Economy, jobs and prices in Sălaj (Nord-Vest, Romania): official figures
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.
How big is the economy of Sălaj?
The local economy produced €2.9 billion of output (GDP) in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people work in Sălaj?
About 96,990 people worked in Sălaj in 2024 (employment by place of work).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Sălaj?
Sălaj had 5,630 registered unemployed people at the end of August 2026, a registered unemployment rate of 6.30% against 3.26% for Romania; this was 7th highest of 42 counties (Bucharest counted as one).
Source: Agenția Națională pentru Ocuparea Forței de Muncă (ANOFM) · saved copyIs unemployment rising in Sălaj?
Registered unemployment in Sălaj was 5.63% at the end of August 2025 with 5,085 people on the register, so over the year the rate rose by 0.67 percentage points and the count rose by 545 (ANOFM computes the 2026 rate on the active population at 1 January 2025 and the 2025 rate on that at 1 January 2024).
Source: Agenția Națională pentru Ocuparea Forței de Muncă (ANOFM) · saved copyHow many people get unemployment benefit in Sălaj?
Only 19.1% of the unemployed registered in Sălaj county (1,076 people) were receiving unemployment benefit in August 2026; the other 4,554 were registered without benefit. Nationally 23.7% received benefit.
Source: Agenția Națională pentru Ocuparea Forței de Muncă (ANOFM) · saved copyHow many young people are unemployed in Sălaj?
Young people under 25 were 15.5% of the registered unemployed in Sălaj in August 2026 (872 people), while those over 55 were 18.2%. Across Romania under-25s were 11.3% of the register.
Source: Agenția Națională pentru Ocuparea Forței de Muncă (ANOFM) · saved copyWhat is the average salary in Sălaj?
Employers in Sălaj county declared an average gross wage of 6,044 lei a month in July 2026 (18th lowest of 42 counties), compared with a national average of 7,649 lei.
Source: Casa Națională de Pensii Publice (CNPP) · saved copyHow many employers are there in Sălaj?
5,361 employers in Sălaj filed social insurance returns for July 2026, covering 47,276 insured people, an average of 8.8 insured per employer (10.7 nationally). The county accounts for 0.8% of Romania's insured workforce.
Source: Casa Națională de Pensii Publice (CNPP) · saved copyWhat is the main industry in Sălaj?
The largest part of the economy of Sălaj in 2024 was trade, transport, hospitality and communications, at 24.9% of gross value added, followed by industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) (24.7%).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow industrial is Sălaj?
Industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) made up 24.7% of output in 2024, against 19.1% for Romania.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow fast is the economy of Sălaj growing?
Gross value added rose from €1.2 billion in 2015 to €2.7 billion in 2024 in current prices, an increase of 123% before inflation.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre jobs growing in Sălaj?
The number of people working in Sălaj rose by 4.8% between 2015 and 2024, to 96,990.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- Women made up 46.1% of the registered unemployed in Sălaj in August 2026; the female unemployment rate was 6.55% and the male rate 6.11%. Source: Agenția Națională pentru Ocuparea Forței de Muncă (ANOFM) · saved copy
- 3,021 of the registered unemployed in Sălaj were long-term unemployed in August 2026 (out of work for more than 12 months, or more than 6 months for those under 25), 53.7% of the total against 38.9% nationally; 11th highest of 42 counties. Source: Agenția Națională pentru Ocuparea Forței de Muncă (ANOFM) · saved copy
- 43.0% of the unemployed on the register in Sălaj county had at most primary schooling or no schooling at all in August 2026 (28.5% nationally), and 178 had a university degree. Source: Agenția Națională pentru Ocuparea Forței de Muncă (ANOFM) · saved copy
How Sălaj compares with other counties in Romania
Registered unemployment rate, 31 August 2026 (%) (August 2026)
Sălaj ranks 7 of 42, highest first. Registered unemployed as a share of the civilian active population at 1 January 2025 (ANOFM).
| Rank | Area | Registered unemployment rate, 31 August 2026 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Mehedinţi | 8.26% |
| 5 | Covasna | 6.55% |
| 6 | Suceava | 6.39% |
| 7 | Sălaj | 6.30% |
| 8 | Galaţi | 6.12% |
| 9 | Olt | 5.95% |
| 10 | Brăila | 5.86% |
Average gross monthly wage, July 2026 (lei) (July 2026)
Sălaj ranks 25 of 42, highest first. From employer D112 returns; workers are counted where their employer is registered, which lifts Bucharest.
| Rank | Area | Average gross monthly wage, July 2026 (lei) |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Covasna | 6,165 lei |
| 23 | Buzău | 6,108 lei |
| 24 | Dâmboviţa | 6,072 lei |
| 25 | Sălaj | 6,044 lei |
| 26 | Vaslui | 6,044 lei |
| 27 | Satu Mare | 6,018 lei |
| 28 | Bihor | 6,010 lei |
Long-term unemployed, share of registered unemployed, August 2026 (%) (August 2026)
Sălaj ranks 11 of 42, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Long-term unemployed, share of registered unemployed, August 2026 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Dolj | 57.2% |
| 9 | Mehedinţi | 57.1% |
| 10 | Ialomiţa | 54.2% |
| 11 | Sălaj | 53.7% |
| 12 | Argeş | 51.1% |
| 13 | Braşov | 50.4% |
| 14 | Vrancea | 47.5% |
Change in registered unemployment rate, August 2025 to August 2026 (percentage points) (2025-2026)
Sălaj ranks 3 of 42, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Change in registered unemployment rate, August 2025 to August 2026 (percentage points) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brăila | +0.89 |
| 2 | Hunedoara | +0.70 |
| 3 | Sălaj | +0.67 |
| 4 | Argeş | +0.62 |
| 5 | Gorj | +0.54 |
| 6 | Covasna | +0.40 |
| 7 | Constanţa | +0.39 |
Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) (2024)
Sălaj ranks 14 of 42, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Constanţa | 25.2% |
| 12 | Satu Mare | 25.1% |
| 13 | Dolj | 24.9% |
| 14 | Sălaj | 24.7% |
| 15 | Buzău | 24.3% |
| 16 | Maramureş | 24.2% |
| 17 | Vâlcea | 24.2% |
Share of output from finance, property and business services (2024)
Sălaj ranks 19 of 42, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from finance, property and business services |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | Maramureş | 17.6% |
| 17 | Galaţi | 17.5% |
| 18 | Giurgiu | 16.7% |
| 19 | Sălaj | 16.7% |
| 20 | Covasna | 16.4% |
| 21 | Ialomiţa | 16.4% |
| 22 | Suceava | 16.3% |
Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services (2024)
Sălaj ranks 15 of 42, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | Satu Mare | 21.6% |
| 13 | Tulcea | 21.2% |
| 14 | Vrancea | 21.1% |
| 15 | Sălaj | 21.1% |
| 16 | Covasna | 21.0% |
| 17 | Brăila | 20.9% |
| 18 | Caraş-Severin | 20.8% |
More on Sălaj: overview · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · Nord-Vest · Romania
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…)
- 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 nama_10r_3gva: Gross value added at basic prices by NUTS 3 region and industry, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c656e8563bdf…)
- 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…)
- 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…)
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