care centers · FONASA 2025 enrollees (42.301 in total)
CenterTypeProvider typeEnrollees% brackets A-B
Centro de Salud Familiar Dr. Ricardo Valdés HurtadoFamily Health Center (CESFAM)Municipal19.32070%
Centro de Salud Familiar Armando WilliamsFamily Health Center (CESFAM)Municipal15.94570%
Centro Comunitario de Salud Familiar Población FernándezCommunity Family Health Center (CECOSF)Municipal3.28573%
Centro Comunitario de Salud Familiar Rosita O'higginsCommunity Family Health Center (CECOSF)Municipal1.13567%
Posta de Salud Rural QuellaRural Health Post (PSR)Municipal49378%
Posta de Salud Rural Santa SofíaRural Health Post (PSR)Municipal44985%
Posta de Salud Rural SauzalRural Health Post (PSR)Municipal37471%
Posta de Salud Rural CoronelRural Health Post (PSR)Municipal34685%
Posta de Salud Rural PocillasRural Health Post (PSR)Municipal23787%
Posta de Salud Rural CayurranquilRural Health Post (PSR)Municipal14996%
Posta de Salud Rural PilénRural Health Post (PSR)Municipal14182%
Posta de Salud Rural Tres Esquinas (Cauquenes)Rural Health Post (PSR)Municipal12774%
Posta de Salud Rural Santo ToribioRural Health Post (PSR)Municipal10969%
Posta de Salud Rural TapihueRural Health Post (PSR)Municipal10990%
Posta de Salud Rural Cancha de los HuevosRural Health Post (PSR)Municipal8291%

FONASA brackets A-B ≈ lowest incomes (A: without resources). Source: FONASA, as of Dec 31, 2025, DEIS code.

Costs · 2025
Health spending accrued: $14.774.681.000 ($347.460/enrollee)MINSAL per capita: $9.762.243.000Municipal contribution: $819.538.000

Indigenous peoplesSource: 2024 Census (INE) · CONADI via IDE SMA

Indigenous population
1.282
3.0% of the census population (Census 2024)
PeoplePeople% of total
Mapuche1.21895.0%

2024 Census: people who consider themselves as belonging to an indigenous people (small counts are suppressed for confidentiality at the source and not shown). Communities: CONADI national registry as of March 2024 — Araucanía and Los Lagos not refreshed in that update, the count is a floor. Land grants: 2022 registry.

Community organizationSource: RPJSFL Civil Registry (Law 20.500/19.418) · as of Jun 2026

Active neighborhood councils
44
Councils per 1,000 inhabitants
1.0
density of territorial organization
Non-profit organizations
293
the entire active civil fabric
Committees (water, housing, progress)
59
Sports
37
For the elderly
33
Social and aid
10
Cultural
9
Foundations and corporations
2
Trade associations and cooperatives
1
Fire brigades
1

All the comuna's active non-profit legal entities (Law 20.500 / 19.418), classified by organization name. It portrays the civil fabric: not just neighborhood councils, also committees, sports clubs, cultural and elderly groups, foundations and fire brigades.

12 Local media · 3 Comunitaria · 9 FMSource: SUBTEL · broadcasting licences · Regional Media Survey (MSGG)

Local mediaTypedial
AAMBROSIOFM106.5 FM
DDINASTIAFM101.9 FM
F2FM 21FM93.9 FM
MSMAULE SURFM105.1 FM
PPRIMICIAFM90.9 FM
RTRADIO TROPICAL LATINAFM103.7 FM
SASAN ALFONSOFM105.7 FM
SSURCOSFM100.9 FM
AdAmigos del Arte · holderComunitaria107.9 FM
CCCentro Cultural Bellavista · holderComunitaria107.1 FM
CFComunicaciones Franco Morales E.I.R.L. · holderFM104.5 FM
DCDistrito Cauquenes de la Mision Central de la Iglesia Adventistas del Septimo Dia · holderComunitaria107.5 FM

The dial (frequency) of every FM, AM and community radio with a studio in the comuna (SUBTEL, active sound broadcasting concessions). National networks appear in their headquarters' comuna, not necessarily where they broadcast. When SUBTEL records no brand name, its holder (the concession holder).

