Poverty and living standards in Lovech (Severozapaden, Bulgaria): official figures

The at-risk-of-poverty rate in Lovech district was 22.8% in the 2025 survey (poverty line of the district itself), 4th highest of 28 districts; Bulgaria's rate was 21.2%.

What is the poverty line in Lovech district?

The at-risk-of-poverty threshold for a single person in Lovech was 9,006 leva a year in the 2025 survey (about 750 leva a month, based on 2024 incomes), 87% of the national threshold of 10,400 leva.

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

How unequal is income in Lovech district?

The richest fifth of households in Lovech had 6.2 times the income of the poorest fifth in the 2025 survey, and the Gini coefficient was 31.9 (Bulgaria: 7.0 times and 37.7).

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

What is the crime rate in Lovech district?

Police registered 1,451 crimes against persons and property in Lovech district in 2024, 13.1 per 1,000 residents (7th highest of 28 districts; national 11.6).

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

How many pensioners are there in Lovech district?

41,417 pensioners lived in Lovech at the end of 2024, equal to 37.4% of its population against 31.5% nationally (9th highest of 28 districts).

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

How many homes are there in Lovech district?

Lovech district had 92,485 dwellings at the end of 2024, 835 per 1,000 residents, up -2.6% since 2019.

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

Is there water rationing in Lovech district?

In 2024, 56.34% of the population of Lovech lived under a water-supply regime (rationed supply), against 5.77% nationally; 60.1% were connected to public sewerage and 55.7% to wastewater treatment plants.

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

How big are homes in Lovech district?

Homes in Lovech offered 54.9 square metres of living floor space per resident at the end of 2024, 3rd most of 28 districts (national 42.6).

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

How many new homes are built in Lovech district?

50 new dwellings were completed in Lovech in 2024, 0.45 per 1,000 residents compared with 3.26 for Bulgaria.

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

More figures

The poverty rate in Lovech rose from 18.9% in the 2024 survey to 22.8% in 2025; in the 2019 survey it was 18.5%. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
3.7% of the population of Lovech lived in severe material and social deprivation in 2025, and 25.4% were at risk of poverty or social exclusion (national 15.0% and 29.0%). Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
50.2% of crimes against persons and property in Lovech were solved in 2024 (national 49.5%), and police uncovered 95 economic crimes causing 136 thousand leva of damage. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
Courts imposed penalties for 511 crimes committed in Lovech district in 2024 and convicted 472 people, 42.6 per 10,000 residents (national 33.9); 9.1% of those convicted were women. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

How Lovech compares with other provinces in Bulgaria

At-risk-of-poverty rate, regional poverty line (%) (2025)

Lovech ranks 4 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 (%)
1	Stara Zagora	28.4%
2	Sliven	23.9%
3	Targovishte	23.7%
4	Lovech	22.8%
5	Sofia	21.9%
6	Pazardzhik	21.9%
7	Sofia (stolitsa)	21.5%

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

At-risk-of-poverty threshold, single person (leva a year) (2025)

Lovech ranks 18 of 28, highest first. Survey year 2025 (2024 incomes)

Rank	Area	At-risk-of-poverty threshold, single person (leva a year)
15	Dobrich	9,232
16	Smolyan	9,102
17	Shumen	9,062
18	Lovech	9,006
19	Pleven	8,790
20	Montana	8,643
21	Targovishte	8,558

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

At risk of poverty or social exclusion (%) (2025)

Lovech ranks 20 of 28, highest first. Survey year 2025

Rank	Area	At risk of poverty or social exclusion (%)
17	Silistra	26.0%
18	Varna	25.7%
19	Sofia	25.6%
20	Lovech	25.4%
21	Sofia (stolitsa)	25.3%
22	Blagoevgrad	25.1%
23	Shumen	23.3%

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

Registered crimes against persons and property per 1,000 residents (2024)

Lovech ranks 7 of 28, highest first.

Rank	Area	Registered crimes against persons and property per 1,000 residents
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
10	Pernik	11.3

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

Pensioners as a share of the population (%) (2024)

Lovech ranks 9 of 28, highest first. At 31 December 2024

Rank	Area	Pensioners as a share of the population (%)
6	Silistra	39.6%
7	Vratsa	38.7%
8	Razgrad	38.6%
9	Lovech	37.4%
10	Pleven	37.3%
11	Pernik	36.5%
12	Montana	35.8%

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

Population under a water-supply regime (%) (2024)

Lovech ranks 1 of 28, highest first. Share of residents with rationed public water supply

Rank	Area	Population under a water-supply regime (%)
1	Lovech	56.34%
2	Pleven	51.14%
3	Targovishte	33.83%
4	Sliven	17.80%
5	Pernik	14.06%
6	Shumen	10.79%
7	Gabrovo	8.11%

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

People convicted per 10,000 residents (2024)

Lovech ranks 11 of 28, highest first. By place where the crime was committed

Rank	Area	People convicted per 10,000 residents
8	Vidin	46.4
9	Silistra	45.0
10	Sofia	44.0
11	Lovech	42.6
12	Pleven	42.2
13	Kyustendil	38.9
14	Montana	37.9

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

Living floor space per resident (square metres) (2024)

Lovech ranks 3 of 28, highest first.

Rank	Area	Living floor space per resident (square metres)
1	Vidin	66.9
2	Kyustendil	56.4
3	Lovech	54.9
4	Pernik	52.8
5	Burgas	52.7
6	Montana	51.8
7	Sofia	51.8

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

New dwellings completed per 1,000 residents (2024)

Lovech ranks 24 of 28, highest first.

Rank	Area	New dwellings completed per 1,000 residents
21	Vratsa	0.64
22	Razgrad	0.46
23	Kyustendil	0.45
24	Lovech	0.45
25	Smolyan	0.44
26	Montana	0.35
27	Silistra	0.28

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

More on Lovech: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government and politics · Severozapaden · 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…)

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