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Economy, jobs and prices in Apulia, Italy: official figures

GDP per person was 25,500 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2024, 64% of the EU average; 19th highest of 21 regions in Italy. PPS adjust for price differences between countries.

GDP per person (PPS)
25,500
2024
GDP per person (euros)
24,300
2024
GDP (million euros)
94,508
2024
Unemployment rate
10.0%
2025
Youth unemployment rate
32.6%
2025
Employment rate (20-64)
55.2%
2025
R&D spending (% of GDP)
0.90%
2024
Workers in irregular (undeclared) jobs (%)
12.6%
2022

How big is the economy of Apulia?

The regional economy produced €94.5 billion of output (GDP at market prices) in 2024, 4.3% of Italy's GDP.

Source: Eurostat · saved copy

What is the unemployment rate in Apulia?

The unemployment rate (age 15 to 74) was 10.0% in 2025, against 6.1% for Italy and 6.0% across the EU; 3rd highest of 21 regions in Italy.

Source: Eurostat · saved copy

What is youth unemployment in Apulia?

Youth unemployment (age 15 to 24) was 32.6% in 2025, against 20.6% for Italy; 3rd highest of 18 regions in Italy.

Source: Eurostat · saved copy

What share of adults in Apulia are in work?

The employment rate (age 20 to 64) was 55.2% in 2025, against 67.6% for Italy and 76.1% across the EU; 18th highest of 21 regions in Italy.

Source: Eurostat · saved copy

How much does Apulia spend on research and development?

Spending on research and development came to 0.90% of GDP in 2024 (1.41% nationally).

Source: Eurostat · saved copy

How much undeclared work is there in Apulia?

Istat estimates that 12.6% of people in work in Apulia were in irregular, undeclared jobs in 2022 (Italy 9.7%): 4th highest of 21 regions and autonomous provinces.

Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copy

How many workers in Apulia are low paid?

17.6% of employees in Apulia earned less than two-thirds of the median hourly wage in 2020 (Italy 10.1%), 2nd highest of 21 regions and autonomous provinces, down from 19.1% in 2015.

Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copy

What is the real unemployment rate in Apulia?

The labour non-participation rate, which adds people available to work but not searching to the unemployed, was 21.5% in Apulia in 2025 (Italy 12.6%), 4th highest of 21 regions and autonomous provinces, down from 30.8% in 2020.

Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copy

Are young graduates leaving Apulia?

Apulia had a net migration rate of -33.2 per 1,000 resident Italian graduates aged 25 to 39 in 2023 (Italy -6.2), counting moves to and from other regions and abroad: 5th worst of 21 regions and autonomous provinces.

Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copy

How many part-time workers in Apulia want a full-time job?

7.8% of people in work in Apulia were in part-time jobs because they could not find full-time work in 2025 (Italy 7.7%), 10th lowest of 21 regions and autonomous provinces, down from 13.5% in 2020.

Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copy

How many workers in Apulia are stuck on temporary contracts?

34.5% of people on temporary contracts in Apulia had been in fixed-term work for at least five years in 2025 (Italy 21.3%), up from 24.6% in 2020.

Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copy

Are graduates in Apulia overqualified for their jobs?

19.1% of employed graduates aged 25 to 64 in Apulia held jobs that did not need a degree in 2025 (Italy 20.9%), up from 16.6% in 2020.

Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copy

How dangerous is work in Apulia?

Workplace accidents causing death or permanent disability ran at 13.0 per 10,000 people in work in Apulia in 2022 (Italy 11.0).

Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copy

How many high-skilled jobs are there in Apulia?

Knowledge workers, graduates in scientific and technical occupations, made up 19.1% of employment in Apulia in 2025 (Italy 19.2%), up from 16.7% in 2020.

Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copy

How many people in Apulia are long-term unemployed?

In 2025, 6.1% of the labour force in Apulia had been unemployed for 12 months or more, compared with 3.1% nationally and 1.9% in the EU; 3rd highest of 18 regions in Italy. In 2015 it was 12.2%.

