Poverty and living standards in Sofia (stolitsa) (Yugozapaden, Bulgaria): official figures

The at-risk-of-poverty rate in Sofia City district was 21.5% in the 2025 survey (poverty line of the district itself), 7th highest of 28 districts; Bulgaria's rate was 21.2%.

What is the poverty line in Sofia City?

The at-risk-of-poverty threshold for a single person in Sofia City was 15,644 leva a year in the 2025 survey (about 1,304 leva a month, based on 2024 incomes), 150% of the national threshold of 10,400 leva.

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

How unequal is income in Sofia City?

The richest fifth of households in Sofia City had 7.8 times the income of the poorest fifth in the 2025 survey, and the Gini coefficient was 39.3 (Bulgaria: 7.0 times and 37.7).

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

What is the crime rate in Sofia City?

Police registered 16,183 crimes against persons and property in Sofia City district in 2024, 12.5 per 1,000 residents (8th highest of 28 districts; national 11.6).

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

How many pensioners are there in Sofia City?

328,687 pensioners lived in Sofia City at the end of 2024, equal to 25.4% of its population against 31.5% nationally (the lowest of 28 districts).

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

How many homes are there in Sofia City?

Sofia City district had 774,748 dwellings at the end of 2024, 598 per 1,000 residents, up 26.7% since 2019.

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

Is there water rationing in Sofia City?

Nobody in Sofia City lived under a water-supply regime (rationed supply) in 2024, while 5.77% of Bulgarians did; 96.0% were connected to public sewerage and 96.0% to wastewater treatment plants.

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

How big are homes in Sofia City?

Homes in Sofia City offered 37.9 square metres of living floor space per resident at the end of 2024, 5th least of 28 districts (national 42.6).

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

How many new homes are built in Sofia City?

6,888 new dwellings were completed in Sofia City in 2024, 5.32 per 1,000 residents compared with 3.26 for Bulgaria.

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

More figures

The poverty rate in Sofia City fell from 22.2% in the 2024 survey to 21.5% in 2025; in the 2019 survey it was 20.8%. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
8.3% of the population of Sofia City lived in severe material and social deprivation in 2025, and 25.3% were at risk of poverty or social exclusion (national 15.0% and 29.0%). Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
36.8% of crimes against persons and property in Sofia City were solved in 2024 (national 49.5%), and police uncovered 377 economic crimes causing 446 thousand leva of damage. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
Courts imposed penalties for 2,129 crimes committed in Sofia City district in 2024 and convicted 1,912 people, 14.8 per 10,000 residents (national 33.9); 10.2% of those convicted were women. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

How Sofia (stolitsa) compares with other provinces in Bulgaria

At-risk-of-poverty rate, regional poverty line (%) (2025)

Sofia (stolitsa) ranks 7 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 (%)
4	Lovech	22.8%
5	Sofia	21.9%
6	Pazardzhik	21.9%
7	Sofia (stolitsa)	21.5%
8	Yambol	21.1%
9	Veliko Tarnovo	20.4%
10	Varna	20.3%

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

At-risk-of-poverty threshold, single person (leva a year) (2025)

Sofia (stolitsa) ranks 1 of 28, highest first. Survey year 2025 (2024 incomes)

Rank	Area	At-risk-of-poverty threshold, single person (leva a year)
1	Sofia (stolitsa)	15,644
2	Varna	11,728
3	Ruse	10,852
4	Stara Zagora	10,599
5	Sofia	10,548
6	Pernik	10,493
7	Blagoevgrad	10,383

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

At risk of poverty or social exclusion (%) (2025)

Sofia (stolitsa) ranks 21 of 28, highest first. Survey year 2025

Rank	Area	At risk of poverty or social exclusion (%)
18	Varna	25.7%
19	Sofia	25.6%
20	Lovech	25.4%
21	Sofia (stolitsa)	25.3%
22	Blagoevgrad	25.1%
23	Shumen	23.3%
24	Montana	23.2%

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

Registered crimes against persons and property per 1,000 residents (2024)

Sofia (stolitsa) ranks 8 of 28, highest first.

Rank	Area	Registered crimes against persons and property per 1,000 residents
5	Burgas	13.4
6	Ruse	13.2
7	Lovech	13.1
8	Sofia (stolitsa)	12.5
9	Stara Zagora	11.7
10	Pernik	11.3
11	Veliko Tarnovo	11.3

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

Pensioners as a share of the population (%) (2024)

Sofia (stolitsa) ranks 28 of 28, highest first. At 31 December 2024

Rank	Area	Pensioners as a share of the population (%)
22	Sofia	30.2%
23	Blagoevgrad	29.4%
24	Sliven	29.4%
25	Plovdiv	28.9%
26	Burgas	27.5%
27	Varna	26.9%
28	Sofia (stolitsa)	25.4%

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

Population under a water-supply regime (%) (2024)

Sofia (stolitsa) ranks 28 of 28, highest first. Share of residents with rationed public water supply

Rank	Area	Population under a water-supply regime (%)
22	Haskovo	0.52%
23	Sofia	0.40%
24	Vidin	0.00%
25	Ruse	0.00%
26	Silistra	0.00%
27	Dobrich	0.00%
28	Sofia (stolitsa)	0.00%

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

People convicted per 10,000 residents (2024)

Sofia (stolitsa) ranks 28 of 28, highest first. By place where the crime was committed

Rank	Area	People convicted per 10,000 residents
22	Pazardzhik	30.8
23	Plovdiv	29.7
24	Pernik	29.5
25	Blagoevgrad	24.8
26	Smolyan	20.8
27	Kardzhali	18.0
28	Sofia (stolitsa)	14.8

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

Living floor space per resident (square metres) (2024)

Sofia (stolitsa) ranks 24 of 28, highest first.

Rank	Area	Living floor space per resident (square metres)
21	Kardzhali	40.3
22	Silistra	39.2
23	Ruse	38.6
24	Sofia (stolitsa)	37.9
25	Plovdiv	37.4
26	Razgrad	37.1
27	Shumen	37.0

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

New dwellings completed per 1,000 residents (2024)

Sofia (stolitsa) ranks 3 of 28, highest first.

Rank	Area	New dwellings completed per 1,000 residents
1	Burgas	7.40
2	Varna	5.46
3	Sofia (stolitsa)	5.32
4	Kardzhali	3.79
5	Blagoevgrad	3.71
6	Plovdiv	3.37
7	Stara Zagora	3.25

Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy

More on Sofia (stolitsa): 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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