Economy, jobs and prices in Istarska županija (Jadranska Hrvatska, Croatia): official figures
GDP per person was 34,800 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2024, 87% of the EU average (78% for Croatia); 3rd highest of 21 counties in Croatia.
How big is the economy of Istarska županija?
The local economy produced €5.1 billion of output (GDP) in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people work in Istarska županija?
About 105,800 people worked in Istarska županija in 2024 (employment by place of work).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the average salary in Istria County?
The average monthly net wage paid in Istria County was €1,358 in 2025, 11th highest of the 21 counties, against a national average of €1,449.
Source: Državni zavod za statistiku (Croatian Bureau of Statistics) · saved copyHow much have wages risen in Istria County?
Net pay in Istria County rose from the equivalent of €847 a month in 2020 (HRK 6,383, converted at the fixed rate of 7.5345 kuna per euro) to €1,358 in 2025, an increase of 60.3% that ranks 2nd slowest of the 21 counties for wage growth.
Source: Državni zavod za statistiku (Croatian Bureau of Statistics) · saved copyWhat is the average gross salary in Istria County?
The average gross monthly wage in Istria County was €1,870 in 2025, so deductions took 27.4% of gross pay (national gross average €2,016).
Source: Državni zavod za statistiku (Croatian Bureau of Statistics) · saved copyWhich jobs pay the most in Istria County?
By activity, the best-paid sector in Istria County in 2025 was telecommunication, computer programming, consulting, computing infrastructure and other information service activities at €1,952 net a month, and the lowest-paid was administrative and support service activities at €1,066.
Source: Državni zavod za statistiku (Croatian Bureau of Statistics) · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Istria County?
The registered unemployment rate in Istria County was 1.0% in June 2026 (1.2% for women and 0.9% for men), the lowest of the 21 counties; the national rate was 3.3%.
Source: Državni zavod za statistiku (Croatian Bureau of Statistics) · saved copyHow many unemployed people are there in Istria County?
On 31 March 2025 Istria County had 2,780 registered jobseekers and a registered unemployment rate of 2.7%, down from 9.9% in 2015.
Source: Državni zavod za statistiku (Croatian Bureau of Statistics) · saved copyHow many people work in Istria County?
Administrative records counted 91,624 people in employment in Istria County on 31 March 2024, up 11.8% on 2019.
Source: Državni zavod za statistiku (Croatian Bureau of Statistics) · saved copyHow many people are self-employed in Istria County?
Crafts and the free professions employed 18,031 people in Istria County in March 2025, 18.3% of all employment there, and 765 private farmers were actively insured.
Source: Državni zavod za statistiku (Croatian Bureau of Statistics) · saved copyWhat is the main industry in Istarska županija?
The largest part of the economy of Istarska županija in 2024 was trade, transport, hospitality and communications, at 41.9% of gross value added, followed by finance, property and business services (20.8%).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow industrial is Istarska županija?
Industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) made up 14.2% of output in 2024, against 15.5% for Croatia.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow fast is the economy of Istarska županija growing?
Gross value added rose from €2.3 billion in 2015 to €4.2 billion in 2024 in current prices, an increase of 84% before inflation.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat jobs do people do in Istarska županija?
Of the 105,800 jobs located in Istarska županija in 2024, 21% in public services, education, health and other services, 16% in industry and 3.8% in farming, forestry and fishing.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre jobs growing in Istarska županija?
