Economy, jobs and prices in Pernik (Yugozapaden, Bulgaria): official figures
GDP per person was 14,700 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2024, 37% of the EU average (66% for Bulgaria); 20th highest of 28 provinces in Bulgaria.
How big is the economy of Pernik?
The local economy produced €1.0 billion of output (GDP) in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people work in Pernik?
About 43,610 people worked in Pernik in 2023 (employment by place of work).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the average salary in Pernik district?
The average annual wage in Pernik district was 21,641 leva in 2024, roughly 1,803 leva a month; that is 13th highest of 28 districts and 78% of the Bulgarian average (27,898 leva).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhich jobs pay most in Pernik district?
In Pernik the best-paid sector in 2024 was public administration and defence; compulsory social security at 30,727 leva a year, and the lowest-paid was accommodation and food service activities at 12,928 leva.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhat is the GDP per capita of Pernik district?
Gross domestic product per person in Pernik was 17,774 leva in 2024, 56% of the national figure; industry produced 31.9% of its gross value added and services 64.5%.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow much foreign investment does Pernik district have?
Foreign direct investment in non-financial enterprises in Pernik stood at 268 million euro at the end of 2024, or 2,443 euro per resident, 12th highest of 28 districts (national average 5,267 euro).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many companies are there in Pernik district?
There were 6,658 non-financial enterprises in Pernik in 2024 (61 per 1,000 residents, national 73), employing 26,886 people and reporting net sales of 4,620 million leva.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Pernik district?
The registered unemployment level in Pernik district averaged 3.8% in 2024 (1,923 people on the labour office register), 3rd lowest of 28 districts; the national level was 5.2%.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many hotels are there in Pernik district?
Pernik district had 12 accommodation establishments with 549 bed-places in 2024, and they welcomed 21,362 overnight visitors.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhat is the main industry in Pernik?
The largest part of the economy of Pernik in 2024 was industry (manufacturing, mining and energy), at 23.4% of gross value added, followed by public administration, education, health and other services (22.7%).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow industrial is Pernik?
Industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) made up 23.4% of output in 2024, against 19.4% for Bulgaria.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow fast is the economy of Pernik growing?
Gross value added rose from €0.3 billion in 2015 to €0.9 billion in 2024 in current prices, an increase of 158% before inflation.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat jobs do people do in Pernik?
Of the 43,610 jobs located in Pernik in 2023, 23% in public services, education, health and other services, 22% in industry and 18.6% in farming, forestry and fishing.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre jobs growing in Pernik?
The number of people working in Pernik rose by 8.7% between 2015 and 2023, to 43,610.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- Pernik district had an average of 28,359 employees on labour or civil-service contracts in 2024; 23.1% 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 Pernik rose from 9,781 leva in 2019 to 17,774 leva in 2024, a gain of 82% (Bulgaria: 76%). Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- Businesses and public bodies in Pernik spent 434 million leva on acquiring tangible fixed assets in 2024, 3,949 leva per resident against 5,793 leva nationally; the private sector accounted for 77%. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- Of the registered unemployed in Pernik in 2024, 11.0% were aged 29 or under and 13.0% 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 Pernik earned 2.2 million leva from 38,499 nights spent in 2024, about 58 leva per night against 87 leva across Bulgaria. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
How Pernik compares with other provinces in Bulgaria
Registered unemployment level (%) (2024)
Pernik ranks 26 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 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Plovdiv | 4.0% |
| 23 | Stara Zagora | 4.0% |
| 24 | Sofia | 4.0% |
| 25 | Gabrovo | 3.9% |
| 26 | Pernik | 3.8% |
| 27 | Varna | 3.5% |
| 28 | Sofia (stolitsa) | 1.7% |
Accommodation revenue per night spent (leva) (2024)
Pernik ranks 24 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Accommodation revenue per night spent (leva) |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | Shumen | 62 |
| 22 | Vidin | 60 |
| 23 | Silistra | 59 |
| 24 | Pernik | 58 |
| 25 | Pleven | 57 |
| 26 | Gabrovo | 55 |
| 27 | Montana | 54 |
Average annual wage of employees (leva) (2024)
Pernik ranks 13 of 28, highest first. Employees under labour and civil-service contracts
| Rank | Area | Average annual wage of employees (leva) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Pleven | 21,930 |
| 11 | Razgrad | 21,765 |
| 12 | Burgas | 21,644 |
| 13 | Pernik | 21,641 |
| 14 | Veliko Tarnovo | 21,565 |
| 15 | Pazardzhik | 21,392 |
| 16 | Targovishte | 21,158 |
Foreign direct investment per resident (euro) (2024)
Pernik ranks 12 of 28, highest first. Stock in non-financial enterprises at 31 December 2024
| Rank | Area | Foreign direct investment per resident (euro) |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Ruse | 3,142 |
| 10 | Targovishte | 2,943 |
| 11 | Pazardzhik | 2,896 |
| 12 | Pernik | 2,443 |
| 13 | Blagoevgrad | 2,351 |
| 14 | Dobrich | 2,320 |
| 15 | Kardzhali | 2,147 |
Non-financial enterprises per 1,000 residents (2024)
Pernik ranks 13 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Non-financial enterprises per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Kyustendil | 69 |
| 11 | Ruse | 68 |
| 12 | Yambol | 62 |
| 13 | Pernik | 61 |
| 14 | Stara Zagora | 60 |
| 15 | Veliko Tarnovo | 59 |
| 16 | Silistra | 58 |
Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) (2024)
Pernik ranks 11 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Smolyan | 24.2% |
| 9 | Pleven | 23.8% |
| 10 | Lovech | 23.5% |
| 11 | Pernik | 23.4% |
| 12 | Yambol | 21.5% |
| 13 | Razgrad | 21.4% |
| 14 | Shumen | 21.0% |
Share of output from finance, property and business services (2024)
Pernik ranks 8 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from finance, property and business services |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Kyustendil | 21.7% |
| 6 | Yambol | 21.4% |
| 7 | Haskovo | 20.6% |
| 8 | Pernik | 20.2% |
| 9 | Montana | 19.4% |
| 10 | Burgas | 18.9% |
| 11 | Shumen | 18.1% |
Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services (2024)
Pernik ranks 19 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | Kardzhali | 23.7% |
| 17 | Yambol | 23.1% |
| 18 | Ruse | 22.7% |
| 19 | Pernik | 22.7% |
| 20 | Plovdiv | 21.8% |
| 21 | Targovishte | 21.5% |
| 22 | Burgas | 21.5% |
More on Pernik: overview · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government and politics · Yugozapaden · 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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