Irakleio: population, economy and official figures
Irakleio is a regional unit in Crete, Greece. Irakleio had 301,598 residents on 1 January 2025, 48.6% of Crete and 2.91% of Greece; 8th largest of 52 regional units in Greece.
301,598
114.7
44.7
20.8%
2,642
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Irakleio: GDP per person was 21,600 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2023, 56% of the EU average (68% for Greece); 22nd highest of 52 regional units in Greece.
- Health in Irakleio: 2,442 doctors were registered in Heraklion in 2024, 8.01 per 1,000 residents (Greece: 6.67), 4th highest of 45 among areas with separate figures.
- Education in Irakleio: Graduates made up 31.0% of the economically active population of Heraklion in 2021 (34.6% in Greece), 15th highest of 52 among the NUTS3 areas.
- Poverty and living standards in Irakleio: 34.9% of the 185,759 conventional dwellings in Heraklion stood empty at the 2021 census (34.5% nationally), 16th lowest of 52 among the NUTS3 areas.
- Government and politics in Irakleio: In the first round of the October 2023 regional election, turnout in Heraklion was 63.8% (164,902 of 258,569 registered voters), 3rd highest of 52 among Greece's NUTS3 areas.
Is the population of Irakleio growing?
That is 1.9% fewer people than in 2015 (307,544).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow densely populated is Irakleio?
There were 114.7 people per square kilometre in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the median age in Irakleio?
The median age was 44.7 years in 2025, against 47.2 for Greece; 47th highest of 52 regional units in Greece.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow old is the population of Irakleio?
20.8% of residents were 65 or older and 15.3% were under 15 in 2025.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many births and deaths are there in Irakleio?
In 2024 there were 2,544 live births and 3,180 deaths, a natural decrease of 636.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow big is Irakleio?
It covers 2,642 km².
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre people moving to Irakleio?
The net migration rate was -0.9 per 1,000 residents in 2024, while births minus deaths gave a natural change of -2.1 per 1,000.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyFigures come from Greece's own official statistics and from Eurostat's regional statistics for NUTS 3 areas. Comparisons with the EU average use purchasing power standards (PPS), which adjust for price differences.
Other regional units in Crete
Up a level: Crete · all regions of Greece · how local power works in Greece
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_pjangrp3: Population on 1 January (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4c748d3cba3a…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_d3dens: Population density, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 f4b59fe9d121…)
- 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 demo_r_pjanind3: Median age of the population (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7bf6ade55a0d…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_pjanind3: Share of people aged 65 or over (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 17aa0d08ab9c…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_fagec3: Live births (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 cfda9b5f4ebd…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset reg_area3: Area, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 75302b0aafe9…)
- Ministry of Interior (Hellenic Republic), election results service ekloges.ypes.gr: Regional and municipal elections of 8 and 15 October 2023: official result data files for the 13 regions, their regional units and the eight largest municipalities (snom_synoptiki, snom_n_1-13, dhm_d files; zipped exactly as served) and the ekloges.ypes.gr home page, read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 8757355f5c7d…)
- Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT): 2021 Population-Housing Census tables SAM04 A01 (residents by sex, education and activity status, regional units), SAM04 B03 (same, municipalities), SAM05 A01 (conventional dwellings by occupancy, period of construction and building type), SAM05 A07 (occupied dwellings by floor space per person) and SAM05 B02 (occupied dwellings by tenure), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 86872ba6c2c0…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3empers: Employment (thousand persons) by NUTS 3 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 222a97c302d3…)
- Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT): Primary schools (SED12 tables 01L, 04L, 13L, 14L) and lower secondary schools / gymnasia (SED21 tables 01L, 04AL, 08L, 09L) by region and prefecture, end of school year 2023/24, read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 ed8244b2e393…)
- Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT): Physicians by speciality and dentists by geographic region and prefecture, 2024 and 2014 (SHE09 table 01); health centres, their physicians, nursing staff and medical equipment by region, 2021-2025 (SHE06 census of primary health care units, tables 4-6), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 298615e9a8d8…)
- 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…)
- Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT): Road traffic accidents and casualties by category and nature of accident, by regional unit, 2024 (publication SDT04 Road traffic accidents - yearly, table 01), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4fb266596c18…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset demo_r_gind3: Population change: demographic balance and crude rates by NUTS 3 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7548e948e15c…)
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