Bistra (Alba County): population and statistics
Bistra has a population of 4,309 (2026) across 127.1 km², or 33.9 people per km². It ranks 955 of 3,181 localities by population. Its population is falling: −10.9% between 2016 and 2026.
- 4,309 residents
- 127.1 km²
- 34 people/km²
Key points
Among the 78 localities in Alba County, Bistra ranks No. 16 by population.
Building permits for residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants: 0.23 ‰ in Bistra, compared with an average of 1.83 ‰ in Alba County and 1.87 ‰ nationally.
Tourist overnight stays per inhabitant: 0.0 nights in Bistra, compared with an average of 1.5 nights in Alba County and 2.0 nights nationally.
Bistra: the most common activity among active businesses is Wholesale trade (except motor vehicles) (87 businesses).
Bistra in numbers
Where is Bistra?
Neighbouring localities
- Valea Ierii8.9 km · 856
- Lupșa11 km · 2,709
- Baia de Arieș13 km · 3,480
- Câmpeni15 km · 6,827
- Albac16 km · 1,845
- Măguri-Răcătău16 km · 2,223
- Vadu Moților17 km · 1,170
- Horea18 km · 1,833
Localities of similar size
Population of Bistra over time
Bistra had 4,838 residents in 2016 and 4,309 in 2026.
| Year | Population (by registered residence) |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,537 |
| 2022 | 4,465 |
| 2023 | 4,424 |
| 2024 | 4,372 |
| 2025 | 4,352 |
| 2026 | 4,309 |
Did you know?
- “Building permits for residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 98% of localities.
- “Tourist overnight stays per inhabitant”: lower than in 93% of localities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 17,803 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.7 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest locality is Valea Ierii, 8.9 km away.
- The nearest more populous locality is Câmpeni (6,827 residents), 15 km away.
All indicators for Bistra
Value for the locality, then the regional average and the national median (for counts: regional and national totals). The gauge places the locality between the lowest and highest value in the country.
Population
| Indicator | Bistra | Alba County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| People settling in the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 11.8 ‰ | 14.6 ‰ | 16.0 ‰ | ranked 2,508 of 3,163 | |
| People leaving the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 14.4 ‰ | 15.2 ‰ | 17.3 ‰ | ranked 2,298 of 3,163 | |
| Live births per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 7.0 ‰ | 6.3 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | ranked 1,505 of 3,157 | |
| Deaths per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 15.3 ‰ | 11.6 ‰ | 13.0 ‰ | ranked 993 of 3,163 |
Housing
| Indicator | Bistra | Alba County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length of the drinking-water network per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 3.37 km | 6.67 km | 7.67 km | ranked 2,372 of 2,728 | |
| Building permits for residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 0.23 ‰ | 1.83 ‰ | 1.53 ‰ | ranked 2,391 of 2,438 | |
| Existing dwellings (2025) | 1,946 | 175,151 | 10,177,161 | ranked 1,011 of 3,181 | |
| Dwellings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 451.6 ‰ | 486.3 ‰ | 484.8 ‰ | ranked 1,999 of 3,163 | |
| Average living floor area per dwelling (m²) (2025) | 42.1 m² | 51.9 m² | 50.3 m² | ranked 2,543 of 3,163 | |
| Dwellings completed in the year per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 0.23 ‰ | 2.51 ‰ | 1.30 ‰ | ranked 1,832 of 1,926 |
Economy
| Indicator | Bistra | Alba County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active companies in the trade register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 49.4 ‰ | 53.1 ‰ | 29.4 ‰ | ranked 509 of 3,163 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 2.55 ‰ | 3.50 ‰ | 2.10 ‰ | ranked 1,224 of 3,163 |
Employment
| Indicator | Bistra | Alba County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average number of employees per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 106 ‰ | 268 ‰ | 71 ‰ | ranked 930 of 3,163 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of labour resources (working-age population) (2026) | 3.9% | 2.7% | 2.3% | ranked 948 of 3,163 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Bistra | Alba County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist overnight stays per inhabitant (2025) | 0.0 nights | 1.5 | 0.4 | ranked 1,070 of 1,250 | |
| Tourist arrivals per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 27 ‰ | 852 ‰ | 200 ‰ | ranked 1,058 of 1,250 | |
| Tourist accommodation places per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 7.9 ‰ | 28.1 ‰ | 11.8 ‰ | ranked 864 of 1,362 |
Environment
| Indicator | Bistra | Alba County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drinking water distributed per inhabitant (m³) (2025) | 17.9 m³ | 36.4 m³ | 27.2 m³ | ranked 1,925 of 2,656 | |
| Length of the sewer network per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 1.35 km | 3.91 km | 4.05 km | ranked 1,478 of 1,695 |
Health
| Indicator | Bistra | Alba County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doctors per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 0.46 ‰ | 2.02 ‰ | 0.52 ‰ | ranked 1,666 of 2,833 | |
| Family doctors per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 0.46 ‰ | 0.46 ‰ | 0.46 ‰ | ranked 1,395 of 2,807 | |
| Pharmacists per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 0.23 ‰ | 0.77 ‰ | 0.47 ‰ | ranked 1,902 of 2,248 |
Education
| Indicator | Bistra | Alba County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| School population (children, pupils and students) per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 76 ‰ | 153 ‰ | 91 ‰ | ranked 2,204 of 3,158 | |
| Education units per 10,000 inhabitants (2025) | 2.3 per 10,000 inh. | 3.8 per 10,000 inh. | 3.6 per 10,000 inh. | ranked 2,418 of 3,122 |
Businesses by activity: Bistra
Active businesses in the business register with a recorded activity, by section and by activity (NACE Rev. 2). Only activities with at least 3 businesses are shown.
By industry section
- Wholesale and retail trade133 · 23.1%
- Transport and storage94 · 16.3%
- Manufacturing82 · 14.2%
- Construction63 · 10.9%
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing37 · 6.4%
- Accommodation and food services35 · 6.1%
- Administrative and support services28 · 4.9%
- Professional, scientific and technical26 · 4.5%
Most common activities
- Wholesale trade (except motor vehicles)87 · 15.1%
- Land transport and transport via pipelines82 · 14.2%
- Retail trade (except motor vehicles)72 · 12.5%
- Specialised construction activities58 · 10.1%
- Warehousing and transport support activities56 · 9.7%
- Manufacture of wood and wood products (except furniture)55 · 9.5%
- Construction of buildings38 · 6.6%
- Forestry and logging32 · 5.6%
- Food and beverage service activities27 · 4.7%
- Civil engineering21 · 3.6%
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Bistra?
Bistra has 4,309 residents (2026), ranking 955 of 3,181 localities.
How big is Bistra?
Bistra covers 127.1 km², with a density of 34 people per km².
Is the population of Bistra growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Bistra went from 4,838 to 4,309, a change of −10.9%.
Where is Bistra?
Bistra is in Alba County. Latitude 46.462, longitude 23.168.
Building permits for residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Bistra?
In Bistra, “Building permits for residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 0.23 ‰ (2025), ranking 2,391 of 2,438 localities; the national median is 1.53 ‰.
Tourist overnight stays per inhabitant: what is the figure for Bistra?
In Bistra, “Tourist overnight stays per inhabitant” stands at 0.0 nights (2025), ranking 1,070 of 1,250 localities; the national median is 0.4 nights.
Which localities border Bistra?
The nearest to Bistra are Valea Ierii (8.9 km), Lupșa (11 km), Baia de Arieș (13 km), Câmpeni (15 km), Albac (16 km).