Poverty and living standards in Smolyan (Yuzhen tsentralen, Bulgaria): official figures
18.2% of people in Smolyan 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 Smolyan ranks 10th lowest of 28 districts.
What is the poverty line in Smolyan district?
The at-risk-of-poverty threshold for a single person in Smolyan was 9,102 leva a year in the 2025 survey (about 758 leva a month, based on 2024 incomes), 88% of the national threshold of 10,400 leva.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow unequal is income in Smolyan district?
The richest fifth of households in Smolyan had 4.3 times the income of the poorest fifth in the 2025 survey, and the Gini coefficient was 28.9 (Bulgaria: 7.0 times and 37.7).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyWhat is the crime rate in Smolyan district?
Police registered 487 crimes against persons and property in Smolyan district in 2024, 5.4 per 1,000 residents (the lowest of 28 districts; national 11.6).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many pensioners are there in Smolyan district?
36,863 pensioners lived in Smolyan at the end of 2024, equal to 40.7% of its population against 31.5% nationally (4th highest of 28 districts).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many homes are there in Smolyan district?
Smolyan district had 74,372 dwellings at the end of 2024, 821 per 1,000 residents, up 12.6% since 2019.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyIs there water rationing in Smolyan district?
In 2024, 2.24% of the population of Smolyan lived under a water-supply regime (rationed supply), against 5.77% nationally; 70.7% were connected to public sewerage and 45.3% to wastewater treatment plants.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow big are homes in Smolyan district?
Homes in Smolyan offered 51.7 square metres of living floor space per resident at the end of 2024, 8th most of 28 districts (national 42.6).
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyHow many new homes are built in Smolyan district?
40 new dwellings were completed in Smolyan in 2024, 0.44 per 1,000 residents compared with 3.26 for Bulgaria.
Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copyMore figures
- The poverty rate in Smolyan rose from 13.1% in the 2024 survey to 18.2% in 2025; in the 2019 survey it was 23.2%. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- 5.1% of the population of Smolyan lived in severe material and social deprivation in 2025, and 20.7% were at risk of poverty or social exclusion (national 15.0% and 29.0%). Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- 52.6% of crimes against persons and property in Smolyan were solved in 2024 (national 49.5%), and police uncovered 125 economic crimes causing 31 thousand leva of damage. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
- Courts imposed penalties for 189 crimes committed in Smolyan district in 2024 and convicted 188 people, 20.8 per 10,000 residents (national 33.9); 9.6% of those convicted were women. Source: National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria (NSI) · saved copy
How Smolyan compares with other provinces in Bulgaria
At-risk-of-poverty rate, regional poverty line (%) (2025)
Smolyan ranks 19 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 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | Burgas | 18.7% |
| 17 | Blagoevgrad | 18.5% |
| 18 | Vidin | 18.3% |
| 19 | Smolyan | 18.2% |
| 20 | Pleven | 17.8% |
| 21 | Pernik | 17.6% |
| 22 | Razgrad | 17.3% |
At-risk-of-poverty threshold, single person (leva a year) (2025)
Smolyan ranks 16 of 28, highest first. Survey year 2025 (2024 incomes)
| Rank | Area | At-risk-of-poverty threshold, single person (leva a year) |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Pazardzhik | 9,341 |
| 14 | Yambol | 9,283 |
| 15 | Dobrich | 9,232 |
| 16 | Smolyan | 9,102 |
| 17 | Shumen | 9,062 |
| 18 | Lovech | 9,006 |
| 19 | Pleven | 8,790 |
At risk of poverty or social exclusion (%) (2025)
Smolyan ranks 26 of 28, highest first. Survey year 2025
| Rank | Area | At risk of poverty or social exclusion (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Blagoevgrad | 25.1% |
| 23 | Shumen | 23.3% |
| 24 | Montana | 23.2% |
| 25 | Ruse | 22.0% |
| 26 | Smolyan | 20.7% |
| 27 | Gabrovo | 20.6% |
| 28 | Kyustendil | 16.6% |
Registered crimes against persons and property per 1,000 residents (2024)
Smolyan ranks 28 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)
Smolyan ranks 4 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)
Smolyan ranks 14 of 28, highest first. Share of residents with rationed public water supply
| Rank | Area | Population under a water-supply regime (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Stara Zagora | 3.84% |
| 12 | Pazardzhik | 3.75% |
| 13 | Montana | 3.19% |
| 14 | Smolyan | 2.24% |
| 15 | Burgas | 2.04% |
| 16 | Vratsa | 1.85% |
| 17 | Plovdiv | 1.82% |
People convicted per 10,000 residents (2024)
Smolyan ranks 26 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)
Smolyan ranks 8 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Living floor space per resident (square metres) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Burgas | 52.7 |
| 6 | Montana | 51.8 |
| 7 | Sofia | 51.8 |
| 8 | Smolyan | 51.7 |
| 9 | Gabrovo | 51.0 |
| 10 | Vratsa | 45.9 |
| 11 | Veliko Tarnovo | 45.3 |
New dwellings completed per 1,000 residents (2024)
Smolyan ranks 25 of 28, highest first.
| Rank | Area | New dwellings completed per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Razgrad | 0.46 |
| 23 | Kyustendil | 0.45 |
| 24 | Lovech | 0.45 |
| 25 | Smolyan | 0.44 |
| 26 | Montana | 0.35 |
| 27 | Silistra | 0.28 |
| 28 | Vidin | 0.20 |
More on Smolyan: 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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