Economy, jobs and prices in Arad (Vest, Romania): official figures
GDP per person was 27,600 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2024, 69% of the EU average (77% for Romania); 10th highest of 42 counties in Romania.
How big is the economy of Arad?
The local economy produced €6.8 billion of output (GDP) in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people work in Arad?
About 172,330 people worked in Arad in 2024 (employment by place of work).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Arad?
Arad had 4,677 registered unemployed people at the end of August 2026, a registered unemployment rate of 2.45% against 3.26% for Romania; this was 10th lowest of 42 counties (Bucharest counted as one).
Source: Agenția Națională pentru Ocuparea Forței de Muncă (ANOFM) · saved copyIs unemployment rising in Arad?
Registered unemployment in Arad was 2.11% at the end of August 2025 with 4,067 people on the register, so over the year the rate rose by 0.34 percentage points and the count rose by 610 (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 Arad?
Only 47.0% of the unemployed registered in Arad county (2,197 people) were receiving unemployment benefit in August 2026; the other 2,480 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 Arad?
Young people under 25 were 10.5% of the registered unemployed in Arad in August 2026 (492 people), while those over 55 were 25.3%. 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 Arad?
In July 2026 the average gross salary declared for workers in Arad was 6,360 lei, which is 83% of the national average of 7,649 lei and 16th highest of 42 counties.
Source: Casa Națională de Pensii Publice (CNPP) · saved copyHow many employers are there in Arad?
11,975 employers in Arad filed social insurance returns for July 2026, covering 119,844 insured people, an average of 10.0 insured per employer (10.7 nationally). The county accounts for 1.9% of Romania's insured workforce.
Source: Casa Națională de Pensii Publice (CNPP) · saved copyWhat is the main industry in Arad?
The largest part of the economy of Arad in 2024 was industry (manufacturing, mining and energy), at 29.6% of gross value added, followed by trade, transport, hospitality and communications (24.2%).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow industrial is Arad?
Factories, mines and energy produced 29.6% of the value added in Arad in 2024, against 19.1% for Romania.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow fast is the economy of Arad growing?
Gross value added rose from €3.1 billion in 2015 to €6.2 billion in 2024 in current prices, an increase of 102% before inflation.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre jobs growing in Arad?
The number of people working in Arad fell by 4.2% between 2015 and 2024, to 172,330.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- Women made up 51.4% of the registered unemployed in Arad in August 2026; the female unemployment rate was 2.84% and the male rate 2.14%. Source: Agenția Națională pentru Ocuparea Forței de Muncă (ANOFM) · saved copy
- 1,330 of the registered unemployed in Arad were long-term unemployed in August 2026 (out of work for more than 12 months, or more than 6 months for those under 25), 28.4% of the total against 38.9% nationally; 18th lowest of 42 counties. Source: Agenția Națională pentru Ocuparea Forței de Muncă (ANOFM) · saved copy
- 30.4% of the unemployed on the register in Arad county had at most primary schooling or no schooling at all in August 2026 (28.5% nationally), and 387 had a university degree. Source: Agenția Națională pentru Ocuparea Forței de Muncă (ANOFM) · saved copy
How Arad compares with other counties in Romania
Registered unemployment rate, 31 August 2026 (%) (August 2026)
Arad ranks 33 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 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | Braşov | 2.88% |
| 31 | Maramureş | 2.87% |
| 32 | Mureş | 2.76% |
| 33 | Arad | 2.45% |
| 34 | Prahova | 2.40% |
| 35 | Bihor | 2.12% |
| 36 | Constanţa | 2.12% |
Average gross monthly wage, July 2026 (lei) (July 2026)
Arad ranks 16 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) |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Dolj | 6,712 lei |
| 14 | Galaţi | 6,513 lei |
| 15 | Olt | 6,509 lei |
| 16 | Arad | 6,360 lei |
| 17 | Gorj | 6,359 lei |
| 18 | Alba | 6,312 lei |
| 19 | Călăraşi | 6,270 lei |
Long-term unemployed, share of registered unemployed, August 2026 (%) (August 2026)
Arad ranks 25 of 42, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Long-term unemployed, share of registered unemployed, August 2026 (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Cluj | 33.1% |
| 23 | Covasna | 32.8% |
| 24 | Bacău | 32.7% |
| 25 | Arad | 28.4% |
| 26 | Caraş-Severin | 26.7% |
| 27 | Alba | 24.4% |
| 28 | Iaşi | 22.3% |
Change in registered unemployment rate, August 2025 to August 2026 (percentage points) (2025-2026)
Arad ranks 8 of 42, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Change in registered unemployment rate, August 2025 to August 2026 (percentage points) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Gorj | +0.54 |
| 6 | Covasna | +0.40 |
| 7 | Constanţa | +0.39 |
| 8 | Arad | +0.34 |
| 9 | Călăraşi | +0.34 |
| 10 | Tulcea | +0.34 |
| 11 | Vâlcea | +0.31 |
Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) (2024)
Arad ranks 5 of 42, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Prahova | 34.2% |
| 3 | Mehedinţi | 30.8% |
| 4 | Alba | 30.3% |
| 5 | Arad | 29.6% |
| 6 | Argeş | 29.4% |
| 7 | Sibiu | 27.5% |
| 8 | Timiş | 26.0% |
Share of output from finance, property and business services (2024)
Arad ranks 24 of 42, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from finance, property and business services |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | Ialomiţa | 16.4% |
| 22 | Suceava | 16.3% |
| 23 | Argeş | 16.0% |
| 24 | Arad | 15.9% |
| 25 | Bistriţa-Năsăud | 15.8% |
| 26 | Neamţ | 15.7% |
| 27 | Harghita | 15.6% |
Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services (2024)
Arad ranks 32 of 42, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services |
|---|---|---|
| 29 | Teleorman | 18.5% |
| 30 | Vâlcea | 18.1% |
| 31 | Dâmboviţa | 17.7% |
| 32 | Arad | 17.6% |
| 33 | Sibiu | 17.5% |
| 34 | Argeş | 16.8% |
| 35 | Timiş | 16.3% |
More on Arad: overview · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · 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…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.