Foreign-born populationSource: 2024 Census · INE

Foreign nationals
592
1,4% of the census population (Census 2024)
Main origin
Venezuela
259 people · 44% of the foreigners
Main countries of origin
259 Venezuela
71 Colombia
66 Perú
44 Haití

International immigrants per the 2024 Census (people born outside Chile living in the comuna). Nationwide they are 1,608,650 people, 8.8% of the population.

Housing and housing deficitSource: MINVU (Encampment Registry + 2024 Census deficit + subsidies) · INE

Families in informal settlements
9
1 encampment (2024 Registry)
Housing deficit
809
5% of the comuna's households
Housing permits · 2024
87
7.385 m² · new construction
Subsidies Integrated System · DS01
892
paid · 2011–2025
Subsidies Solidarity Fund · DS49
1.591
beneficiaries · 2012–2025
Subsidies Rental · DS52
249
paid · 2014–2024

Encampments: MINVU National Registry 2024 (irregular settlements and the families living in them). Quantitative deficit: homes missing per the 2024 Census (doubling-up + unrecoverable overcrowding). Permits: new homes authorized by the Works Directorate in 2024 (INE) — measures future construction, not stock. Subsidies: MINVU by application comuna — DS49 accrues beneficiaries by resolution year; DS01 and DS52 accrue payments by application cohort (national totals in the source file differ ~1–6% from the comuna sum; the comuna series is published).

What the homes are like

33.910homes · by type (2017)
House
17.046 · 95.3%
House
15.763 · 98.3%
Shack/hut/shanty
440 · 2.5%
Apartment
277 · 1.5%
Apartment
210 · 1.3%
Other private
60 · 0.3%
Room in old house/tenement
42 · 0.2%
Other private
39 · 0.2%
Shack/improvised dwelling
17 · 0.1%
Mobile
8 · 0%
Indigenous dwelling
5 · 0%
Room in old house/tenement
1 · 0%
Traditional/indigenous dwelling
1 · 0%
Mobile
1 · 0%
71%owner-occupied · tenure (2002)
Owned outright
6.855 · 58.6%
Rented
1.701 · 14.5%
Owned, being paid off
1.464 · 12.5%
Provided for work
869 · 7.4%
Free of charge
814 · 7%

Housing type: 2017 Census · tenure: 2002 Census (INE).

Elderly careSource: Chile Cuida · National Assets / SENAMA

Long-stay residencesELEAM
3
Beds
83
6,6 per 1,000 over-60s

Long-stay facilities for the elderly registered in Chile Cuida. Comunas without ELEAM send their elders to other comunas. With projected ageing (see Demographic projection), this capacity defines whether one can age in one's own comuna.

ResourcesBudget, spending, municipal procurement and more

Benefits under special regimesSource: Laws/SII/BCN/MTT/Treasury · deep-research verified

Fiscal or economic treatments that apply only to this comuna or its zone, not the rest of Chile. The chip color shows who it reaches: municipality, community, residents, companies or workers.

Others
Asignación de zona 10% (DL 249)workers
DL 249/1974 art. 7 · DL 3.551/1980 art. 25 · Ley 19.354

Sobresueldo mensual a funcionarios públicos según aislamiento/costo de vida: 10% del sueldo base (art. 7 DL 249). A los funcionarios municipales llega vía art. 25 del DL 3.551/1980 y el monto se aumenta en 40% (Ley 19.354) — salud primaria municipal (Ley 19.378) la percibe sin ese aumento; asistentes de la educación y personal de corporaciones no la perciben (Código del Trabajo). El %/territorio usa la división de 1974: dentro de una comuna pueden regir % mayores en localidades específicas (retenes, islas, cordillera) no reflejados acá; la CGR resuelve caso a caso. Comunas sin asignación no aparecen.

