Zala: population, economy and official figures

Zala is a county in Nyugat-Dunántúl, Hungary. Zala had 257,371 residents on 1 January 2025, 26.4% of Nyugat-Dunántúl and 2.70% of Hungary; 17th largest of 20 counties in Hungary.

Population

257,371

2025

People per km²

69.8

2024

Median age

48.7

2025

Aged 65+

25.1%

2025

Area (km²)

3,784

2026

In depth

Economy, jobs and prices in Zala: GDP per person was 20,600 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2024, 52% of the EU average (76% for Hungary); 13th highest of 20 counties in Hungary.
Health in Zala: Zala County had 148 family doctors (general practitioners and family paediatricians) in 2024, one for every 1,739 residents, compared with one per 1,577 in 2010 and 1,744 nationally.
Education in Zala: 17,457 children attended primary school full-time in Zala County in the 2024/25 school year, down 11.2% on 2010/11.
Poverty and living standards in Zala: Police and prosecutors registered 4,396 criminal offences in Zala County in 2024, 1,699 per 100,000 residents, 3rd lowest of 20 counties (national rate 2,442).
Government and politics in Zala: In the 9 June 2024 election to the Zala County Assembly, Fidesz–KDNP took 57.3% of the valid list votes cast in Zala County and Mi Hazánk came second with 15.2%.

Is the population of Zala growing?

That is 6.8% fewer people than in 2015 (276,249).

Source: Eurostat · saved copy

How densely populated is Zala?

There were 69.8 people per square kilometre in 2024.

Source: Eurostat · saved copy

What is the median age in Zala?

The median age was 48.7 years in 2025, against 44.8 for Hungary; the highest of 20 counties in Hungary.

Source: Eurostat · saved copy

How old is the population of Zala?

25.1% of residents were 65 or older and 12.2% were under 15 in 2025.

Source: Eurostat · saved copy

How many births and deaths are there in Zala?

In 2024 there were 1,615 live births and 3,849 deaths, a natural decrease of 2,234.

Source: Eurostat · saved copy

How big is Zala?

It covers 3,784 km².

Source: Eurostat · saved copy

Are people moving to Zala?

More people left than arrived in 2024: net migration was -2.0 per 1,000 residents, while births minus deaths gave a natural change of -8.6 per 1,000.

Source: Eurostat · saved copy

Figures come from Hungary'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 county in Nyugat-Dunántúl

Győr-Moson-Sopron 471,648
Vas 245,598

Up a level: Nyugat-Dunántúl · all regions of Hungary · how local power works in Hungary

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…)
Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3empers: Employment (thousand persons) by NUTS 3 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 222a97c302d3…)
Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH): Regional Statistical Yearbook of Hungary, 2024: chapter 3.4 Health care, accidents (tables by county, capital and region), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b4fc24d7eb67…)
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…)
Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH): Regional Statistical Yearbook of Hungary, 2024: chapter 3.6 Education (tables by county, capital and region), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1a8369e062fe…)
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…)
Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH): Regional Statistical Yearbook of Hungary, 2024: chapter 3.5 Social care protection (tables by county, capital and region), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 430512e0cd70…)
National Election Office of Hungary (Nemzeti Választási Iroda): Local elections of 9 June 2024: final polling-station results by county (mayors, Lord Mayor, council districts, county and Budapest assembly lists), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 ded173cdd985…)
Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH): Regional Statistical Yearbook of Hungary, 2024: chapter 3.1 Labour (tables by county, capital and region), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d973255c0375…)
Hungarian Central Statistical Office (KSH): Regional Statistical Yearbook of Hungary, 2024: chapter 3.8 Justice (tables by county, capital and region), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 57eb93aee154…)

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