Sâncel: population and statistics
Sâncel has a population of 2,517 (2026) across 52.0 km², or 48.4 people per km². It ranks 1,911 of 3,181 localities by population. Its population is falling: −7.0% between 2016 and 2026.
- 2,517 residents
- 52.0 km²
- 48 people/km²
Key points
Among the 78 localities in Alba County, Sâncel ranks No. 31 by population.
Building permits for residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants: 0.40 ‰ in Sâncel, compared with an average of 1.83 ‰ in Alba County and 1.87 ‰ nationally.
Family doctors per 1,000 inhabitants: 0.79 ‰ in Sâncel, compared with an average of 0.46 ‰ in Alba County and 0.60 ‰ nationally.
Sâncel: the most common activity among active businesses is Retail trade (except motor vehicles) (30 businesses).
Sâncel in numbers
Where is Sâncel?
Neighbouring localities
- Blaj3.7 km · 19,821
- Bucerdea Grânoasă7.2 km · 2,274
- Șona9.7 km · 4,265
- Lopadea Nouă9.8 km · 2,437
- Crăciunelu de Jos10 km · 2,138
- Cergău12 km · 1,543
- Jidvei12 km · 5,194
- Valea Lungă12 km · 3,057
Localities of similar size
Population of Sâncel over time
Sâncel had 2,706 residents in 2016 and 2,517 in 2026.
| Year | Population (by registered residence) |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,603 |
| 2022 | 2,581 |
| 2023 | 2,571 |
| 2024 | 2,559 |
| 2025 | 2,532 |
| 2026 | 2,517 |
Did you know?
- “Building permits for residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 92% of localities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 7,280 football pitches.
- The nearest more populous locality is Blaj (19,821 residents), 3.7 km away.
All indicators for Sâncel
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 | Sâncel | Alba County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| People settling in the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 18.3 ‰ | 14.6 ‰ | 16.0 ‰ | ranked 1,127 of 3,163 | |
| People leaving the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 18.3 ‰ | 15.2 ‰ | 17.3 ‰ | ranked 1,290 of 3,163 | |
| Live births per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 5.2 ‰ | 6.3 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | ranked 2,424 of 3,157 | |
| Deaths per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 13.1 ‰ | 11.6 ‰ | 13.0 ‰ | ranked 1,544 of 3,163 |
Housing
| Indicator | Sâncel | Alba County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length of the drinking-water network per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 8.50 km | 6.67 km | 7.67 km | ranked 1,187 of 2,728 | |
| Building permits for residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 0.40 ‰ | 1.83 ‰ | 1.53 ‰ | ranked 2,249 of 2,438 | |
| Existing dwellings (2025) | 1,053 | 175,151 | 10,177,161 | ranked 2,339 of 3,181 | |
| Dwellings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 418.4 ‰ | 486.3 ‰ | 484.8 ‰ | ranked 2,446 of 3,163 | |
| Average living floor area per dwelling (m²) (2025) | 57.5 m² | 51.9 m² | 50.3 m² | ranked 821 of 3,163 | |
| Dwellings completed in the year per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 0.79 ‰ | 2.51 ‰ | 1.30 ‰ | ranked 1,293 of 1,926 |
Energy
| Indicator | Sâncel | Alba County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length of the gas distribution network per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 8.26 km | 5.64 km | 6.17 km | ranked 296 of 1,006 | |
| Natural gas distributed per inhabitant (m³) (2025) | 343 m³ | 14,024 m³ | 325,688 m³ | ranked 351 of 1,023 |
Economy
| Indicator | Sâncel | Alba County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active companies in the trade register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 31.0 ‰ | 53.1 ‰ | 29.4 ‰ | ranked 1,447 of 3,163 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 3.58 ‰ | 3.50 ‰ | 2.10 ‰ | ranked 649 of 3,163 |
Employment
| Indicator | Sâncel | Alba County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average number of employees per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 48 ‰ | 268 ‰ | 71 ‰ | ranked 2,294 of 3,163 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of labour resources (working-age population) (2026) | 1.7% | 2.7% | 2.3% | ranked 1,928 of 3,163 |
Environment
| Indicator | Sâncel | Alba County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drinking water distributed per inhabitant (m³) (2025) | 33.0 m³ | 36.4 m³ | 27.2 m³ | ranked 985 of 2,656 | |
| Length of the sewer network per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 5.16 km | 3.91 km | 4.05 km | ranked 629 of 1,695 |
Health
| Indicator | Sâncel | Alba County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doctors per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 0.79 ‰ | 2.02 ‰ | 0.52 ‰ | ranked 724 of 2,833 | |
| Family doctors per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 0.79 ‰ | 0.46 ‰ | 0.46 ‰ | ranked 315 of 2,807 |
Education
| Indicator | Sâncel | Alba County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| School population (children, pupils and students) per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 77 ‰ | 153 ‰ | 91 ‰ | ranked 2,170 of 3,158 | |
| Education units per 10,000 inhabitants (2025) | 4.0 per 10,000 inh. | 3.8 per 10,000 inh. | 3.6 per 10,000 inh. | ranked 1,308 of 3,122 |
Businesses by activity: Sâncel
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 trade37 · 25.2%
- Construction20 · 13.6%
- Transport and storage18 · 12.2%
- Administrative and support services13 · 8.8%
- Manufacturing10 · 6.8%
- Other service activities10 · 6.8%
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing8 · 5.4%
- Information and communication7 · 4.8%
Most common activities
- Retail trade (except motor vehicles)30 · 20.4%
- Wholesale trade (except motor vehicles)22 · 15.0%
- Specialised construction activities19 · 12.9%
- Land transport and transport via pipelines14 · 9.5%
- Construction of buildings13 · 8.8%
- Warehousing and transport support activities11 · 7.5%
- Repair of computers and personal and household goods8 · 5.4%
- Crop and animal production, hunting and related services6 · 4.1%
- Rental and leasing activities6 · 4.1%
- Sports, amusement and recreation activities6 · 4.1%
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Sâncel?
Sâncel has 2,517 residents (2026), ranking 1,911 of 3,181 localities.
How big is Sâncel?
Sâncel covers 52.0 km², with a density of 48 people per km².
Is the population of Sâncel growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Sâncel went from 2,706 to 2,517, a change of −7.0%.
Where is Sâncel?
Sâncel is in Alba County. Latitude 46.200, longitude 23.953.
Building permits for residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Sâncel?
In Sâncel, “Building permits for residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 0.40 ‰ (2025), ranking 2,249 of 2,438 localities; the national median is 1.53 ‰.
Family doctors per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Sâncel?
In Sâncel, “Family doctors per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 0.79 ‰ (2024), ranking 315 of 2,807 localities; the national median is 0.46 ‰.
Which localities border Sâncel?
The nearest to Sâncel are Blaj (3.7 km), Bucerdea Grânoasă (7.2 km), Șona (9.7 km), Lopadea Nouă (9.8 km), Crăciunelu de Jos (10 km).