10% del sueldo base (municipal: ×1,4 por Ley 19.354)· vigente (art. 7 versión 22-dic-2021, verificado 2026-07-02)Source

Budget and revenue sourcesSource: SINIM · SUBDERE

Total revenue · 2025
$18.328.638.000
Own revenue
$3.356.593.000
18% of the total
Municipal Common Fund
$12.170.019.000
66% of the total
State transfers
$1.148.950.000
6% of the total
Ingreso total y desglose de ingresos propios

Total revenue · trend (2001–2025)

$1.955.796.000
$18.328.638.000
20012025

Own revenue breakdown (IPP) · 2025

28.3%
7.5%
18.2%
40.6%
Property tax$950.258.000
Business licenses$251.362.000
Vehicle permits$610.848.000
Cleaning fees$181.636.000
Other own revenue$1.362.489.000
Special-law revenues · 2025
Mining licenses (Law 19.143): $17.094.000

Distributed by law to specific comunas; they arrive via transfers.

Revenue by sector · 2025
32.4%
41.8%
25.8%
Municipal$18.328.638.000
Education$23.659.975.000
Health$14.625.500.000
Municipal Common Fund balance · 2025
Net recipient: it receives $11.122.492.000 more than it contributes.
Evolución por fuente de ingreso

Permanent own revenue (IPP) · trend

$530.212.000
$3.356.593.000
20012025

FCM received · trend

$1.182.467.000
$12.170.019.000
20012025

State transfers · trend

$127.573.000
$1.148.950.000
20012025

Municipal spending and budget executionSource: SINIM · SUBDERE

Current budget · 2025
$25.442.098.000
Accrued spending · 2025
$20.267.845.000
Execution rate
79.7%
Unexecuted: $5.174.253.000
Low execution: it only executed 79.7% of the budget — $5.174.253.000 unspent.

Accrued spending · trend

$2.142.440.000
$20.267.845.000
20012025

Distribution by management area · 2025

60.5%
24.5%
11.5%
Internal management$12.264.902.000
Community services$4.963.023.000
Social programs$2.325.753.000
Municipal activities$32.964.000
Recreational programs$196.447.000
Cultural programs$484.756.000

What the budget is spent on · 2025

Spending lineAmount% of spending
Municipal healthcare (primary care) · comuna health-sector spending$14.774.681.00072.9%
Goods and services (operations) · supplies, contracts, maintenance$6.098.284.00030.1%
Municipal personnel · municipal wages and fees$5.961.198.00029.4%
Investment (works and projects)$3.385.951.00016.7%
Cleaning, garbage and landfills · waste collection and disposal$2.239.517.00011.0%
Electricity (facilities)$849.145.0004.2%
Transfers to health$779.538.0003.8%
Water (facilities)$218.513.0001.1%
Travel allowances$102.784.0000.5%
Councillor stipends$83.385.0000.4%
Street lighting$78.014.0000.4%
Commissions and representation$1.895.0000.0%

Share of total accrued spending. Lines overlap (personnel sits inside several areas), so they don't add to 100%. Source: SINIM.

Personal y dotación municipal

Spending composition · 2025

29.4%
30.1%
40.5%
Personnel (Subt. 21)$5.961.198.000
Goods and services (Subt. 22)$6.098.284.000
Others$8.208.363.000

Personnel by contract type · 2025

54.4%
18.8%
7.8%
16.3%
Permanent staff$4.004.877.000
Contract staff$1.384.416.000
Fee contracts$571.905.000
Labor Code$200.029.000
Community progs.$1.202.153.000

Municipal headcount · 2023

68.2%
26.1%
Permanent staff107
Contract staff41
Fee contracts9
Total: 157 staffFee contracts: 5.7% of the headcountWomen: 52.0%Professionalization: 31.8%
Cost/staffer permanent: $20.952.383/yearCost/staffer contract: $24.159.585/yearCost/staffer fees: $30.180.111/year

Municipal staff by contract status (SINIM, 2023). Cost per staffer = annual spending of the type ÷ same-year headcount.