The number of people working in Istarska županija rose by 21.9% between 2015 and 2024, to 105,800.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow Istarska županija compares with other counties in Croatia
Average monthly net wage (€) (2025)
Istarska županija ranks 11 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Average monthly net wage (€) |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Šibensko-kninska županija | €1,367 |
| 9 | Zadarska županija | €1,367 |
| 10 | Dubrovačko-neretvanska županija | €1,358 |
| 11 | Istarska županija | €1,358 |
| 12 | Sisačko-moslavačka županija | €1,357 |
| 13 | Varaždinska županija | €1,353 |
| 14 | Međimurska županija | €1,339 |
Growth in average net wage, 2020-2025 (%) (2020-2025)
Istarska županija ranks 20 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Growth in average net wage, 2020-2025 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Koprivničko-križevačka županija | 63.2% |
| 16 | Dubrovačko-neretvanska županija | 63.2% |
| 17 | Zagrebačka županija | 63.0% |
| 18 | Međimurska županija | 62.0% |
| 19 | Ličko-senjska županija | 60.4% |
| 20 | Istarska županija | 60.3% |
| 21 | Grad Zagreb | 55.9% |
Registered unemployment rate, June 2026 (%) (2026-06)
Istarska županija ranks 21 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Registered unemployment rate, June 2026 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Zagrebačka županija | 2.4% |
| 16 | Karlovačka županija | 2.3% |
| 17 | Grad Zagreb | 2.2% |
| 18 | Koprivničko-križevačka županija | 2.2% |
| 19 | Varaždinska županija | 2.2% |
| 20 | Krapinsko-zagorska županija | 1.8% |
| 21 | Istarska županija | 1.0% |
Employment in crafts and free professions, share of all employment (%) (2025)
Istarska županija ranks 1 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Employment in crafts and free professions, share of all employment (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Istarska županija | 18.3% |
| 2 | Šibensko-kninska županija | 17.3% |
| 3 | Zadarska županija | 16.4% |
| 4 | Dubrovačko-neretvanska županija | 15.7% |
| 5 | Splitsko-dalmatinska županija | 15.6% |
| 6 | Virovitičko-podravska županija | 15.4% |
| 7 | Primorsko-goranska županija | 14.8% |
Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) (2024)
Istarska županija ranks 14 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Osječko-baranjska županija | 17.3% |
| 12 | Vukovarsko-srijemska županija | 16.3% |
| 13 | Virovitičko-podravska županija | 15.2% |
| 14 | Istarska županija | 14.2% |
| 15 | Šibensko-kninska županija | 13.8% |
| 16 | Sisačko-moslavačka županija | 13.8% |
| 17 | Grad Zagreb | 11.3% |
Share of output from finance, property and business services (2024)
Istarska županija ranks 9 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from finance, property and business services |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Sisačko-moslavačka županija | 22.2% |
| 7 | Primorsko-goranska županija | 21.4% |
| 8 | Virovitičko-podravska županija | 21.0% |
| 9 | Istarska županija | 20.8% |
| 10 | Osječko-baranjska županija | 20.0% |
| 11 | Vukovarsko-srijemska županija | 19.3% |
| 12 | Brodsko-posavska županija | 18.9% |
Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services (2024)
Istarska županija ranks 20 of 21, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Krapinsko-zagorska županija | 19.9% |
| 16 | Varaždinska županija | 18.8% |
| 17 | Primorsko-goranska županija | 18.7% |
| 18 | Koprivničko-križevačka županija | 17.8% |
| 19 | Međimurska županija | 15.2% |
| 20 | Istarska županija | 15.0% |
| 21 | Zagrebačka županija | 13.8% |
More on Istarska županija: overview · health · education and schools · government budget · government and politics · Jadranska Hrvatska · Croatia
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gdp: GDP per person, PPS (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3bf0fc662f56…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gdp: GDP, million euros (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 096e15e5fdb3…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3empers: Employment, thousand people (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 664e4e3a6dc0…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gva: Gross value added at basic prices by NUTS 3 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c656e8563bdf…)
- Državni zavod za statistiku (Croatian Bureau of Statistics): Zaposlenost i plaće - pregled po županijama (Employment and wages - review by counties), tables 9.4.1-9.4.14, read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 89f18ea88cdf…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3empers: Employment (thousand persons) by NUTS 3 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 222a97c302d3…)
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