Economy, jobs and prices in Sliven (Yugoiztochen, Bulgaria): official figures
GDP per person was 10,800 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2024, 27% of the EU average (66% for Bulgaria); the lowest of 28 provinces in Bulgaria.
How big is the economy of Sliven?
The local economy produced €1.1 billion of output (GDP) in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people work in Sliven?
About 77,620 people worked in Sliven in 2023 (employment by place of work).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the average salary in Sliven district?
The average annual wage in Sliven district was 20,526 leva in 2024, roughly 1,710 leva a month; that is 8th lowest of 28 districts and 74% of the Bulgarian average (27,898 leva).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhich jobs pay most in Sliven district?
In Sliven the best-paid sector in 2024 was information and communication at 34,998 leva a year, and the lowest-paid was accommodation and food service activities at 14,980 leva.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhat is the GDP per capita of Sliven district?
Gross domestic product per person in Sliven was 13,103 leva in 2024, 41% of the national figure; industry produced 13.5% of its gross value added and services 79.8%.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow much foreign investment does Sliven district have?
Foreign direct investment in non-financial enterprises in Sliven stood at 169 million euro at the end of 2024, or 999 euro per resident, 8th lowest of 28 districts (national average 5,267 euro).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many companies are there in Sliven district?
There were 9,632 non-financial enterprises in Sliven in 2024 (57 per 1,000 residents, national 73), employing 36,435 people and reporting net sales of 5,285 million leva.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Sliven district?
The registered unemployment level in Sliven district averaged 7.0% in 2024 (4,395 people on the labour office register), 14th lowest of 28 districts; the national level was 5.2%.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many hotels are there in Sliven district?
Sliven district had 59 accommodation establishments with 1,832 bed-places in 2024, and they welcomed 52,067 overnight visitors.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhat is the main industry in Sliven?
The largest part of the economy of Sliven in 2024 was public administration, education, health and other services, at 32.4% of gross value added, followed by trade, transport, hospitality and communications (25.3%).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow industrial is Sliven?
Industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) made up 7.6% of output in 2024, against 19.4% for Bulgaria.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow fast is the economy of Sliven growing?
Gross value added rose from €0.5 billion in 2015 to €1.0 billion in 2024 in current prices, an increase of 99% before inflation.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat jobs do people do in Sliven?
Of the 77,620 jobs located in Sliven in 2023, 20% in public services, education, health and other services, 17% in industry and 38.3% in farming, forestry and fishing.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre jobs growing in Sliven?
The number of people working in Sliven rose by 18.6% between 2015 and 2023, to 77,620.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- Sliven district had an average of 36,580 employees on labour or civil-service contracts in 2024; 24.7% 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 Sliven rose from 8,558 leva in 2019 to 13,103 leva in 2024, a gain of 53% (Bulgaria: 76%). Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- Businesses and public bodies in Sliven spent 457 million leva on acquiring tangible fixed assets in 2024, 2,701 leva per resident against 5,793 leva nationally; the private sector accounted for 80%. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- Of the registered unemployed in Sliven in 2024, 11.3% were aged 29 or under and 26.8% 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 Sliven earned 6.6 million leva from 95,276 nights spent in 2024, about 69 leva per night against 87 leva across Bulgaria. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
How Sliven compares with other provinces in Bulgaria
Registered unemployment level (%) (2024)
Sliven ranks 15 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 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | Pleven | 7.8% |
| 13 | Pazardzhik | 7.8% |
| 14 | Kyustendil | 7.2% |
| 15 | Sliven | 7.0% |
| 16 | Haskovo | 6.6% |
| 17 | Ruse | 5.6% |
| 18 | Burgas | 5.4% |
Accommodation revenue per night spent (leva) (2024)
Sliven ranks 14 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Accommodation revenue per night spent (leva) |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Plovdiv | 75 |
| 12 | Haskovo | 74 |
| 13 | Targovishte | 72 |
| 14 | Sliven | 69 |
| 15 | Ruse | 68 |
| 16 | Smolyan | 66 |
| 17 | Razgrad | 66 |
Average annual wage of employees (leva) (2024)
Sliven ranks 21 of 28, highest first. Employees under labour and civil-service contracts
| Rank | Area | Average annual wage of employees (leva) |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Dobrich | 20,840 |
| 19 | Montana | 20,728 |
| 20 | Lovech | 20,666 |
| 21 | Sliven | 20,526 |
| 22 | Kardzhali | 20,323 |
| 23 | Silistra | 19,471 |
| 24 | Vidin | 19,445 |
Foreign direct investment per resident (euro) (2024)
Sliven ranks 21 of 28, highest first. Stock in non-financial enterprises at 31 December 2024
| Rank | Area | Foreign direct investment per resident (euro) |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Shumen | 1,586 |
| 19 | Vratsa | 1,216 |
| 20 | Pleven | 1,205 |
| 21 | Sliven | 999 |
| 22 | Smolyan | 937 |
| 23 | Haskovo | 780 |
| 24 | Vidin | 611 |
Non-financial enterprises per 1,000 residents (2024)
Sliven ranks 17 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Non-financial enterprises per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | Stara Zagora | 60 |
| 15 | Veliko Tarnovo | 59 |
| 16 | Silistra | 58 |
| 17 | Sliven | 57 |
| 18 | Sofia | 56 |
| 19 | Lovech | 56 |
| 20 | Shumen | 55 |
Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) (2024)
Sliven ranks 27 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Varna | 15.1% |
| 23 | Blagoevgrad | 14.8% |
| 24 | Haskovo | 13.2% |
| 25 | Silistra | 10.0% |
| 26 | Sofia (stolitsa) | 8.2% |
| 27 | Sliven | 7.6% |
| 28 | Vidin | 7.6% |
Share of output from finance, property and business services (2024)
Sliven ranks 3 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from finance, property and business services |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sofia (stolitsa) | 29.3% |
| 2 | Vidin | 23.7% |
| 3 | Sliven | 22.2% |
| 4 | Varna | 22.1% |
| 5 | Kyustendil | 21.7% |
| 6 | Yambol | 21.4% |
| 7 | Haskovo | 20.6% |
Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services (2024)
Sliven ranks 4 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vidin | 35.3% |
| 2 | Pleven | 33.1% |
| 3 | Silistra | 32.7% |
| 4 | Sliven | 32.4% |
| 5 | Montana | 31.0% |
| 6 | Razgrad | 29.8% |
| 7 | Lovech | 29.4% |
More on Sliven: overview · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government and politics · Yugoiztochen · 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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