Economy, jobs and prices in Stara Zagora (Yugoiztochen, Bulgaria): official figures
GDP per person was 36,200 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2024, 91% of the EU average (66% for Bulgaria); 2nd highest of 28 provinces in Bulgaria.
How big is the economy of Stara Zagora?
The local economy produced €6.5 billion of output (GDP) in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people work in Stara Zagora?
About 148,540 people worked in Stara Zagora in 2023 (employment by place of work).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the average salary in Stara Zagora district?
The average annual wage in Stara Zagora district was 24,731 leva in 2024, roughly 2,061 leva a month; that is 5th highest of 28 districts and 89% of the Bulgarian average (27,898 leva).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhich jobs pay most in Stara Zagora district?
In Stara Zagora the best-paid sector in 2024 was electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply at 42,535 leva a year, and the lowest-paid was accommodation and food service activities at 14,639 leva.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhat is the GDP per capita of Stara Zagora district?
Gross domestic product per person in Stara Zagora was 43,721 leva in 2024, 137% of the national figure; industry produced 68.2% of its gross value added and services 30.1%.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow much foreign investment does Stara Zagora district have?
Foreign direct investment in non-financial enterprises in Stara Zagora stood at 910 million euro at the end of 2024, or 3,152 euro per resident, 8th highest of 28 districts (national average 5,267 euro).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many companies are there in Stara Zagora district?
There were 17,356 non-financial enterprises in Stara Zagora in 2024 (60 per 1,000 residents, national 73), employing 94,585 people and reporting net sales of 15,515 million leva.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Stara Zagora district?
The registered unemployment level in Stara Zagora district averaged 4.0% in 2024 (5,129 people on the labour office register), 6th lowest of 28 districts; the national level was 5.2%.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many hotels are there in Stara Zagora district?
Stara Zagora district had 68 accommodation establishments with 5,536 bed-places in 2024, and they welcomed 253,943 overnight visitors.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhat is the main industry in Stara Zagora?
The largest part of the economy of Stara Zagora in 2024 was industry (manufacturing, mining and energy), at 65.5% of gross value added, followed by trade, transport, hospitality and communications (11.3%).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow industrial is Stara Zagora?
Factories, mines and energy produced 65.5% of the value added in Stara Zagora in 2024, against 19.4% for Bulgaria.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow fast is the economy of Stara Zagora growing?
Gross value added rose from €2.0 billion in 2015 to €5.6 billion in 2024 in current prices, an increase of 188% before inflation.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat jobs do people do in Stara Zagora?
Of the 148,540 jobs located in Stara Zagora in 2023, 19% in public services, education, health and other services, 34% in industry and 16.6% in farming, forestry and fishing.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre jobs growing in Stara Zagora?
The number of people working in Stara Zagora rose by 1.1% between 2015 and 2023, to 148,540.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- Stara Zagora district had an average of 100,833 employees on labour or civil-service contracts in 2024; 30.4% 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 Stara Zagora rose from 17,015 leva in 2019 to 43,721 leva in 2024, a gain of 157% (Bulgaria: 76%). Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- Businesses and public bodies in Stara Zagora spent 1,266 million leva on acquiring tangible fixed assets in 2024, 4,384 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 Stara Zagora in 2024, 13.2% were aged 29 or under and 14.4% 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 Stara Zagora earned 50.6 million leva from 657,087 nights spent in 2024, about 77 leva per night against 87 leva across Bulgaria. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
How Stara Zagora compares with other provinces in Bulgaria
Registered unemployment level (%) (2024)
Stara Zagora ranks 23 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 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | Veliko Tarnovo | 5.2% |
| 21 | Yambol | 5.2% |
| 22 | Plovdiv | 4.0% |
| 23 | Stara Zagora | 4.0% |
| 24 | Sofia | 4.0% |
| 25 | Gabrovo | 3.9% |
| 26 | Pernik | 3.8% |
Accommodation revenue per night spent (leva) (2024)
Stara Zagora ranks 10 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Accommodation revenue per night spent (leva) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Burgas | 84 |
| 8 | Lovech | 81 |
| 9 | Kyustendil | 78 |
| 10 | Stara Zagora | 77 |
| 11 | Plovdiv | 75 |
| 12 | Haskovo | 74 |
| 13 | Targovishte | 72 |
Average annual wage of employees (leva) (2024)
Stara Zagora ranks 5 of 28, highest first. Employees under labour and civil-service contracts
| Rank | Area | Average annual wage of employees (leva) |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 8 | Gabrovo | 22,267 |
Foreign direct investment per resident (euro) (2024)
Stara Zagora ranks 8 of 28, highest first. Stock in non-financial enterprises at 31 December 2024
| Rank | Area | Foreign direct investment per resident (euro) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Plovdiv | 4,110 |
| 6 | Varna | 3,767 |
| 7 | Razgrad | 3,191 |
| 8 | Stara Zagora | 3,152 |
| 9 | Ruse | 3,142 |
| 10 | Targovishte | 2,943 |
| 11 | Pazardzhik | 2,896 |
Non-financial enterprises per 1,000 residents (2024)
Stara Zagora ranks 14 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Non-financial enterprises per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Ruse | 68 |
| 12 | Yambol | 62 |
| 13 | Pernik | 61 |
| 14 | Stara Zagora | 60 |
| 15 | Veliko Tarnovo | 59 |
| 16 | Silistra | 58 |
| 17 | Sliven | 57 |
Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) (2024)
Stara Zagora ranks 1 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)
Stara Zagora ranks 28 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)
Stara Zagora ranks 28 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 Stara Zagora: 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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