Poverty and living standards in Kardzhali (Yuzhen tsentralen, Bulgaria): official figures
19.7% of people in Kardzhali district were at risk of poverty in the 2025 survey, measured against the district's own poverty line; the national rate was 21.2% and Kardzhali ranks 14th highest of 28 districts.
What is the poverty line in Kardzhali district?
The at-risk-of-poverty threshold for a single person in Kardzhali was 8,166 leva a year in the 2025 survey (about 680 leva a month, based on 2024 incomes), 79% of the national threshold of 10,400 leva.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow unequal is income in Kardzhali district?
The richest fifth of households in Kardzhali had 5.8 times the income of the poorest fifth in the 2025 survey, and the Gini coefficient was 32.7 (Bulgaria: 7.0 times and 37.7).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhat is the crime rate in Kardzhali district?
Police registered 904 crimes against persons and property in Kardzhali district in 2024, 6.0 per 1,000 residents (2nd lowest of 28 districts; national 11.6).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many pensioners are there in Kardzhali district?
62,483 pensioners lived in Kardzhali at the end of 2024, equal to 41.8% of its population against 31.5% nationally (3rd highest of 28 districts).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many homes are there in Kardzhali district?
Kardzhali district had 83,525 dwellings at the end of 2024, 559 per 1,000 residents, up 8.0% since 2019.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyIs there water rationing in Kardzhali district?
In 2024, 1.34% of the population of Kardzhali lived under a water-supply regime (rationed supply), against 5.77% nationally; 42.2% were connected to public sewerage and 38.0% to wastewater treatment plants.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow big are homes in Kardzhali district?
Homes in Kardzhali offered 40.3 square metres of living floor space per resident at the end of 2024, 8th least of 28 districts (national 42.6).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many new homes are built in Kardzhali district?
567 new dwellings were completed in Kardzhali in 2024, 3.79 per 1,000 residents compared with 3.26 for Bulgaria.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyMore figures
- The poverty rate in Kardzhali rose from 17.4% in the 2024 survey to 19.7% in 2025; in the 2019 survey it was 24.2%. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- 17.5% of the population of Kardzhali lived in severe material and social deprivation in 2025, and 32.5% were at risk of poverty or social exclusion (national 15.0% and 29.0%). Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- 65.6% of crimes against persons and property in Kardzhali were solved in 2024 (national 49.5%), and police uncovered 88 economic crimes causing 8 thousand leva of damage. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- Courts imposed penalties for 271 crimes committed in Kardzhali district in 2024 and convicted 269 people, 18.0 per 10,000 residents (national 33.9); 7.4% of those convicted were women. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
How Kardzhali compares with other provinces in Bulgaria
At-risk-of-poverty rate, regional poverty line (%) (2025)
Kardzhali ranks 14 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 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Dobrich | 19.8% |
| 12 | Shumen | 19.7% |
| 13 | Plovdiv | 19.7% |
| 14 | Kardzhali | 19.7% |
| 15 | Montana | 19.4% |
| 16 | Burgas | 18.7% |
| 17 | Blagoevgrad | 18.5% |
At-risk-of-poverty threshold, single person (leva a year) (2025)
Kardzhali ranks 26 of 28, highest first. Survey year 2025 (2024 incomes)
| Rank | Area | At-risk-of-poverty threshold, single person (leva a year) |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Sliven | 8,402 |
| 23 | Haskovo | 8,340 |
| 24 | Razgrad | 8,269 |
| 25 | Veliko Tarnovo | 8,226 |
| 26 | Kardzhali | 8,166 |
| 27 | Vidin | 7,972 |
| 28 | Silistra | 6,962 |
At risk of poverty or social exclusion (%) (2025)
Kardzhali ranks 8 of 28, highest first. Survey year 2025
| Rank | Area | At risk of poverty or social exclusion (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Pazardzhik | 34.2% |
| 6 | Pleven | 34.0% |
| 7 | Targovishte | 33.9% |
| 8 | Kardzhali | 32.5% |
| 9 | Dobrich | 30.2% |
| 10 | Plovdiv | 29.5% |
| 11 | Haskovo | 29.0% |
Registered crimes against persons and property per 1,000 residents (2024)
Kardzhali ranks 27 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Registered crimes against persons and property per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Targovishte | 9.9 |
| 23 | Yambol | 9.4 |
| 24 | Blagoevgrad | 9.2 |
| 25 | Plovdiv | 8.4 |
| 26 | Silistra | 8.4 |
| 27 | Kardzhali | 6.0 |
| 28 | Smolyan | 5.4 |
Pensioners as a share of the population (%) (2024)
Kardzhali ranks 3 of 28, highest first. At 31 December 2024
| Rank | Area | Pensioners as a share of the population (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vidin | 42.6% |
| 2 | Gabrovo | 42.2% |
| 3 | Kardzhali | 41.8% |
| 4 | Smolyan | 40.7% |
| 5 | Kyustendil | 40.4% |
| 6 | Silistra | 39.6% |
| 7 | Vratsa | 38.7% |
Population under a water-supply regime (%) (2024)
Kardzhali ranks 19 of 28, highest first. Share of residents with rationed public water supply
| Rank | Area | Population under a water-supply regime (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | Vratsa | 1.85% |
| 17 | Plovdiv | 1.82% |
| 18 | Razgrad | 1.72% |
| 19 | Kardzhali | 1.34% |
| 20 | Varna | 1.26% |
| 21 | Yambol | 0.90% |
| 22 | Haskovo | 0.52% |
People convicted per 10,000 residents (2024)
Kardzhali ranks 27 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 |
Living floor space per resident (square metres) (2024)
Kardzhali ranks 21 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Living floor space per resident (square metres) |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Stara Zagora | 40.7 |
| 19 | Pazardzhik | 40.5 |
| 20 | Varna | 40.4 |
| 21 | Kardzhali | 40.3 |
| 22 | Silistra | 39.2 |
| 23 | Ruse | 38.6 |
| 24 | Sofia (stolitsa) | 37.9 |
New dwellings completed per 1,000 residents (2024)
Kardzhali ranks 4 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 |
More on Kardzhali: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government and politics · Yuzhen tsentralen · 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…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.