Inversión, servicios básicos y obras

Investment and authorities' expenses · 2025

Municipal investment: $3.385.951.000 (16.7% of spending)Councillor stipends: $83.385.000Travel allowances: $102.784.000Commissions and representation: $1.895.000

Basic and general services · 2025

Garbage and landfills: $2.239.517.000Street lighting: $78.014.000Electricity: $849.145.000Water: $218.513.000

Final works approvals (DOM) · per year

83
165
20012025

Building permits issued · per year

483
98
20122025

Management indicator · 2025

Maintained green areas per inhabitant
5 m²/inh.
Security/patrol cars
0
Security/patrol bicycles
0
Surveillance cameras
36
Security/patrol pickups
2
Security booths
0
CESFAM in the comuna
2
Primary-care medical visits
95.260
Clinics
0
urban and rural
Dependence on the Municipal Common Fund
78,38%
of own revenue
Security drones
1
Permanent staff
147
Permanent own revenue
18,31%
of total revenue
Doctors employed
27
as of Dec 31
Security/patrol motorcycles
0
Building permits
98
Health staff
174
contract
Health staff
17
fee-based
Health staff
295
permanent
FONASA-enrolled population
42.522
municipal health
Rural health posts
11
Street-market stalls
1.066
Final works approvals
165

What it buys · Mercado PúblicoSource: ChileCompra · open data

Open profile in Monitor Mercado Público
Historic amount
$102.485.979.890
Purchase orders
52.655

Purchase-order amount · trend

$1.108.484.190
$4.075.492.683
20072026
Top suppliersAmountPOs
Constructora P&l Ltda.$4.242.136.8342
Lg Electronics$2.491.483.0081
Transportes y Excavaciones Transex Limitada$2.371.578.5711
Constructora Santa Rosa SpA$1.937.153.88312
Constructora Rvillalobos SpA$1.906.220.56630
Transportes Transmaq Limitada$1.887.399.01176
Abastible S.A.$1.830.133.216565
Constructora Vergara Ltda.$1.807.982.76982

Purchase mechanism · 2026

Tender $2.749.766.06367%
Agile Purchase $555.491.87414%
Framework Agreement $534.882.50013%
Direct award discretionary$235.352.2446%

Companies and economic activitySource: SII · company statistics and roster (domicile/HQ)

Registered companies
3.579
domiciled in the comuna
Dependent workers
7.259

Pyramid by sales bracket

68.2%
11.1%
19.6%
Micro (≤2,400 UF)2.441 companies
Small (≤25k UF)398 companies
Medium (≤100k UF)36 companies
Large (>100k UF)4 companies
No sales/no info700 companies

Largest companies domiciled in the comuna

CompanyLine of businessSales bracketWorkers
Agricola e Inversiones Terraman LimitadaAGRICULTURA, GANADERIA, SILVICULTURA Y PESCALarge 1192
Soc Constr Faundes Cordova y Cia Ltda.COMERCIO AL POR MAYOR Y AL POR MENOR; REPARACLarge 139
Distribuidora el Jaque SpACOMERCIO AL POR MAYOR Y AL POR MENOR; REPARACLarge 11
Parque Solar Viveros SpASUMINISTRO DE ELECTRICIDAD, GAS, VAPOR Y AIRELarge 1
Fundacion Educacional Inmaculada ConcepcionENSEÑANZAMedium 2154
Servicios Electricos Guillermina Aravena Duran E.I.R.L.CONSTRUCCIONMedium 276
Guillermo Badilla e Hijos Ltda.INDUSTRIA MANUFACTURERAMedium 263
Sociedad Vitivinicola Lomas de Cauquenes SpAINDUSTRIA MANUFACTURERAMedium 260
Sociedad Alejandros LimitadaACTIVIDADES DE ATENCION DE LA SALUD HUMANA Y Medium 257
Transportes San Miguel SpATRANSPORTE Y ALMACENAMIENTOMedium 229

SII roster of legal entities (public). Due to tax secrecy sales come in brackets, never amounts. The comuna is that of the domicile/HQ: operations may be elsewhere.