Source: Eurostat · saved copy

What is the unemployment rate for women in Apulia?

Unemployment among women was 11.5% in 2025, compared with 6.8% nationally and 6.2% in the EU; 3rd highest of 20 regions in Italy. In 2015 it was 21.8%.

Source: Eurostat · saved copy

How many women in Apulia are in work?

The employment rate for women aged 20 to 64 reached 40.9% in 2025, compared with 58.0% nationally and 71.3% in the EU; 4th lowest of 21 regions in Italy. In 2015 it was 33.0%.

Source: Eurostat · saved copy

Is the economy of Apulia growing?

Output (gross value added, after inflation) changed by -0.2% in 2024 (Italy: 0.7%); 5th lowest of 21 regions in Italy. In 2014 it was 0.2%.

Source: Eurostat · saved copy

How many cars are there in Apulia?

There were 649 passenger cars per 1,000 people in 2024 (Italy: 701); 3rd lowest of 21 regions in Italy. In 2014 it was 553.

Source: Eurostat · saved copy

What is the average salary in Apulia?

Average compensation per employee (pay plus employer social contributions) was €20,854 in 2023, against €25,343 across Italy; 2nd lowest of 21 regions in Italy.

Source: Eurostat · saved copy

How many tourists visit Apulia?

Visitors spent 22.7 million nights in tourist accommodation in 2025, 38% of them by visitors from abroad.

Source: Eurostat · saved copy

What is the main industry in Apulia?

The largest part of the economy of Apulia in 2024 was finance, property and business services, at 26.1% of gross value added, followed by public administration, education, health and other services (25.7%).

Source: Eurostat · saved copy

How industrial is Apulia?

Factories, mines and energy produced 12.3% of the value added in Apulia in 2024, against 19.0% for Italy.

Source: Eurostat · saved copy

How fast is the economy of Apulia growing?

Gross value added rose from €64.1 billion in 2015 to €84.5 billion in 2024 in current prices, an increase of 32% before inflation.

Source: Eurostat · saved copy

What jobs do people do in Apulia?

Of the 1,465,500 jobs located in Apulia in 2024, 29% in public services, education, health and other services, 12% in industry and 8.5% in farming, forestry and fishing.

Source: Eurostat · saved copy

Are jobs growing in Apulia?

The number of people working in Apulia rose by 9.9% between 2015 and 2024, to 1,465,500.

Source: Eurostat · saved copy

How Apulia compares with other regions

Workers in irregular (undeclared) jobs (%) (2022)

Apulia ranks 4 of 21, highest first.

RankRegionWorkers in irregular (undeclared) jobs (%)
1Calabria17.0%
2Campania14.2%
3Sicily13.7%
4Apulia12.6%
5Molise12.4%
6Basilicata12.0%
7Lazio11.8%
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copy

Employees with low hourly pay (%) (2020)

Apulia ranks 2 of 21, highest first.

RankRegionEmployees with low hourly pay (%)
1Calabria19.0%
2Apulia17.6%
3Sicily16.1%
4Campania15.1%
5Basilicata14.2%
6Lazio10.8%
7Abruzzo10.8%
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copy

Labour non-participation rate, 15-74 (%) (2025)

Apulia ranks 4 of 21, highest first.

RankRegionLabour non-participation rate, 15-74 (%)
1Campania27.3%
2Sicily27.2%
3Calabria26.1%
4Apulia21.5%
5Basilicata18.1%
6Sardinia18.0%
7Molise15.5%
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copy

Net migration of Italian graduates aged 25-39 (per 1,000 graduates) (2023)

Apulia ranks 17 of 21, highest first.

RankRegionNet migration of Italian graduates aged 25-39 (per 1,000 graduates)
14Sardinia-16.4
15Abruzzo-18.3
16Campania-29.7
17Apulia-33.2
18Sicily-34.5
19Molise-40.9
20Calabria-43.1
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copy

Involuntary part-time workers (%) (2025)

Apulia ranks 12 of 21, highest first.

