Economy, jobs and prices in Vâlcea (Sud-Vest Oltenia, Romania): official figures
GDP per person was 23,700 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2024, 59% of the EU average (77% for Romania); 20th highest of 42 counties in Romania.
How big is the economy of Vâlcea?
The local economy produced €4.9 billion of output (GDP) in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people work in Vâlcea?
About 157,920 people worked in Vâlcea in 2024 (employment by place of work).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Vâlcea?
Vâlcea had 4,214 registered unemployed people at the end of August 2026, a registered unemployment rate of 3.03% against 3.26% for Romania; this was 14th lowest of 42 counties (Bucharest counted as one).
Source: Agenția Națională pentru Ocuparea Forței de Muncă (ANOFM) · saved copyIs unemployment rising in Vâlcea?
Registered unemployment in Vâlcea was 2.72% at the end of August 2025 with 3,827 people on the register, so over the year the rate rose by 0.31 percentage points and the count rose by 387 (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 Vâlcea?
Only 43.9% of the unemployed registered in Vâlcea county (1,851 people) were receiving unemployment benefit in August 2026; the other 2,363 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 Vâlcea?
Young people under 25 were 11.2% of the registered unemployed in Vâlcea in August 2026 (471 people), while those over 55 were 24.1%. 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 Vâlcea?
The average gross monthly wage of employees insured in Vâlcea was 5,801 lei in July 2026, according to employer D112 returns to the pension fund, against 7,649 lei for Romania; 7th lowest of 42 counties.
Source: Casa Națională de Pensii Publice (CNPP) · saved copyHow many employers are there in Vâlcea?
8,638 employers in Vâlcea filed social insurance returns for July 2026, covering 82,676 insured people, an average of 9.6 insured per employer (10.7 nationally). The county accounts for 1.3% of Romania's insured workforce.
Source: Casa Națională de Pensii Publice (CNPP) · saved copyWhat is the main industry in Vâlcea?
The largest part of the economy of Vâlcea in 2024 was trade, transport, hospitality and communications, at 28.5% of gross value added, followed by industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) (24.2%).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow industrial is Vâlcea?
Industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) made up 24.2% of output in 2024, against 19.1% for Romania.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow fast is the economy of Vâlcea growing?
Gross value added rose from €1.9 billion in 2015 to €4.4 billion in 2024 in current prices, an increase of 128% before inflation.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre jobs growing in Vâlcea?
The number of people working in Vâlcea rose by 7.0% between 2015 and 2024, to 157,920.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- Women made up 49.6% of the registered unemployed in Vâlcea in August 2026; the female unemployment rate was 3.28% and the male rate 2.83%. Source: Agenția Națională pentru Ocuparea Forței de Muncă (ANOFM) · saved copy
- 757 of the registered unemployed in Vâlcea were long-term unemployed in August 2026 (out of work for more than 12 months, or more than 6 months for those under 25), 18.0% of the total against 38.9% nationally; 12th lowest of 42 counties. Source: Agenția Națională pentru Ocuparea Forței de Muncă (ANOFM) · saved copy
- 10.9% of the unemployed on the register in Vâlcea county had at most primary schooling or no schooling at all in August 2026 (28.5% nationally), and 316 had a university degree. Source: Agenția Națională pentru Ocuparea Forței de Muncă (ANOFM) · saved copy
How Vâlcea compares with other counties in Romania
Registered unemployment rate, 31 August 2026 (%) (August 2026)
Vâlcea ranks 29 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 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 26 | Bistriţa-Năsăud | 3.46% |
| 27 | Giurgiu | 3.30% |
| 28 | Sibiu | 3.11% |
| 29 | Vâlcea | 3.03% |
| 30 | Braşov | 2.88% |
| 31 | Maramureş | 2.87% |
| 32 | Mureş | 2.76% |
Average gross monthly wage, July 2026 (lei) (July 2026)
Vâlcea ranks 36 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) |
|---|---|---|
| 33 | Teleorman | 5,894 lei |
| 34 | Neamţ | 5,888 lei |
| 35 | Brăila | 5,817 lei |
| 36 | Vâlcea | 5,801 lei |
| 37 | Mehedinţi | 5,784 lei |
| 38 | Caraş-Severin | 5,779 lei |
| 39 | Bistriţa-Năsăud | 5,773 lei |
Long-term unemployed, share of registered unemployed, August 2026 (%) (August 2026)
Vâlcea ranks 31 of 42, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Long-term unemployed, share of registered unemployed, August 2026 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 28 | Iaşi | 22.3% |
| 29 | Timiş | 20.9% |
| 30 | Bihor | 19.7% |
| 31 | Vâlcea | 18.0% |
| 32 | Tulcea | 12.9% |
| 33 | Giurgiu | 12.7% |
| 34 | Botoşani | 10.6% |
Change in registered unemployment rate, August 2025 to August 2026 (percentage points) (2025-2026)
Vâlcea ranks 11 of 42, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Change in registered unemployment rate, August 2025 to August 2026 (percentage points) |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Arad | +0.34 |
| 9 | Călăraşi | +0.34 |
| 10 | Tulcea | +0.34 |
| 11 | Vâlcea | +0.31 |
| 12 | Alba | +0.26 |
| 13 | Botoşani | +0.25 |
| 14 | Sibiu | +0.23 |
Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) (2024)
Vâlcea ranks 17 of 42, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | Sălaj | 24.7% |
| 15 | Buzău | 24.3% |
| 16 | Maramureş | 24.2% |
| 17 | Vâlcea | 24.2% |
| 18 | Braşov | 23.0% |
| 19 | Bihor | 22.9% |
| 20 | Tulcea | 22.9% |
Share of output from finance, property and business services (2024)
Vâlcea ranks 29 of 42, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from finance, property and business services |
|---|---|---|
| 26 | Neamţ | 15.7% |
| 27 | Harghita | 15.6% |
| 28 | Dâmboviţa | 15.5% |
| 29 | Vâlcea | 15.5% |
| 30 | Bacău | 15.3% |
| 31 | Prahova | 15.0% |
| 32 | Dolj | 14.8% |
Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services (2024)
Vâlcea ranks 30 of 42, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services |
|---|---|---|
| 27 | Bacău | 18.9% |
| 28 | Ialomiţa | 18.7% |
| 29 | Teleorman | 18.5% |
| 30 | Vâlcea | 18.1% |
| 31 | Dâmboviţa | 17.7% |
| 32 | Arad | 17.6% |
| 33 | Sibiu | 17.5% |
More on Vâlcea: overview · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · Sud-Vest Oltenia · 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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