Investment in SEIA projects

Under review
3
US$ 363 M declared
Approved last 5 years
6
US$ 215 M declared
Construction jobsunder review
595
+ 34 in operations
Construction jobsapproved 5 yrs
573
peak labor
ProjectOwnerStatusInvestment (US$M)Constr. jobs
Parque Eólico El SauzalEIAInversiones Bosquemar SpAUnder Review500850
Parque Eólico LoncualhueDIAParque Eólico Loncualhue SpA..Under Review340350
Sistema de Transmisión Zonal Grupo 3 S/E Itahue- S/E HualquiEIAMataquito Transmisora de Energía S.Approved324,02698
Parque Eólico El ParrónEIAInversiones Bosquemar SpAUnder Review280750
Parque Fotovoltaico ChiriguesDIAPsf Chirigues SpAApproved189,69400
PSF Leo BioDIAPsf Leobio SpAApproved7,168100
TRANQUE AGRÍCOLA ESTRELLADIAAgricola Estrella SpAApproved238
Embalse Estacional SauzalDIAFarm Sauzal SpAApproved0,65212
Embalse Estacional CauquenesDIABodegas y Viñedos Talagante InternaApproved0,63213

Investment DECLARED by the owner upon entering SEIA (not necessarily materialized; the RCA expires after 5 years without works). Multi-comuna projects: prorated investment, jobs counted in full. Jobs = declared peak labor (source PRISMA/SOFOFA). Source: e-SEIA + PRISMA.

TerritoryClimate, biodiversity, national heritage, SEIA-approved projects and more

Environment and air qualitySource: MMA · SINCA + PPDA + RETC

MP2,5 · annual average
15,6µg/m³· above the WHO guideline, below the Chilean standard
OMS 5
CL standard 20
3,1× the WHO 2021 guideline · 0,8× the Chilean standard · 14 days above daily standard (50 µg/m³)
MP10 · annual average
26,5µg/m³· above the WHO guideline, below the Chilean standard
OMS 15
CL standard 50
1,8× the WHO 2021 guideline · 0,5× the Chilean standard · 0 days above daily standard (150 µg/m³)
1monitoring stations · 1 from the MMA Network· measures MP2,5; MP10· station: Cauquenes Sivica
PM2.5 latest reading
19 µg/m³
15-08-2026 · 15 days above standard in the last 12 months
Monthly PM2.5 trend
norma 2007/24: 38,1 µg/m³08/24: 22,9 µg/m³09/24: 13,8 µg/m³10/24: 8,4 µg/m³11/24: 5,7 µg/m³12/24: 6,4 µg/m³01/25: 6 µg/m³02/25: 9,9 µg/m³03/25: 8,5 µg/m³04/25: 12,7 µg/m³05/25: 24,3 µg/m³06/25: 38,5 µg/m³07/25: 31,3 µg/m³08/25: 15,6 µg/m³09/25: 6,2 µg/m³10/25: 3,1 µg/m³11/25: 2,8 µg/m³12/25: 2 µg/m³01/26: 9,3 µg/m³02/26: 2 µg/m³03/26: 2,6 µg/m³04/26: 13 µg/m³05/26: 32,6 µg/m³06/26: 35,7 µg/m³07/26: 28,6 µg/m³08/26: 23,3 µg/m³07/2408/26
23,3 µg/m³
promedio 08/26
PM10 latest reading
23 µg/m³
15-08-2026
Monthly PM10 trend
norma 5007/24: 48,9 µg/m³08/24: 31,9 µg/m³09/24: 21,4 µg/m³10/24: 18,9 µg/m³11/24: 14,7 µg/m³12/24: 18,3 µg/m³01/25: 18 µg/m³02/25: 23,6 µg/m³03/25: 21,1 µg/m³04/25: 21,9 µg/m³05/25: 33,7 µg/m³06/25: 48 µg/m³07/25: 40,5 µg/m³08/25: 24,4 µg/m³09/25: 13,4 µg/m³10/25: 11,5 µg/m³11/25: 13,1 µg/m³12/25: 11,5 µg/m³01/26: 23,9 µg/m³02/26: 12,1 µg/m³03/26: 11,1 µg/m³04/26: 24,6 µg/m³05/26: 42,8 µg/m³06/26: 44,6 µg/m³07/26: 35,6 µg/m³08/26: 31,3 µg/m³07/2408/26
31,3 µg/m³
promedio 08/26
Air emissions from industrial sources · tons/year (RETC 2020)
0 t SO₂
0 t MP10
0 t MP2,5

Air quality observed at MMA's SINCA stations within the comuna (2024); when there are several, the worst is shown. The scale compares the annual average with the WHO 2021 guideline (PM2.5 = 5 · PM10 = 15 µg/m³, international health reference) and the Chilean annual primary standard (PM2.5 = 20 · PM10 = 50 µg/m³): green within the WHO guideline, amber between guideline and standard, red above the national standard. "Days above standard" use the 24-h daily standard (PM2.5 = 50 · PM10 = 150 µg/m³). RETC emissions = declared point sources (industry/energy), excludes diffuse sources like residential firewood.