RankRegionInvoluntary part-time workers (%)
9Lazio8.7%
10Liguria8.6%
11Marche8.2%
12Apulia7.8%
13Abruzzo7.7%
14Friuli-Venezia Giulia7.1%
15Piedmont6.9%
Source: Istat (Italian National Institute of Statistics) · saved copy

Long-term unemployment (% of labour force) (2025)

Apulia ranks 3 of 18, highest first.

RankRegionLong-term unemployment (% of labour force)
1Campania8.1%
2Sicily7.6%
3Apulia6.1%
4Calabria5.4%
5Molise4.3%
6Sardinia3.9%
7Abruzzo3.3%
Source: Eurostat · saved copy

Unemployment rate, women (2025)

Apulia ranks 3 of 20, highest first.

RankRegionUnemployment rate, women
1Campania15.8%
2Sicily14.3%
3Apulia11.5%
4Calabria10.7%
5Sardinia9.0%
6Abruzzo7.1%
7Piedmont6.8%
Source: Eurostat · saved copy

Employment rate, women aged 20-64 (2025)

Apulia ranks 18 of 21, highest first.

RankRegionEmployment rate, women aged 20-64
15Sardinia54.7%
16Molise50.7%
17Basilicata49.0%
18Apulia40.9%
19Calabria37.7%
20Sicily37.5%
21Campania36.8%
Source: Eurostat · saved copy

Real growth in gross value added (2024)

Apulia ranks 17 of 21, highest first.

RankRegionReal growth in gross value added
14Emilia-Romagna0.2%
15Veneto-0.1%
16Marche-0.1%
17Apulia-0.2%
18Calabria-0.7%
19Liguria-1.1%
20Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano/Bozen-1.1%
Source: Eurostat · saved copy

Passenger cars per 1,000 people (2024)

Apulia ranks 19 of 21, highest first.

RankRegionPassenger cars per 1,000 people
15Friuli-Venezia Giulia695
16Emilia-Romagna691
17Veneto680
18Campania667
19Apulia649
20Lombardy640
21Liguria563
Source: Eurostat · saved copy

Compensation per employee (euros) (2023)

Apulia ranks 20 of 21, highest first.

RankRegionCompensation per employee (euros)
15Molise€22,370
16Sardinia€22,123
17Basilicata€21,966
18Sicily€21,837
19Campania€21,531
20Apulia€20,854
21Calabria€20,406
Source: Eurostat · saved copy

Nights spent in tourist accommodation (2025)

Apulia ranks 9 of 21, highest first.

RankRegionNights spent in tourist accommodation
6Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano/Bozen38.2 million
7Campania24.0 million
8Sicily23.4 million
9Apulia22.7 million
10Provincia Autonoma di Trento22.7 million
11Sardinia21.7 million
12Piedmont18.2 million
Source: Eurostat · saved copy

Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) (2024)

Apulia ranks 17 of 21, highest first.

RankRegionShare of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy)
14Liguria14.5%
15Valle d’Aosta/Vallée d’Aoste13.0%
16Campania12.8%
17Apulia12.3%
18Lazio10.3%
19Sardinia8.8%
20Sicily8.4%
Source: Eurostat · saved copy

Share of output from finance, property and business services (2024)

Apulia ranks 14 of 21, highest first.

RankRegionShare of output from finance, property and business services
11Umbria26.7%
12Veneto26.3%
13Sicily26.3%
14Apulia26.1%
15Sardinia25.9%
16Marche25.8%
17Campania25.6%
Source: Eurostat · saved copy

Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services (2024)

Apulia ranks 6 of 21, highest first.

RankRegionShare of output from public administration, education, health and other services
3Sardinia28.7%
4Valle d’Aosta/Vallée d’Aoste27.0%
5Molise26.6%
6Apulia25.7%
7Lazio24.1%
8Campania23.9%
9Basilicata22.7%
Source: Eurostat · saved copy

More on Apulia: overview · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · government and politics · Italy

Sources

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