Poverty and living standards in Ruse (Severen tsentralen, Bulgaria): official figures
15.5% of people in Ruse district were at risk of poverty in the 2025 survey, measured against the district's own poverty line; the national rate was 21.2% and Ruse ranks 5th lowest of 28 districts.
What is the poverty line in Ruse district?
The at-risk-of-poverty threshold for a single person in Ruse was 10,852 leva a year in the 2025 survey (about 904 leva a month, based on 2024 incomes), 104% of the national threshold of 10,400 leva.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow unequal is income in Ruse district?
The richest fifth of households in Ruse had 6.0 times the income of the poorest fifth in the 2025 survey, and the Gini coefficient was 36.1 (Bulgaria: 7.0 times and 37.7).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhat is the crime rate in Ruse district?
Police registered 2,464 crimes against persons and property in Ruse district in 2024, 13.2 per 1,000 residents (6th highest of 28 districts; national 11.6).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many pensioners are there in Ruse district?
64,513 pensioners lived in Ruse at the end of 2024, equal to 34.7% of its population against 31.5% nationally (14th lowest of 28 districts).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many homes are there in Ruse district?
Ruse district had 124,216 dwellings at the end of 2024, 667 per 1,000 residents, up -1.6% since 2019.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyIs there water rationing in Ruse district?
Nobody in Ruse lived under a water-supply regime (rationed supply) in 2024, while 5.77% of Bulgarians did; 68.4% were connected to public sewerage and 68.4% to wastewater treatment plants.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow big are homes in Ruse district?
Homes in Ruse offered 38.6 square metres of living floor space per resident at the end of 2024, 6th least of 28 districts (national 42.6).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many new homes are built in Ruse district?
185 new dwellings were completed in Ruse in 2024, 0.99 per 1,000 residents compared with 3.26 for Bulgaria.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyMore figures
- The poverty rate in Ruse rose from 14.6% in the 2024 survey to 15.5% in 2025; in the 2019 survey it was 20.5%. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- 10.5% of the population of Ruse lived in severe material and social deprivation in 2025, and 22.0% were at risk of poverty or social exclusion (national 15.0% and 29.0%). Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- 61.9% of crimes against persons and property in Ruse were solved in 2024 (national 49.5%), and police uncovered 317 economic crimes causing 2.2 million leva of damage. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- Courts imposed penalties for 822 crimes committed in Ruse district in 2024 and convicted 656 people, 35.3 per 10,000 residents (national 33.9); 9.1% of those convicted were women. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
How Ruse compares with other provinces in Bulgaria
At-risk-of-poverty rate, regional poverty line (%) (2025)
Ruse ranks 24 of 28, highest first. Survey year 2025 (2024 incomes); each district measured against its own poverty threshold
| Rank | Area | At-risk-of-poverty rate, regional poverty line (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | Pernik | 17.6% |
| 22 | Razgrad | 17.3% |
| 23 | Haskovo | 16.1% |
| 24 | Ruse | 15.5% |
| 25 | Silistra | 14.8% |
| 26 | Gabrovo | 12.3% |
| 27 | Kyustendil | 12.1% |
At-risk-of-poverty threshold, single person (leva a year) (2025)
Ruse ranks 3 of 28, highest first. Survey year 2025 (2024 incomes)
| Rank | Area | At-risk-of-poverty threshold, single person (leva a year) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sofia (stolitsa) | 15,644 |
| 2 | Varna | 11,728 |
| 3 | Ruse | 10,852 |
| 4 | Stara Zagora | 10,599 |
| 5 | Sofia | 10,548 |
| 6 | Pernik | 10,493 |
| 7 | Blagoevgrad | 10,383 |
At risk of poverty or social exclusion (%) (2025)
Ruse ranks 25 of 28, highest first. Survey year 2025
| Rank | Area | At risk of poverty or social exclusion (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Blagoevgrad | 25.1% |
| 23 | Shumen | 23.3% |
| 24 | Montana | 23.2% |
| 25 | Ruse | 22.0% |
| 26 | Smolyan | 20.7% |
| 27 | Gabrovo | 20.6% |
| 28 | Kyustendil | 16.6% |
Registered crimes against persons and property per 1,000 residents (2024)
Ruse ranks 6 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Registered crimes against persons and property per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Vidin | 14.2 |
| 4 | Montana | 13.8 |
| 5 | Burgas | 13.4 |
| 6 | Ruse | 13.2 |
| 7 | Lovech | 13.1 |
| 8 | Sofia (stolitsa) | 12.5 |
| 9 | Stara Zagora | 11.7 |
Pensioners as a share of the population (%) (2024)
Ruse ranks 15 of 28, highest first. At 31 December 2024
| Rank | Area | Pensioners as a share of the population (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | Montana | 35.8% |
| 13 | Yambol | 34.7% |
| 14 | Veliko Tarnovo | 34.7% |
| 15 | Ruse | 34.7% |
| 16 | Targovishte | 34.4% |
| 17 | Dobrich | 34.2% |
| 18 | Haskovo | 34.1% |
Population under a water-supply regime (%) (2024)
Ruse ranks 25 of 28, highest first. Share of residents with rationed public water supply
| Rank | Area | Population under a water-supply regime (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Haskovo | 0.52% |
| 23 | Sofia | 0.40% |
| 24 | Vidin | 0.00% |
| 25 | Ruse | 0.00% |
| 26 | Silistra | 0.00% |
| 27 | Dobrich | 0.00% |
| 28 | Sofia (stolitsa) | 0.00% |
People convicted per 10,000 residents (2024)
Ruse ranks 18 of 28, highest first. By place where the crime was committed
| Rank | Area | People convicted per 10,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Gabrovo | 37.5 |
| 16 | Burgas | 36.2 |
| 17 | Shumen | 35.7 |
| 18 | Ruse | 35.3 |
| 19 | Targovishte | 34.8 |
| 20 | Veliko Tarnovo | 34.2 |
| 21 | Varna | 32.0 |
Living floor space per resident (square metres) (2024)
Ruse ranks 23 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Living floor space per resident (square metres) |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | Varna | 40.4 |
| 21 | Kardzhali | 40.3 |
| 22 | Silistra | 39.2 |
| 23 | Ruse | 38.6 |
| 24 | Sofia (stolitsa) | 37.9 |
| 25 | Plovdiv | 37.4 |
| 26 | Razgrad | 37.1 |
New dwellings completed per 1,000 residents (2024)
Ruse ranks 20 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | New dwellings completed per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | Yambol | 1.37 |
| 18 | Veliko Tarnovo | 1.30 |
| 19 | Sliven | 1.25 |
| 20 | Ruse | 0.99 |
| 21 | Vratsa | 0.64 |
| 22 | Razgrad | 0.46 |
| 23 | Kyustendil | 0.45 |
More on Ruse: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government and politics · Severen tsentralen · Bulgaria
Sources
- National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI): Regions, districts and municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria 2024 (yearbook tables by statistical region, district and municipality), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 81cba27bb0cc…)
- National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI): Poverty and Social Inclusion Indicators by District, survey years 2008-2025 (EU-SILC), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 cc02ad48dd42…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.