Economy, jobs and prices in Montana (Severozapaden, Bulgaria): official figures
GDP per person was 12,700 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2024, 32% of the EU average (66% for Bulgaria); 25th highest of 28 provinces in Bulgaria.
How big is the economy of Montana?
The local economy produced €888.32 million of output (GDP) in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people work in Montana?
About 45,490 people worked in Montana in 2023 (employment by place of work).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the average salary in Montana district?
Employees in Montana district earned an average of 20,728 leva in 2024 (about 1,727 leva a month), 74% of the national average of 27,898 leva and 10th lowest of 28 districts.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhich jobs pay most in Montana district?
In Montana the best-paid sector in 2024 was electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply at 36,983 leva a year, and the lowest-paid was accommodation and food service activities at 12,012 leva.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhat is the GDP per capita of Montana district?
Gross domestic product per person in Montana was 15,290 leva in 2024, 48% of the national figure; industry produced 17.7% of its gross value added and services 70.1%.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow much foreign investment does Montana district have?
Foreign direct investment in non-financial enterprises in Montana stood at 57 million euro at the end of 2024, or 507 euro per resident, 4th lowest of 28 districts (national average 5,267 euro).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many companies are there in Montana district?
There were 5,347 non-financial enterprises in Montana in 2024 (47 per 1,000 residents, national 73), employing 21,190 people and reporting net sales of 3,388 million leva.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Montana district?
The registered unemployment level in Montana district averaged 11.1% in 2024 (5,247 people on the labour office register), 4th highest of 28 districts; the national level was 5.2%.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many hotels are there in Montana district?
Montana district had 37 accommodation establishments with 1,647 bed-places in 2024, and they welcomed 49,911 overnight visitors.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhat is the main industry in Montana?
The largest part of the economy of Montana in 2024 was public administration, education, health and other services, at 31.0% of gross value added, followed by trade, transport, hospitality and communications (19.6%).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow industrial is Montana?
Factories, mines and energy produced 15.4% of the value added in Montana in 2024, against 19.4% for Bulgaria.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow fast is the economy of Montana growing?
Gross value added rose from €0.4 billion in 2015 to €0.8 billion in 2024 in current prices, an increase of 73% before inflation.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat jobs do people do in Montana?
Of the 45,490 jobs located in Montana in 2023, 26% in public services, education, health and other services, 22% in industry and 26.0% in farming, forestry and fishing.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre jobs growing in Montana?
The number of people working in Montana fell by 10.1% between 2015 and 2023, to 45,490.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- Montana district had an average of 26,349 employees on labour or civil-service contracts in 2024; 25.7% of them worked in manufacturing (national share 19.1%). Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- Measured in current prices, GDP per person in Montana rose from 9,856 leva in 2019 to 15,290 leva in 2024, a gain of 55% (Bulgaria: 76%). Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- Businesses and public bodies in Montana spent 298 million leva on acquiring tangible fixed assets in 2024, 2,643 leva per resident against 5,793 leva nationally; the private sector accounted for 76%. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- Of the registered unemployed in Montana in 2024, 12.9% were aged 29 or under and 40.6% had been registered for more than a year (national shares 11.1% and 20.4%). Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- Accommodation in Montana earned 5.8 million leva from 107,898 nights spent in 2024, about 54 leva per night against 87 leva across Bulgaria. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
How Montana compares with other provinces in Bulgaria
Registered unemployment level (%) (2024)
Montana ranks 4 of 28, highest first. Average annual number of unemployed registered at labour offices as a share of the labour force
| Rank | Area | Registered unemployment level (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lovech | 83.9% |
| 2 | Vidin | 13.7% |
| 3 | Silistra | 11.1% |
| 4 | Montana | 11.1% |
| 5 | Shumen | 10.2% |
| 6 | Razgrad | 9.7% |
| 7 | Vratsa | 9.7% |
Accommodation revenue per night spent (leva) (2024)
Montana ranks 27 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Accommodation revenue per night spent (leva) |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Vidin | 60 |
| 23 | Silistra | 59 |
| 24 | Pernik | 58 |
| 25 | Pleven | 57 |
| 26 | Gabrovo | 55 |
| 27 | Montana | 54 |
| 28 | Vratsa | 45 |
Average annual wage of employees (leva) (2024)
Montana ranks 19 of 28, highest first. Employees under labour and civil-service contracts
| Rank | Area | Average annual wage of employees (leva) |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | Targovishte | 21,158 |
| 17 | Yambol | 21,133 |
| 18 | Dobrich | 20,840 |
| 19 | Montana | 20,728 |
| 20 | Lovech | 20,666 |
| 21 | Sliven | 20,526 |
| 22 | Kardzhali | 20,323 |
Foreign direct investment per resident (euro) (2024)
Montana ranks 25 of 28, highest first. Stock in non-financial enterprises at 31 December 2024
| Rank | Area | Foreign direct investment per resident (euro) |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Smolyan | 937 |
| 23 | Haskovo | 780 |
| 24 | Vidin | 611 |
| 25 | Montana | 507 |
| 26 | Yambol | 463 |
| 27 | Kyustendil | 462 |
| 28 | Silistra | 458 |
Non-financial enterprises per 1,000 residents (2024)
Montana ranks 27 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Non-financial enterprises per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Pazardzhik | 54 |
| 23 | Razgrad | 53 |
| 24 | Pleven | 52 |
| 25 | Vidin | 48 |
| 26 | Kardzhali | 48 |
| 27 | Montana | 47 |
| 28 | Vratsa | 46 |
Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) (2024)
Montana ranks 21 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Burgas | 18.2% |
| 19 | Targovishte | 17.6% |
| 20 | Dobrich | 17.0% |
| 21 | Montana | 15.4% |
| 22 | Varna | 15.1% |
| 23 | Blagoevgrad | 14.8% |
| 24 | Haskovo | 13.2% |
Share of output from finance, property and business services (2024)
Montana ranks 9 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from finance, property and business services |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Yambol | 21.4% |
| 7 | Haskovo | 20.6% |
| 8 | Pernik | 20.2% |
| 9 | Montana | 19.4% |
| 10 | Burgas | 18.9% |
| 11 | Shumen | 18.1% |
| 12 | Lovech | 18.1% |
Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services (2024)
Montana ranks 5 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Pleven | 33.1% |
| 3 | Silistra | 32.7% |
| 4 | Sliven | 32.4% |
| 5 | Montana | 31.0% |
| 6 | Razgrad | 29.8% |
| 7 | Lovech | 29.4% |
| 8 | Veliko Tarnovo | 27.8% |
More on Montana: overview · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government and politics · Severozapaden · Bulgaria
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gdp: GDP per person, PPS (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3bf0fc662f56…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gdp: GDP, million euros (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 096e15e5fdb3…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3empers: Employment, thousand people (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 664e4e3a6dc0…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3empers: Employment (thousand persons) by NUTS 3 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 222a97c302d3…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gva: Gross value added at basic prices by NUTS 3 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c656e8563bdf…)
- 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…)
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