Poverty and living standards in Pazardzhik (Yuzhen tsentralen, Bulgaria): official figures
21.9% of people in Pazardzhik 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 Pazardzhik ranks 6th highest of 28 districts.
What is the poverty line in Pazardzhik district?
The at-risk-of-poverty threshold for a single person in Pazardzhik was 9,341 leva a year in the 2025 survey (about 778 leva a month, based on 2024 incomes), 90% of the national threshold of 10,400 leva.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow unequal is income in Pazardzhik district?
The richest fifth of households in Pazardzhik had 5.6 times the income of the poorest fifth in the 2025 survey, and the Gini coefficient was 32.0 (Bulgaria: 7.0 times and 37.7).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhat is the crime rate in Pazardzhik district?
Police registered 2,234 crimes against persons and property in Pazardzhik district in 2024, 10.0 per 1,000 residents (8th lowest of 28 districts; national 11.6).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many pensioners are there in Pazardzhik district?
72,302 pensioners lived in Pazardzhik at the end of 2024, equal to 32.4% of its population against 31.5% nationally (9th lowest of 28 districts).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many homes are there in Pazardzhik district?
Pazardzhik district had 135,465 dwellings at the end of 2024, 606 per 1,000 residents, up 5.7% since 2019.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyIs there water rationing in Pazardzhik district?
In 2024, 3.75% of the population of Pazardzhik lived under a water-supply regime (rationed supply), against 5.77% nationally; 71.1% were connected to public sewerage and 41.0% to wastewater treatment plants.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow big are homes in Pazardzhik district?
Homes in Pazardzhik offered 40.5 square metres of living floor space per resident at the end of 2024, 10th least of 28 districts (national 42.6).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many new homes are built in Pazardzhik district?
527 new dwellings were completed in Pazardzhik in 2024, 2.36 per 1,000 residents compared with 3.26 for Bulgaria.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyMore figures
- The poverty rate in Pazardzhik rose from 15.8% in the 2024 survey to 21.9% in 2025; in the 2019 survey it was 20.8%. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- 21.5% of the population of Pazardzhik lived in severe material and social deprivation in 2025, and 34.2% were at risk of poverty or social exclusion (national 15.0% and 29.0%). Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- 60.3% of crimes against persons and property in Pazardzhik were solved in 2024 (national 49.5%), and police uncovered 238 economic crimes causing 3.2 million leva of damage. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- Courts imposed penalties for 753 crimes committed in Pazardzhik district in 2024 and convicted 688 people, 30.8 per 10,000 residents (national 33.9); 8.6% of those convicted were women. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
How Pazardzhik compares with other provinces in Bulgaria
At-risk-of-poverty rate, regional poverty line (%) (2025)
Pazardzhik ranks 6 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 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Targovishte | 23.7% |
| 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% |
At-risk-of-poverty threshold, single person (leva a year) (2025)
Pazardzhik ranks 13 of 28, highest first. Survey year 2025 (2024 incomes)
| Rank | Area | At-risk-of-poverty threshold, single person (leva a year) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Plovdiv | 9,806 |
| 11 | Vratsa | 9,627 |
| 12 | Burgas | 9,549 |
| 13 | Pazardzhik | 9,341 |
| 14 | Yambol | 9,283 |
| 15 | Dobrich | 9,232 |
| 16 | Smolyan | 9,102 |
At risk of poverty or social exclusion (%) (2025)
Pazardzhik ranks 5 of 28, highest first. Survey year 2025
| Rank | Area | At risk of poverty or social exclusion (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Sliven | 42.0% |
| 3 | Stara Zagora | 37.7% |
| 4 | Veliko Tarnovo | 36.9% |
| 5 | Pazardzhik | 34.2% |
| 6 | Pleven | 34.0% |
| 7 | Targovishte | 33.9% |
| 8 | Kardzhali | 32.5% |
Registered crimes against persons and property per 1,000 residents (2024)
Pazardzhik ranks 21 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Registered crimes against persons and property per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Gabrovo | 10.5 |
| 19 | Haskovo | 10.1 |
| 20 | Sofia | 10.1 |
| 21 | Pazardzhik | 10.0 |
| 22 | Targovishte | 9.9 |
| 23 | Yambol | 9.4 |
| 24 | Blagoevgrad | 9.2 |
Pensioners as a share of the population (%) (2024)
Pazardzhik ranks 20 of 28, highest first. At 31 December 2024
| Rank | Area | Pensioners as a share of the population (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | Dobrich | 34.2% |
| 18 | Haskovo | 34.1% |
| 19 | Shumen | 33.8% |
| 20 | Pazardzhik | 32.4% |
| 21 | Stara Zagora | 32.3% |
| 22 | Sofia | 30.2% |
| 23 | Blagoevgrad | 29.4% |
Population under a water-supply regime (%) (2024)
Pazardzhik ranks 12 of 28, highest first. Share of residents with rationed public water supply
| Rank | Area | Population under a water-supply regime (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Kyustendil | 6.20% |
| 10 | Blagoevgrad | 5.85% |
| 11 | Stara Zagora | 3.84% |
| 12 | Pazardzhik | 3.75% |
| 13 | Montana | 3.19% |
| 14 | Smolyan | 2.24% |
| 15 | Burgas | 2.04% |
People convicted per 10,000 residents (2024)
Pazardzhik ranks 22 of 28, highest first. By place where the crime was committed
| Rank | Area | People convicted per 10,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 19 | Targovishte | 34.8 |
| 20 | Veliko Tarnovo | 34.2 |
| 21 | Varna | 32.0 |
| 22 | Pazardzhik | 30.8 |
| 23 | Plovdiv | 29.7 |
| 24 | Pernik | 29.5 |
| 25 | Blagoevgrad | 24.8 |
Living floor space per resident (square metres) (2024)
Pazardzhik ranks 19 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Living floor space per resident (square metres) |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | Yambol | 41.2 |
| 17 | Haskovo | 41.0 |
| 18 | Stara Zagora | 40.7 |
| 19 | Pazardzhik | 40.5 |
| 20 | Varna | 40.4 |
| 21 | Kardzhali | 40.3 |
| 22 | Silistra | 39.2 |
New dwellings completed per 1,000 residents (2024)
Pazardzhik ranks 10 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | New dwellings completed per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 13 | Haskovo | 1.73 |
More on Pazardzhik: 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…)
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