Poverty and living standards in Pernik (Yugozapaden, Bulgaria): official figures
The at-risk-of-poverty rate in Pernik district was 17.6% in the 2025 survey (poverty line of the district itself), 8th lowest of 28 districts; Bulgaria's rate was 21.2%.
What is the poverty line in Pernik district?
The at-risk-of-poverty threshold for a single person in Pernik was 10,493 leva a year in the 2025 survey (about 874 leva a month, based on 2024 incomes), 101% of the national threshold of 10,400 leva.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow unequal is income in Pernik district?
The richest fifth of households in Pernik had 4.1 times the income of the poorest fifth in the 2025 survey, and the Gini coefficient was 25.1 (Bulgaria: 7.0 times and 37.7).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhat is the crime rate in Pernik district?
Police registered 1,243 crimes against persons and property in Pernik district in 2024, 11.3 per 1,000 residents (10th highest of 28 districts; national 11.6).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many pensioners are there in Pernik district?
40,141 pensioners lived in Pernik at the end of 2024, equal to 36.5% of its population against 31.5% nationally (11th highest of 28 districts).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many homes are there in Pernik district?
Pernik district had 100,719 dwellings at the end of 2024, 917 per 1,000 residents, up 4.6% since 2019.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyIs there water rationing in Pernik district?
In 2024, 14.06% of the population of Pernik lived under a water-supply regime (rationed supply), against 5.77% nationally; 79.6% were connected to public sewerage and 74.3% to wastewater treatment plants.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow big are homes in Pernik district?
Homes in Pernik offered 52.8 square metres of living floor space per resident at the end of 2024, 4th most of 28 districts (national 42.6).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many new homes are built in Pernik district?
312 new dwellings were completed in Pernik in 2024, 2.84 per 1,000 residents compared with 3.26 for Bulgaria.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyMore figures
- The poverty rate in Pernik fell from 32.1% in the 2024 survey to 17.6% in 2025; in the 2019 survey it was 20.9%. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- 15.9% of the population of Pernik lived in severe material and social deprivation in 2025, and 28.5% were at risk of poverty or social exclusion (national 15.0% and 29.0%). Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- 49.2% of crimes against persons and property in Pernik were solved in 2024 (national 49.5%), and police uncovered 76 economic crimes causing 39 thousand leva of damage. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- Courts imposed penalties for 389 crimes committed in Pernik district in 2024 and convicted 324 people, 29.5 per 10,000 residents (national 33.9); 6.8% of those convicted were women. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
How Pernik compares with other provinces in Bulgaria
At-risk-of-poverty rate, regional poverty line (%) (2025)
Pernik ranks 21 of 28, highest first. Survey year 2025 (2024 incomes); each district measured against its own poverty threshold
| Rank | Area | At-risk-of-poverty rate, regional poverty line (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Vidin | 18.3% |
| 19 | Smolyan | 18.2% |
| 20 | Pleven | 17.8% |
| 21 | Pernik | 17.6% |
| 22 | Razgrad | 17.3% |
| 23 | Haskovo | 16.1% |
| 24 | Ruse | 15.5% |
At-risk-of-poverty threshold, single person (leva a year) (2025)
Pernik ranks 6 of 28, highest first. Survey year 2025 (2024 incomes)
| Rank | Area | At-risk-of-poverty threshold, single person (leva a year) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Ruse | 10,852 |
| 4 | Stara Zagora | 10,599 |
| 5 | Sofia | 10,548 |
| 6 | Pernik | 10,493 |
| 7 | Blagoevgrad | 10,383 |
| 8 | Kyustendil | 10,294 |
| 9 | Gabrovo | 9,985 |
At risk of poverty or social exclusion (%) (2025)
Pernik ranks 13 of 28, highest first. Survey year 2025
| Rank | Area | At risk of poverty or social exclusion (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Plovdiv | 29.5% |
| 11 | Haskovo | 29.0% |
| 12 | Burgas | 28.5% |
| 13 | Pernik | 28.5% |
| 14 | Yambol | 27.8% |
| 15 | Vidin | 27.0% |
| 16 | Vratsa | 26.8% |
Registered crimes against persons and property per 1,000 residents (2024)
Pernik ranks 10 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Registered crimes against persons and property per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Lovech | 13.1 |
| 8 | Sofia (stolitsa) | 12.5 |
| 9 | Stara Zagora | 11.7 |
| 10 | Pernik | 11.3 |
| 11 | Veliko Tarnovo | 11.3 |
| 12 | Sliven | 11.1 |
| 13 | Pleven | 10.8 |
Pensioners as a share of the population (%) (2024)
Pernik ranks 11 of 28, highest first. At 31 December 2024
| Rank | Area | Pensioners as a share of the population (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Razgrad | 38.6% |
| 9 | Lovech | 37.4% |
| 10 | Pleven | 37.3% |
| 11 | Pernik | 36.5% |
| 12 | Montana | 35.8% |
| 13 | Yambol | 34.7% |
| 14 | Veliko Tarnovo | 34.7% |
Population under a water-supply regime (%) (2024)
Pernik ranks 5 of 28, highest first. Share of residents with rationed public water supply
| Rank | Area | Population under a water-supply regime (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Pleven | 51.14% |
| 3 | Targovishte | 33.83% |
| 4 | Sliven | 17.80% |
| 5 | Pernik | 14.06% |
| 6 | Shumen | 10.79% |
| 7 | Gabrovo | 8.11% |
| 8 | Veliko Tarnovo | 6.77% |
People convicted per 10,000 residents (2024)
Pernik ranks 24 of 28, highest first. By place where the crime was committed
| Rank | Area | People convicted per 10,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | Varna | 32.0 |
| 22 | Pazardzhik | 30.8 |
| 23 | Plovdiv | 29.7 |
| 24 | Pernik | 29.5 |
| 25 | Blagoevgrad | 24.8 |
| 26 | Smolyan | 20.8 |
| 27 | Kardzhali | 18.0 |
Living floor space per resident (square metres) (2024)
Pernik ranks 4 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Living floor space per resident (square metres) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vidin | 66.9 |
| 2 | Kyustendil | 56.4 |
| 3 | Lovech | 54.9 |
| 4 | Pernik | 52.8 |
| 5 | Burgas | 52.7 |
| 6 | Montana | 51.8 |
| 7 | Sofia | 51.8 |
New dwellings completed per 1,000 residents (2024)
Pernik ranks 9 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | New dwellings completed per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Plovdiv | 3.37 |
| 7 | Stara Zagora | 3.25 |
| 8 | Sofia | 2.91 |
| 9 | Pernik | 2.84 |
| 10 | Pazardzhik | 2.36 |
| 11 | Dobrich | 1.81 |
| 12 | Targovishte | 1.75 |
More on Pernik: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government and politics · Yugozapaden · Bulgaria
Sources
- 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…)
- National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI): Poverty and Social Inclusion Indicators by District, survey years 2008-2025 (EU-SILC), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 cc02ad48dd42…)
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