Economy, jobs and prices in Irakleio (Crete, Greece): official figures
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.
How big is the economy of Irakleio?
The local economy produced €5.5 billion of output (GDP) in 2023.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people work in Irakleio?
About 162,650 people worked in Irakleio in 2023 (employment by place of work).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Heraklion?
Heraklion had 12.4% of its labour force out of work at the 2021 census (17,493 people), compared with 14.2% for Greece as a whole, 9th lowest of 52 among the NUTS3 areas.
Source: Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) · saved copyHow many people work in Heraklion?
124,040 residents of Heraklion were in work and 141,531 were economically active at the 2021 census, out of a resident population of 305,016.
Source: Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) · saved copyWhat is the female unemployment rate in Heraklion?
Unemployment among women in Heraklion was 13.1% at the 2021 census, against 11.8% among men, a gap of 1.3 percentage points.
Source: Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) · saved copyHow many pensioners live in Heraklion?
Heraklion had 60,896 pensioners in 2021, 49 for every 100 people in work (59 nationally), 10th lowest of 52 among the NUTS3 areas.
Source: Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) · saved copyWhat is the main industry in Irakleio?
The largest part of the economy of Irakleio in 2023 was trade, transport, hospitality and communications, at 35.9% of gross value added, followed by finance, property and business services (23.8%).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow industrial is Irakleio?
Factories, mines and energy produced 10.4% of the value added in Irakleio in 2023, against 14.8% for Greece.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow fast is the economy of Irakleio growing?
Gross value added rose from €3.7 billion in 2015 to €4.8 billion in 2023 in current prices, an increase of 29% before inflation.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat jobs do people do in Irakleio?
Of the 162,650 jobs located in Irakleio in 2023, 18% in public services, education, health and other services, 8% in industry and 13.4% in farming, forestry and fishing.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre jobs growing in Irakleio?
The number of people working in Irakleio rose by 22.1% between 2015 and 2023, to 162,650.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- 24.7% of the unemployed in Heraklion in 2021 were looking for their first job (4,313 people), versus 24.1% across Greece. Source: Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) · saved copy
- 46.4% of all residents of Heraklion were economically active, working or looking for work, at the 2021 census (44.3% nationally), and 58,538 were pupils or students. Source: Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) · saved copy
How Irakleio compares with other regional units in Greece
Unemployment rate at the 2021 census (2021)
Irakleio ranks 44 of 52, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Unemployment rate at the 2021 census |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | Voiotia | 13.3% |
| 42 | Dytikos Tomeas Athinon | 13.1% |
| 43 | Lakonia, Messinia | 12.8% |
| 44 | Irakleio | 12.4% |
| 45 | Notios Tomeas Athinon | 12.3% |
| 46 | Andros, Thira, Kea, Milos, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Syros, Tinos | 11.1% |
| 47 | Anatoliki Attiki | 11.1% |
Pensioners per 100 employed people, 2021 census (2021)
Irakleio ranks 43 of 52, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Pensioners per 100 employed people, 2021 census |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | Peiraias, Nisoi | 52 |
| 41 | Notios Tomeas Athinon | 51 |
| 42 | Voreios Tomeas Athinon | 51 |
| 43 | Irakleio | 49 |
| 44 | Kentrikos Tomeas Athinon | 49 |
| 45 | Anatoliki Attiki | 48 |
| 46 | Chania | 48 |
Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) (2023)
Irakleio ranks 36 of 52, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) |
|---|---|---|
| 33 | Lasithi | 11.5% |
| 34 | Peiraias, Nisoi | 11.5% |
| 35 | Ileia | 11.5% |
| 36 | Irakleio | 10.4% |
| 37 | Voreios Tomeas Athinon | 9.8% |
| 38 | Chalkidiki | 9.4% |
| 39 | Chania | 9.0% |
Share of output from finance, property and business services (2023)
Irakleio ranks 15 of 52, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from finance, property and business services |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | Ioannina | 24.2% |
| 13 | Lefkada | 24.0% |
| 14 | Ithaki, Kefallinia | 23.9% |
| 15 | Irakleio | 23.8% |
| 16 | Thessaloniki | 23.7% |
| 17 | Ikaria, Samos | 23.7% |
| 18 | Lesvos, Limnos | 23.6% |
Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services (2023)
Irakleio ranks 28 of 52, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | Kilkis | 21.8% |
| 26 | Peiraias, Nisoi | 21.4% |
| 27 | Fthiotida | 21.0% |
| 28 | Irakleio | 20.9% |
| 29 | Chania | 20.7% |
| 30 | Ileia | 20.0% |
| 31 | Lakonia, Messinia | 19.5% |
More on Irakleio: overview · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government and politics · Crete · Greece
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…)
- 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…)
- 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…)
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