Sălaj: population, economy and official figures
Sălaj is a county in Nord-Vest, Romania. Sălaj had 211,140 residents on 1 January 2025, 8.3% of Nord-Vest and 1.11% of Romania; 40th largest of 42 counties in Romania.
211,140
54.7
44.2
20.4%
3,868
In depth
- Economy, jobs and prices in Sălaj: GDP per person was 23,100 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2024, 58% of the EU average (77% for Romania); 21st highest of 42 counties in Romania.
- Education in Sălaj: In the summer 2026 baccalaureate, 986 of the 1,401 candidates who sat the exam in Sălaj passed, a pass rate of 70.4% that ranked 11th lowest of 42 counties (Romania: 76.9%).
- Poverty and living standards in Sălaj: In September 2026 the public pension fund paid 52,597 pensioners in Sălaj an average of 2,664 lei a month, which ranked 21st lowest of 42 counties (Romania: 2,821 lei).
- Government budget and revenue in Sălaj: The 2026 state budget bill allocates 78.4 million lei of VAT revenue to Sălaj County Council and the county's local authorities for decentralised services such as child protection and care for disabled adults, 1.8% of the national total of 4,445.7 million lei; 14th smallest of 41 allocations.
Is the population of Sălaj growing?
That is 3.6% fewer people than in 2015 (219,024).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow densely populated is Sălaj?
There were 54.7 people per square kilometre in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the median age in Sălaj?
The median age was 44.2 years in 2025, against 44 for Romania; 23rd highest of 42 counties in Romania.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow old is the population of Sălaj?
20.4% of residents were 65 or older and 16.5% were under 15 in 2025.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many births and deaths are there in Sălaj?
In 2024 there were 1,970 live births and 2,822 deaths, a natural decrease of 852.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow big is Sălaj?
It covers 3,868 km².
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre people moving to Sălaj?
Net migration added 6.3 people per 1,000 residents in 2024, while births minus deaths gave a natural change of -4.0 per 1,000.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyFigures come from Romania'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 Nord-Vest
- Cluj 697,374
- Bihor 556,894
- Maramureş 450,925
- Satu Mare 330,466
- Bistriţa-Năsăud 297,211
Up a level: Nord-Vest · all regions of Romania · how local power works in Romania
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…)
- Agenția Națională pentru Ocuparea Forței de Muncă (ANOFM): Situația statistică a șomajului înregistrat la 31 august 2026: tabele pe județe și regiuni (registered unemployment tables by county and region), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 343e7489d801…)
- 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 demo_r_gind3: Population change: demographic balance and crude rates by NUTS 3 region, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 7548e948e15c…)
- 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…)
- Ministerul Educației și Cercetării: Examenul național de bacalaureat 2026, prima sesiune: dosar de presă cu rezultatele finale (după contestații), pe județe, read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3d5694987c5a…)
- Casa Națională de Pensii Publice (CNPP): Situație centralizatoare privind numărul de angajatori, numărul de asigurați și salariul mediu brut pe județe, conform declarațiilor D112, iulie 2026, read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 149307a7ff89…)
- Casa Națională de Pensii Publice (CNPP): Indicatori statistici pilon I, septembrie 2026: pensionari, pensia medie și indemnizația socială pentru pensionari pe județe, read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 ef51fa5f14c1…)
- Agenția Națională pentru Ocuparea Forței de Muncă (ANOFM): Situația statistică a șomajului înregistrat la 31 august 2025: tabele pe județe (registered unemployment tables by county), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 5bf2118fcad5…)
- Senatul României (budget bill submitted by the Government of Romania, Ministry of Finance): Proiectul Legii bugetului de stat pe anul 2026, Anexa nr. 4: sume defalcate din TVA pentru finanțarea cheltuielilor descentralizate la nivelul județelor, 2026 și estimări 2027-2029, read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 8b73d83105b9…)
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