Arad: population and statistics
Arad has a population of 164,631 (2026) across 239.5 km², or 687 people per km². It ranks 13 of 3,181 localities by population. Its population is falling: −8.2% between 2016 and 2026.
- 164,631 residents
- 239.5 km²
- 687 people/km²
Key points
Among the 78 localities in Arad County, Arad ranks No. 1 by population.
Doctors per 1,000 inhabitants: 6.23 ‰ in Arad, compared with an average of 3.03 ‰ in Arad County and 3.53 ‰ nationally.
Arad: the most common activity among active businesses is Wholesale trade (except motor vehicles) (4,761 businesses).
Arad in numbers
Where is Arad?
Neighbouring localities
- Livada7.6 km · 4,662
- Zădăreni8.2 km · 3,037
- Fântânele9.9 km · 3,950
- Vladimirescu11 km · 15,715
- Șofronea12 km · 3,129
- Zimandu Nou14 km · 5,358
- Șagu14 km · 4,233
- Felnac15 km · 3,239
Localities of similar size
Population of Arad over time
Arad had 179,264 residents in 2016 and 164,631 in 2026.
| Year | Population (by registered residence) |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 174,407 |
| 2022 | 172,329 |
| 2023 | 170,186 |
| 2024 | 168,374 |
| 2025 | 166,313 |
| 2026 | 164,631 |
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Arad County for “Population (by registered residence)”.
- Number 1 in Arad County for “Population density”.
- “Existing dwellings”: higher than in 99% of localities.
- “Doctors per 1,000 inhabitants”: higher than in 99% of localities.
- “Average number of employees per 1,000 inhabitants”: higher than in 99% of localities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 33,548 football pitches.
- Its population density is 7.6 times the national average.
All indicators for Arad
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 | Arad | Arad County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| People settling in the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 11.8 ‰ | 16.2 ‰ | 16.0 ‰ | ranked 2,508 of 3,163 | |
| People leaving the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 17.4 ‰ | 16.6 ‰ | 17.3 ‰ | ranked 1,547 of 3,163 | |
| Live births per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 5.7 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | ranked 2,181 of 3,157 | |
| Deaths per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 11.2 ‰ | 11.7 ‰ | 13.0 ‰ | ranked 2,133 of 3,163 |
Housing
| Indicator | Arad | Arad County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length of the drinking-water network per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 3.43 km | 5.39 km | 7.67 km | ranked 2,361 of 2,728 | |
| Building permits for residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 1.00 ‰ | 1.98 ‰ | 1.53 ‰ | ranked 1,633 of 2,438 | |
| Existing dwellings (2025) | 73,289 | 207,810 | 10,177,161 | ranked 12 of 3,181 | |
| Dwellings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 445.2 ‰ | 454.7 ‰ | 484.8 ‰ | ranked 2,068 of 3,163 | |
| Average living floor area per dwelling (m²) (2025) | 51.7 m² | 56.8 m² | 50.3 m² | ranked 1,411 of 3,163 | |
| Dwellings completed in the year per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 1.80 ‰ | 1.84 ‰ | 1.30 ‰ | ranked 709 of 1,926 |
Energy
| Indicator | Arad | Arad County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length of the gas distribution network per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 3.15 km | 5.39 km | 6.17 km | ranked 820 of 1,006 | |
| Natural gas distributed per inhabitant (m³) (2025) | 541 m³ | 6,148 m³ | 325,688 m³ | ranked 125 of 1,023 |
Economy
| Indicator | Arad | Arad County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active companies in the trade register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 85.1 ‰ | 56.8 ‰ | 29.4 ‰ | ranked 101 of 3,163 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 4.82 ‰ | 3.43 ‰ | 2.10 ‰ | ranked 310 of 3,163 |
Employment
| Indicator | Arad | Arad County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average number of employees per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 478 ‰ | 284 ‰ | 71 ‰ | ranked 38 of 3,163 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of labour resources (working-age population) (2026) | 0.7% | 1.7% | 2.3% | ranked 2,728 of 3,163 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Arad | Arad County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist overnight stays per inhabitant (2025) | 1.7 nights | 1.1 | 0.4 | ranked 233 of 1,250 | |
| Tourist arrivals per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 1,193 ‰ | 737 ‰ | 200 ‰ | ranked 192 of 1,250 | |
| Tourist accommodation places per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 17.6 ‰ | 16.5 ‰ | 11.8 ‰ | ranked 522 of 1,362 |
Environment
| Indicator | Arad | Arad County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drinking water distributed per inhabitant (m³) (2025) | 47.2 m³ | 35.3 m³ | 27.2 m³ | ranked 462 of 2,656 | |
| Length of the sewer network per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 3.31 km | 3.65 km | 4.05 km | ranked 1,013 of 1,695 |
Health
| Indicator | Arad | Arad County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doctors per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 6.23 ‰ | 3.03 ‰ | 0.52 ‰ | ranked 24 of 2,833 | |
| Family doctors per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 1.05 ‰ | 0.83 ‰ | 0.46 ‰ | ranked 114 of 2,807 | |
| Pharmacists per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 1.08 ‰ | 0.67 ‰ | 0.47 ‰ | ranked 188 of 2,248 |
Education
| Indicator | Arad | Arad County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| School population (children, pupils and students) per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 237 ‰ | 158 ‰ | 91 ‰ | ranked 57 of 3,158 | |
| Education units per 10,000 inhabitants (2025) | 3.8 per 10,000 inh. | 3.5 per 10,000 inh. | 3.6 per 10,000 inh. | ranked 1,419 of 3,122 |
Businesses by activity: Arad
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 trade6,973 · 19.9%
- Professional, scientific and technical4,141 · 11.8%
- Administrative and support services3,927 · 11.2%
- Transport and storage3,553 · 10.1%
- Real estate2,825 · 8.1%
- Construction2,623 · 7.5%
- Manufacturing2,412 · 6.9%
- Information and communication1,733 · 4.9%
Most common activities
- Wholesale trade (except motor vehicles)4,761 · 13.6%
- Retail trade (except motor vehicles)4,738 · 13.5%
- Real estate activities2,825 · 8.1%
- Land transport and transport via pipelines2,790 · 8.0%
- Specialised construction activities2,316 · 6.6%
- Head offices and management consultancy2,238 · 6.4%
- Office administration and business support activities2,095 · 6.0%
- Warehousing and transport support activities2,036 · 5.8%
- Other professional, scientific and technical activities1,840 · 5.2%
- Construction of buildings1,618 · 4.6%
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Arad?
Arad has 164,631 residents (2026), ranking 13 of 3,181 localities.
How big is Arad?
Arad covers 239.5 km², with a density of 687 people per km².
Is the population of Arad growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Arad went from 179,264 to 164,631, a change of −8.2%.
Where is Arad?
Arad is in Arad County. Latitude 46.167, longitude 21.317.
Existing dwellings: what is the figure for Arad?
In Arad, “Existing dwellings” stands at 73,289 (2025), ranking 12 of 3,181 localities; the national median is 1,464.
Doctors per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Arad?
In Arad, “Doctors per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 6.23 ‰ (2024), ranking 24 of 2,833 localities; the national median is 0.52 ‰.
Which localities border Arad?
The nearest to Arad are Livada (7.6 km), Zădăreni (8.2 km), Fântânele (9.9 km), Vladimirescu (11 km), Șofronea (12 km).