Economy, jobs and prices in Vratsa (Severozapaden, Bulgaria): official figures
GDP per person was 23,900 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2024, 60% of the EU average (66% for Bulgaria); 4th highest of 28 provinces in Bulgaria.
How big is the economy of Vratsa?
The local economy produced €2.2 billion of output (GDP) in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people work in Vratsa?
About 59,100 people worked in Vratsa in 2023 (employment by place of work).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the average salary in Vratsa district?
The average annual wage in Vratsa district was 25,052 leva in 2024, roughly 2,088 leva a month; that is 4th highest of 28 districts and 90% of the Bulgarian average (27,898 leva).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhich jobs pay most in Vratsa district?
In Vratsa the best-paid sector in 2024 was public administration and defence; compulsory social security at 27,512 leva a year, and the lowest-paid was accommodation and food service activities at 11,676 leva.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhat is the GDP per capita of Vratsa district?
Gross domestic product per person in Vratsa was 28,880 leva in 2024, 91% of the national figure; industry produced 56.9% of its gross value added and services 38.3%.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow much foreign investment does Vratsa district have?
Foreign direct investment in non-financial enterprises in Vratsa stood at 177 million euro at the end of 2024, or 1,216 euro per resident, 10th lowest of 28 districts (national average 5,267 euro).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many companies are there in Vratsa district?
There were 6,752 non-financial enterprises in Vratsa in 2024 (46 per 1,000 residents, national 73), employing 31,141 people and reporting net sales of 5,432 million leva.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Vratsa district?
Labour offices in Vratsa district had 5,926 registered unemployed people on average in 2024, a registered unemployment level of 9.7% against 5.2% nationally, 7th highest of 28 districts.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many hotels are there in Vratsa district?
Vratsa district had 42 accommodation establishments with 1,421 bed-places in 2024, and they welcomed 59,285 overnight visitors.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhat is the main industry in Vratsa?
The largest part of the economy of Vratsa in 2024 was industry (manufacturing, mining and energy), at 55.2% of gross value added, followed by public administration, education, health and other services (17.7%).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow industrial is Vratsa?
Factories, mines and energy produced 55.2% of the value added in Vratsa in 2024, against 19.4% for Bulgaria.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow fast is the economy of Vratsa growing?
Gross value added rose from €0.7 billion in 2015 to €1.9 billion in 2024 in current prices, an increase of 166% before inflation.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat jobs do people do in Vratsa?
Of the 59,100 jobs located in Vratsa in 2023, 28% in public services, education, health and other services, 24% in industry and 20.1% in farming, forestry and fishing.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre jobs growing in Vratsa?
The number of people working in Vratsa fell by 5.1% between 2015 and 2023, to 59,100.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- Vratsa district had an average of 38,386 employees on labour or civil-service contracts in 2024; 18.5% 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 Vratsa rose from 13,582 leva in 2019 to 28,880 leva in 2024, a gain of 113% (Bulgaria: 76%). Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- Businesses and public bodies in Vratsa spent 582 million leva on acquiring tangible fixed assets in 2024, 3,988 leva per resident against 5,793 leva nationally; the private sector accounted for 47%. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- Of the registered unemployed in Vratsa in 2024, 13.2% were aged 29 or under and 35.5% 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 Vratsa earned 6.1 million leva from 134,374 nights spent in 2024, about 45 leva per night against 87 leva across Bulgaria. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
How Vratsa compares with other provinces in Bulgaria
Registered unemployment level (%) (2024)
Vratsa ranks 7 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 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Montana | 11.1% |
| 5 | Shumen | 10.2% |
| 6 | Razgrad | 9.7% |
| 7 | Vratsa | 9.7% |
| 8 | Targovishte | 9.3% |
| 9 | Blagoevgrad | 9.2% |
| 10 | Kardzhali | 9.2% |
Accommodation revenue per night spent (leva) (2024)
Vratsa ranks 28 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)
Vratsa ranks 4 of 28, highest first. Employees under labour and civil-service contracts
| Rank | Area | Average annual wage of employees (leva) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sofia (stolitsa) | 38,728 |
| 2 | Varna | 26,007 |
| 3 | Sofia | 25,190 |
| 4 | Vratsa | 25,052 |
| 5 | Stara Zagora | 24,731 |
| 6 | Plovdiv | 23,473 |
| 7 | Ruse | 22,490 |
Foreign direct investment per resident (euro) (2024)
Vratsa ranks 19 of 28, highest first. Stock in non-financial enterprises at 31 December 2024
| Rank | Area | Foreign direct investment per resident (euro) |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | Lovech | 1,880 |
| 17 | Veliko Tarnovo | 1,604 |
| 18 | Shumen | 1,586 |
| 19 | Vratsa | 1,216 |
| 20 | Pleven | 1,205 |
| 21 | Sliven | 999 |
| 22 | Smolyan | 937 |
Non-financial enterprises per 1,000 residents (2024)
Vratsa ranks 28 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)
Vratsa ranks 2 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stara Zagora | 65.5% |
| 2 | Vratsa | 55.2% |
| 3 | Sofia | 49.2% |
| 4 | Gabrovo | 36.1% |
| 5 | Kardzhali | 30.5% |
| 6 | Pazardzhik | 29.7% |
| 7 | Plovdiv | 26.3% |
Share of output from finance, property and business services (2024)
Vratsa ranks 27 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from finance, property and business services |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Kardzhali | 15.2% |
| 23 | Plovdiv | 15.1% |
| 24 | Targovishte | 14.0% |
| 25 | Gabrovo | 13.9% |
| 26 | Sofia | 12.6% |
| 27 | Vratsa | 10.2% |
| 28 | Stara Zagora | 8.0% |
Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services (2024)
Vratsa ranks 25 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Burgas | 21.5% |
| 23 | Gabrovo | 21.4% |
| 24 | Varna | 20.3% |
| 25 | Vratsa | 17.7% |
| 26 | Sofia (stolitsa) | 14.7% |
| 27 | Sofia | 12.4% |
| 28 | Stara Zagora | 10.9% |
More on Vratsa: 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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