Biodiversity and protected areasSource: SNASPE · SEIA baselines

Nearest protected wilderness area (SNASPE)
Los RuilesNational Reserveat 19.5 km

Species of flora, fauna and funga documented in the baselines of the projects evaluated by SEIA in the comuna — what their environmental studies recorded in the territory. Conservation status (RCE/IUCN) and Chilean endemism are flagged.

232
Species
120
Flora
96
Fauna
16
Funga
72
In conservation status
42
Endemic to Chile
Species in conservation category
Rana chilenaCalyptocephalella gayiVUQueuleGomortega keuleENHuillipatagua, naranjillo, pataguaCitronella mucronataVUSapo de ruloRhinella aruncoVUPatagua, patahuaCrinodendron pataguaVURuilNothofagus alessandriiENHongoHygrocybe striatellaVUBelloto del norte, belloto (genérico)Beilschmiedia miersiiVULagartija de schröederLiolaemus schroederiVULagartija de curicóLiolaemus curicensisVUSapo hermosoTelmatobufo venustusENPalma chilena, palmera chilena, palmera de coquitos, palma de miel, palma de vino de chile, can – canJubaea chilensisENPitaoPitavia punctataENBelloto del surBeilschmiedia berteroanaENGuindo santo, ñire, ñirreEucryphia glutinosaVUHongo (genérico)Cyptotrama hygrocyboidesENRanitaRhinoderma rufumCRPejerrey chilenoBasilichthys microlepidotusVUPuyeBrachygalaxias bullockiVULagarto negroLiolaemus curisCRSetaCortinarius roblemaulicolaENLagartija de cristiánLiolaemus cristianiVUGruñidor del sur, lagarto de corbataPristidactylus torquatusVUSapo de hugoAlsodes hugoiVUSapo de vanzoliniAlsodes vanzoliniiENRana montana de los queulesTelmatobufo ignotusENSapoEupsophus roseusVUGüiñaLeopardus guignaVUTricahueCyanoliseus patagonusENPidencitoLaterallus jamaicensisENPudúPudu puduVUPiuquén, piquén, guayataChloephaga melanopteraENAraucaria, pehuén, piñonero, pino piñonero, pino chileno, pino araucaria, pewen, guiliuAraucaria araucanaENSapo de pecho espinosoAlsodes pehuencheCRLagartija de bürgerLiolaemus buergeriENRatón topo del matorralChelemys megalonyxVUChungungo, nutria marina, gato de mar, chinchiménLontra felinaENAguilucho de cola rojizaButeo ventralisVUZarapito borealNumenius borealisCRYuncoPelecanoides garnotiiENZorro colorado, zorro culpeo, zorro coloradode tierra del fuego, zorro culpeo de tierra del fuegoLycalopex culpaeusVUComadrejita trompudaRhyncholestes raphanurusVUHongoEntoloma necopinatumVURanita de darwinRhinoderma darwiniiENAbejorro, abejorro colorado, moscardón, duillin, diwmeñ, abejorro gigante de la patagonia, don basilioBombus dahlbomiiENOlivillo, teque, tique, palo muerto, aceitunilloAextoxicon punctatumVULinguePersea lingueVUHongo (genérico)Cuphophyllus adonisVUPinatra, pina, piña, curacuchaCyttaria berteroiENHongo oloroso, hongo ajo, ajo de duendeMarasmiellus alliiodorusCRBecacina pintadaNycticryphes semicollarisENHualoNothofagus glaucaNTIguanaCallopistes maculatusNTLagarto nítidoLiolaemus nitidusNTRana de ceja, ranita de antifazBatrachyla taeniataNTSapito de cuatro ojosPleurodema thaulNTCuervo de pantanoPlegadis chihiNTCóndorVultur gryphusNTPalito negro, doradillaAdiantum chilenseNTPato anteojillo, pato perro (argentina y chile), pato de anteojos, ánade anteojillo (español), spectacled duck, bronze-winged duck (inglés)Speculanas specularisNT
and 12 more

CR critically endangered · EN endangered · VU vulnerable · NT near threatened (Species Classification Regulation / IUCN). ★ endemic to Chile. Extracted from SEIA studies by kingdom; presence reflects what baselines characterized, not a census.

