Arefu: population and statistics
Arefu has a population of 2,080 (2026) across 418.3 km², or 5.0 people per km². It ranks 2,273 of 3,181 localities by population. Its population is falling: −15.6% between 2016 and 2026.
- 2,080 residents
- 418.3 km²
- 5 people/km²
Key points
Among the 102 localities in Argeș County, Arefu ranks No. 73 by population.
Tourist arrivals per 1,000 inhabitants: 22,176 ‰ in Arefu, compared with an average of 584 ‰ in Argeș County and 930 ‰ nationally.
Family doctors per 1,000 inhabitants: 0.96 ‰ in Arefu, compared with an average of 0.55 ‰ in Argeș County and 0.60 ‰ nationally.
Arefu: the most common activity among active businesses is Retail trade (except motor vehicles) (30 businesses).
Arefu in numbers
Where is Arefu?
Neighbouring localities
- Sălătrucu18 km · 2,081
- Boișoara18 km · 1,077
- Nucșoara19 km · 1,266
- Titești19 km · 642
- Corbeni20 km · 5,560
- Victoria20 km · 7,785
- Perișani20 km · 2,026
- Brăduleț22 km · 1,525
All localities in Argeș County
Localities of similar size
Population of Arefu over time
Arefu had 2,465 residents in 2016 and 2,080 in 2026.
| Year | Population (by registered residence) |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,218 |
| 2022 | 2,193 |
| 2023 | 2,158 |
| 2024 | 2,119 |
| 2025 | 2,101 |
| 2026 | 2,080 |
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Argeș County for “Tourist overnight stays per inhabitant”.
- Number 1 in Argeș County for “Tourist arrivals per 1,000 inhabitants”.
- “Tourist arrivals per 1,000 inhabitants”: higher than in 99% of localities.
- “Family doctors per 1,000 inhabitants”: higher than in 94% of localities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 58,581 football pitches.
- Its population density is 18.2 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest locality is Sălătrucu, 17.9 km away.
All indicators for Arefu
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 | Arefu | Argeș County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| People settling in the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 14.4 ‰ | 16.8 ‰ | 16.0 ‰ | ranked 1,975 of 3,163 | |
| People leaving the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 15.4 ‰ | 18.6 ‰ | 17.3 ‰ | ranked 2,053 of 3,163 | |
| Live births per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 6.7 ‰ | 6.2 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | ranked 1,657 of 3,157 | |
| Deaths per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 16.8 ‰ | 11.8 ‰ | 13.0 ‰ | ranked 697 of 3,163 |
Housing
| Indicator | Arefu | Argeș County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length of the drinking-water network per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 7.69 km | 7.76 km | 7.67 km | ranked 1,361 of 2,728 | |
| Building permits for residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 3.85 ‰ | 2.27 ‰ | 1.53 ‰ | ranked 383 of 2,438 | |
| Existing dwellings (2025) | 1,302 | 316,668 | 10,177,161 | ranked 1,876 of 3,181 | |
| Dwellings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 626.0 ‰ | 525.1 ‰ | 484.8 ‰ | ranked 493 of 3,163 | |
| Average living floor area per dwelling (m²) (2025) | 42.3 m² | 51.5 m² | 50.3 m² | ranked 2,518 of 3,163 | |
| Dwellings completed in the year per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 2.88 ‰ | 2.48 ‰ | 1.30 ‰ | ranked 412 of 1,926 |
Economy
| Indicator | Arefu | Argeș County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active companies in the trade register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 32.7 ‰ | 58.7 ‰ | 29.4 ‰ | ranked 1,331 of 3,163 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 2.40 ‰ | 3.68 ‰ | 2.10 ‰ | ranked 1,330 of 3,163 |
Employment
| Indicator | Arefu | Argeș County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average number of employees per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 123 ‰ | 258 ‰ | 71 ‰ | ranked 770 of 3,163 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of labour resources (working-age population) (2026) | 0.7% | 2.7% | 2.3% | ranked 2,728 of 3,163 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Arefu | Argeș County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist overnight stays per inhabitant (2025) | 31.2 nights | 1.0 | 0.4 | ranked 21 of 1,250 | |
| Tourist arrivals per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 22,176 ‰ | 584 ‰ | 200 ‰ | ranked 11 of 1,250 | |
| Tourist accommodation places per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 518.8 ‰ | 22.2 ‰ | 11.8 ‰ | ranked 24 of 1,362 |
Environment
| Indicator | Arefu | Argeș County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drinking water distributed per inhabitant (m³) (2025) | 27.4 m³ | 42.3 m³ | 27.2 m³ | ranked 1,315 of 2,656 |
Health
| Indicator | Arefu | Argeș County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doctors per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 0.96 ‰ | 2.65 ‰ | 0.52 ‰ | ranked 533 of 2,833 | |
| Family doctors per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 0.96 ‰ | 0.55 ‰ | 0.46 ‰ | ranked 160 of 2,807 |
Education
| Indicator | Arefu | Argeș County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| School population (children, pupils and students) per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 65 ‰ | 160 ‰ | 91 ‰ | ranked 2,617 of 3,158 | |
| Education units per 10,000 inhabitants (2025) | 4.8 per 10,000 inh. | 3.5 per 10,000 inh. | 3.6 per 10,000 inh. | ranked 924 of 3,122 |
Businesses by activity: Arefu
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 trade40 · 23.7%
- Accommodation and food services29 · 17.2%
- Transport and storage19 · 11.2%
- Construction16 · 9.5%
- Administrative and support services12 · 7.1%
- Professional, scientific and technical11 · 6.5%
- Manufacturing9 · 5.3%
- Arts, entertainment and recreation9 · 5.3%
Most common activities
- Retail trade (except motor vehicles)30 · 17.8%
- Accommodation27 · 16.0%
- Wholesale trade (except motor vehicles)21 · 12.4%
- Food and beverage service activities17 · 10.1%
- Specialised construction activities16 · 9.5%
- Construction of buildings14 · 8.3%
- Land transport and transport via pipelines14 · 8.3%
- Warehousing and transport support activities11 · 6.5%
- Sports, amusement and recreation activities7 · 4.1%
- Real estate activities5 · 3.0%
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Arefu?
Arefu has 2,080 residents (2026), ranking 2,273 of 3,181 localities.
How big is Arefu?
Arefu covers 418.3 km², with a density of 5 people per km².
Is the population of Arefu growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Arefu went from 2,465 to 2,080, a change of −15.6%.
Where is Arefu?
Arefu is in Argeș County. Latitude 45.474, longitude 24.626.
Tourist arrivals per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Arefu?
In Arefu, “Tourist arrivals per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 22,176 ‰ (2025), ranking 11 of 1,250 localities; the national median is 200 ‰.
Family doctors per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Arefu?
In Arefu, “Family doctors per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 0.96 ‰ (2024), ranking 160 of 2,807 localities; the national median is 0.46 ‰.
Which localities border Arefu?
The nearest to Arefu are Sălătrucu (18 km), Boișoara (18 km), Nucșoara (19 km), Titești (19 km), Corbeni (20 km).