Poverty and living standards in Varna (Severoiztochen, Bulgaria): official figures
20.3% of people in Varna 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 Varna ranks 10th highest of 28 districts.
What is the poverty line in Varna district?
The at-risk-of-poverty threshold for a single person in Varna was 11,728 leva a year in the 2025 survey (about 977 leva a month, based on 2024 incomes), 113% of the national threshold of 10,400 leva.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow unequal is income in Varna district?
The richest fifth of households in Varna had 5.7 times the income of the poorest fifth in the 2025 survey, and the Gini coefficient was 33.8 (Bulgaria: 7.0 times and 37.7).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhat is the crime rate in Varna district?
Police registered 6,535 crimes against persons and property in Varna district in 2024, 14.9 per 1,000 residents (2nd highest of 28 districts; national 11.6).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many pensioners are there in Varna district?
117,534 pensioners lived in Varna at the end of 2024, equal to 26.9% of its population against 31.5% nationally (2nd lowest of 28 districts).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many homes are there in Varna district?
Varna district had 289,066 dwellings at the end of 2024, 661 per 1,000 residents, up 9.8% since 2019.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyIs there water rationing in Varna district?
In 2024, 1.26% of the population of Varna lived under a water-supply regime (rationed supply), against 5.77% nationally; 87.2% were connected to public sewerage and 86.7% to wastewater treatment plants.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow big are homes in Varna district?
Homes in Varna offered 40.4 square metres of living floor space per resident at the end of 2024, 9th least of 28 districts (national 42.6).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many new homes are built in Varna district?
2,387 new dwellings were completed in Varna in 2024, 5.46 per 1,000 residents compared with 3.26 for Bulgaria.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyMore figures
- The poverty rate in Varna fell from 22.3% in the 2024 survey to 20.3% in 2025; in the 2019 survey it was 21.1%. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- 12.1% of the population of Varna lived in severe material and social deprivation in 2025, and 25.7% were at risk of poverty or social exclusion (national 15.0% and 29.0%). Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- 39.4% of crimes against persons and property in Varna were solved in 2024 (national 49.5%), and police uncovered 174 economic crimes causing 20.9 million leva of damage. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- Courts imposed penalties for 1,545 crimes committed in Varna district in 2024 and convicted 1,400 people, 32.0 per 10,000 residents (national 33.9); 11.4% of those convicted were women. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
How Varna compares with other provinces in Bulgaria
At-risk-of-poverty rate, regional poverty line (%) (2025)
Varna ranks 10 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 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Sofia (stolitsa) | 21.5% |
| 8 | Yambol | 21.1% |
| 9 | Veliko Tarnovo | 20.4% |
| 10 | Varna | 20.3% |
| 11 | Dobrich | 19.8% |
| 12 | Shumen | 19.7% |
| 13 | Plovdiv | 19.7% |
At-risk-of-poverty threshold, single person (leva a year) (2025)
Varna ranks 2 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)
Varna ranks 18 of 28, highest first. Survey year 2025
| Rank | Area | At risk of poverty or social exclusion (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Vidin | 27.0% |
| 16 | Vratsa | 26.8% |
| 17 | Silistra | 26.0% |
| 18 | Varna | 25.7% |
| 19 | Sofia | 25.6% |
| 20 | Lovech | 25.4% |
| 21 | Sofia (stolitsa) | 25.3% |
Registered crimes against persons and property per 1,000 residents (2024)
Varna ranks 2 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Registered crimes against persons and property per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vratsa | 15.2 |
| 2 | Varna | 14.9 |
| 3 | Vidin | 14.2 |
| 4 | Montana | 13.8 |
| 5 | Burgas | 13.4 |
| 6 | Ruse | 13.2 |
| 7 | Lovech | 13.1 |
Pensioners as a share of the population (%) (2024)
Varna ranks 27 of 28, highest first. At 31 December 2024
| Rank | Area | Pensioners as a share of the population (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Sofia | 30.2% |
| 23 | Blagoevgrad | 29.4% |
| 24 | Sliven | 29.4% |
| 25 | Plovdiv | 28.9% |
| 26 | Burgas | 27.5% |
| 27 | Varna | 26.9% |
| 28 | Sofia (stolitsa) | 25.4% |
Population under a water-supply regime (%) (2024)
Varna ranks 20 of 28, highest first. Share of residents with rationed public water supply
| Rank | Area | Population under a water-supply regime (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | Plovdiv | 1.82% |
| 18 | Razgrad | 1.72% |
| 19 | Kardzhali | 1.34% |
| 20 | Varna | 1.26% |
| 21 | Yambol | 0.90% |
| 22 | Haskovo | 0.52% |
| 23 | Sofia | 0.40% |
People convicted per 10,000 residents (2024)
Varna ranks 21 of 28, highest first. By place where the crime was committed
| Rank | Area | People convicted per 10,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Ruse | 35.3 |
| 19 | Targovishte | 34.8 |
| 20 | Veliko Tarnovo | 34.2 |
| 21 | Varna | 32.0 |
| 22 | Pazardzhik | 30.8 |
| 23 | Plovdiv | 29.7 |
| 24 | Pernik | 29.5 |
Living floor space per resident (square metres) (2024)
Varna ranks 20 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Living floor space per resident (square metres) |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | Haskovo | 41.0 |
| 18 | Stara Zagora | 40.7 |
| 19 | Pazardzhik | 40.5 |
| 20 | Varna | 40.4 |
| 21 | Kardzhali | 40.3 |
| 22 | Silistra | 39.2 |
| 23 | Ruse | 38.6 |
New dwellings completed per 1,000 residents (2024)
Varna ranks 2 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | New dwellings completed per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burgas | 7.40 |
| 2 | Varna | 5.46 |
| 3 | Sofia (stolitsa) | 5.32 |
| 4 | Kardzhali | 3.79 |
| 5 | Blagoevgrad | 3.71 |
| 6 | Plovdiv | 3.37 |
| 7 | Stara Zagora | 3.25 |
More on Varna: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government and politics · Severoiztochen · 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.