5 Wetlands · 4 urban · 617 haSource: National Wetlands Inventory · SIMBIO (MMA)

CodeWetlandHectares
HUR-07-03Sist. Cuenca Rio Maule y Trib.urban484 /14.249
HUR-07-04Embalse Tutuvenurban122
HPU-07-06Embalse 1 Cauquenes5
HUR-07-05Rio Chovellenurban5 /57
HUR-07-44Humedal sector INIA Cauquenesurban1

Area = hectares of wetland within the comuna boundary (apportioned using the DPA table of each record). For wetlands shared between comunas, "portion / total" is shown. "Urban" = urban wetland (HUR code). Official source migrated to the SBAP (Law 21,600).

Large projects approved by SEIASource: SEIA · approved projects

Projects with an environmental permit (RCA) approved by SEIA and declared investment above US$ 10 million, located in the comuna according to the case file and grouped by sector. Every sector with at least one project is listed: this is not a ranking or a selection. 5 projects totaling US$ 238 million, approved between 2020 and 2024. When a project spans several comunas, its investment is split among them.

Energy5 projects · US$ 238 M · 2020–2024
Mataquito Transmisora de Energía S.A.Sistema de Transmisión Zonal Grupo 3 S/E Itahue- S/E Hualqui · Parque Fotovoltaico Chirigues

Approved is not the same as built or operating: the RCA authorises the project, but some were never carried out and others have since closed.

Source: projects with an RCA approved by SEIA (investment declared by the developer, split among the comunas the project spans). Under each sector are its two largest projects by investment. It is the best public proxy for large industrial sites; SERNAGEOMIN’s registry of active mining operations (by mineral and type of operation) is a layer not yet incorporated.

Basic utilitiesSource: SISS · CNE · MINEDUC

Distribuidora eléctrica
CGE · also Luz Parral
Empresa sanitaria (agua y alcantarillado)
ANSM
Higher education
1 campus in the comuna

Almost no comuna has its own utility: it is served by a major regional concession holder. Water = urban operational territory (SISS; rural goes via APR); electric = concession distributor per the tariff decree (CNE); higher education = university, IP and CFT campuses (MINEDUC/SIES), with the nearest comuna when there are none.

Environmental conflictsSource: SNIFA · SMA + Environmental Search · Environmental Courts

Final SMA sanctions

Final sanctions
3
Sanctioned entities
3
companies, individuals and institutions
Total fines
74 UTA
3 with fines
Sanctioned entityAuditable unitCategoryFine (UTA)
Full Mixer Ingenieria y Construccion SpAHORMIGONES FULL MIXERIndustrial facility64
Cooperativa Agricola Vitivinicola de Cauquenes Ltda.COOPERATIVA AGRICOLA VITIVINICOLA DE CAUQUENES LTDA.Agroindustry9
Madera Estacion EIRLMADERAS ESTACIÓN EIRLIndustrial facility2

Environmental sanctions final from the SMA (no pending appeals) whose auditable unit sits in the comuna: companies, individuals and institutions (including the municipality). Fine in UTA (Annual Tax Unit). Source: Public Sanctions Registry, SNIFA.

Green areasSource: SINIM · SUBDERE (2025)

Green space per capita
5 m²
50% of the CNDU standard
standard 10 m²

Municipally maintained green area per inhabitant (SINIM). The National Urban Development Council recommends a minimum of 10 m²/inhab (WHO, ~9). Self-reported by municipalities, with quality varying across comunas.

National heritageSource: National Monuments Council (Feb 2026)

National monuments
1
Historic monuments
1

Monuments declared by decree (official CMN roster). Excludes archaeological and public monuments. Declaration entails legal protection and intervention restrictions.

Territorial burdensSource: SUBDERE (waste, Jun 2023) · Gendarmería (Jun 2025) · SISS (WWTP)

Infrastructure this comuna carries — often serving others.

FacilityTypeDetail
C.C.P. CauquenesPrison (CCP)741 inmates · 606 convicted · 131 awaiting trial · 259% occupancy
PTAS - CAUQUENESPTAS · lodos activadosNUEVOSUR S.A. · discharges into río tutuven
Where this comuna's waste goes
Relleno Sanitario Fundo Las Cruces (Chillán Viejo) · 16.056 t/year

Official registries: they exclude illegal dumps and rural WWTPs (no consolidated public registry).

Forest firesSource: CONAF · Occurrence and damage statistics (2023-2024)

Wildfires · 2023-2024
54
Area affected
122 ha
mostly grassland
Cumulative last 5 seasons
11.858 ha
includes the 2022-2023 mega-season

Occurrence and area affected by wildfires (CONAF). The 5-season cumulative gives a fairer picture than a single year: fire is episodic and big catastrophes concentrate in few seasons. The area is comuna-wide, not just urban.

Winter riskSource: SENAPRED · winter critical points 2026 (via FAU U. de Chile)

Critical points registered
53
At high or very high risk
6
3 very high
Main threat
Colapso colectores de aguas …
Colapso colectores de aguas lluvia/alcantarillados

Points in the comuna where SENAPRED identifies winter-rain risk (channel overflows, flooding, collector collapse, landslides, mudflows, snow), with risk level and the agency responsible for the fix.

Water scarcitySource: DGA · MOP (scarcity-zone decrees)

No scarcity decree in force today.
Years under decree since 2008
8
latest: 2022 · drought chronicity

DGA water-scarcity zone decrees (by comuna, province or region; basin decrees are not counted here, so chronicity is a floor). The decree enables extraordinary water redistribution measures. At the megadrought's peak (2021) 286 comunas were under decree; today 26.

Climate and climate changeSource: ARClim · MMA + CR2/UC (CMIP6 modeling)

Mean annual temperature
13,83°C
2035-2065 projection: +1,32°C
Annual precipitation
872 mm
projection: -2%
Hot days>30°C
19
projection: +18 days
Frost days
5

Modeled climatology (CMIP6 downscaling ~5 km): present ≈ 1980-2010, projection ≈ 2035-2065 middle scenario. Not recent weather observation.

SafetyCrime, road crashes and municipal security infrastructure

Crimes (police cases)Source: CEAD · Ministry of Public Security

Police cases · 2025
2.156
all crimes
Rate per 100,000 inhab.
4.851
Police cases · trend
2.252
2.156
20102025
By crime type · 2025
CrimeCasesRate/100k
Threats353794
Property damage318716
Domestic violence280630
Alcohol and drug use in public spaces256576
Larceny183412
Minor injuries136306
Burglary of an inhabited place103232
Weapons-related crimes76171
Drug-related crimes72162
Burglary of an uninhabited place70158
Crimes and offenses under the arms law61137
Sexual abuse46104

Showing the 12 crimes with most cases of 28.

Police cases (reports + arrests) recorded by Carabineros and PDI. Not victimization (ENUSC measures the real figure, higher due to underreporting). The rate uses INE 2024 population. Source: CEAD, Ministry of Public Security.

What the municipality does

Municipal security infrastructure and staff declared to SINIM (since 2016). Excludes Carabineros and PDI, which are national.

Surveillance cameras
36
Guards and inspectors
0
1 per 44.446 hab
Patrol fleet
2
cars, pickups, motorcycles, bikes
Patrol fleet by type
Pickups: 2Drones: 1
Surveillance cameras · trend
14
36
20202025

Road crashesSource: CONASET · Data Observatory (2024)

Crashes · 2024
232
Deaths
4
9 per 100,000 inhab.
Injured
185
34 serious
Pedestrian collisions
20
1 pedestrian killed

Crashes georeferenced by CONASET (urban + highway) during 2024. The only per-comuna source; covers ~70% of the country's deaths (non-geolocatable ones are excluded), so it slightly underestimates the total. Pedestrian collision is the leading cause of pedestrian death.