Gherla: population and statistics
Gherla has a population of 21,677 (2026) across 36.3 km², or 598 people per km². It ranks 106 of 3,181 localities by population. Its population is falling: −6.7% between 2016 and 2026.
- 21,677 residents
- 36.3 km²
- 598 people/km²
Key points
Among the 81 localities in Cluj County, Gherla ranks No. 6 by population.
School population (children, pupils and students) per 1,000 inhabitants: 191 ‰ in Gherla, compared with an average of 245 ‰ in Cluj County and 163 ‰ nationally.
Gherla: the most common activity among active businesses is Retail trade (except motor vehicles) (554 businesses).
Gherla in numbers
Where is Gherla?
Neighbouring localities
- Fizeșu Gherlii4.0 km · 2,545
- Mintiu Gherlii5.5 km · 3,836
- Iclod8.4 km · 4,094
- Sic11 km · 2,164
- Țaga12 km · 1,588
- Aluniș13 km · 1,036
- Sânmărtin14 km · 1,214
- Dej14 km · 35,981
Localities of similar size
Population of Gherla over time
Gherla had 23,241 residents in 2016 and 21,677 in 2026.
| Year | Population (by registered residence) |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 22,648 |
| 2022 | 22,471 |
| 2023 | 22,224 |
| 2024 | 22,014 |
| 2025 | 21,740 |
| 2026 | 21,677 |
Did you know?
- “Existing dwellings”: higher than in 97% of localities.
- “School population (children, pupils and students) per 1,000 inhabitants”: higher than in 95% of localities.
- “Active companies in the trade register per 1,000 inhabitants”: higher than in 93% of localities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 5,080 football pitches.
- Its population density is 6.6 times the national average.
- The nearest locality is Fizeșu Gherlii, 4.0 km away.
- The nearest more populous locality is Dej (35,981 residents), 14 km away.
All indicators for Gherla
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 | Gherla | Cluj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| People settling in the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 14.3 ‰ | 22.3 ‰ | 16.0 ‰ | ranked 1,993 of 3,163 | |
| People leaving the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 14.3 ‰ | 18.2 ‰ | 17.3 ‰ | ranked 2,336 of 3,163 | |
| Live births per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 6.6 ‰ | 7.8 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | ranked 1,716 of 3,157 | |
| Deaths per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 10.5 ‰ | 10.3 ‰ | 13.0 ‰ | ranked 2,368 of 3,163 |
Housing
| Indicator | Gherla | Cluj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length of the drinking-water network per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 3.39 km | 4.84 km | 7.67 km | ranked 2,368 of 2,728 | |
| Building permits for residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 1.06 ‰ | 1.77 ‰ | 1.53 ‰ | ranked 1,573 of 2,438 | |
| Existing dwellings (2025) | 9,336 | 385,061 | 10,177,161 | ranked 109 of 3,181 | |
| Dwellings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 430.7 ‰ | 515.2 ‰ | 484.8 ‰ | ranked 2,285 of 3,163 | |
| Average living floor area per dwelling (m²) (2025) | 46.5 m² | 49.4 m² | 50.3 m² | ranked 2,033 of 3,163 | |
| Dwellings completed in the year per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 2.77 ‰ | 5.13 ‰ | 1.30 ‰ | ranked 428 of 1,926 |
Energy
| Indicator | Gherla | Cluj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length of the gas distribution network per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 3.01 km | 4.12 km | 6.17 km | ranked 831 of 1,006 | |
| Natural gas distributed per inhabitant (m³) (2025) | 419 m³ | 15,508 m³ | 325,688 m³ | ranked 239 of 1,023 |
Economy
| Indicator | Gherla | Cluj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active companies in the trade register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 65.2 ‰ | 97.8 ‰ | 29.4 ‰ | ranked 217 of 3,163 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 3.97 ‰ | 6.06 ‰ | 2.10 ‰ | ranked 513 of 3,163 |
Employment
| Indicator | Gherla | Cluj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average number of employees per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 177 ‰ | 349 ‰ | 71 ‰ | ranked 473 of 3,163 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of labour resources (working-age population) (2026) | 1.6% | 1.2% | 2.3% | ranked 2,001 of 3,163 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Gherla | Cluj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist overnight stays per inhabitant (2025) | 0.2 nights | 1.8 | 0.4 | ranked 741 of 1,250 | |
| Tourist arrivals per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 131 ‰ | 1,010 ‰ | 200 ‰ | ranked 735 of 1,250 | |
| Tourist accommodation places per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 8.5 ‰ | 26.1 ‰ | 11.8 ‰ | ranked 833 of 1,362 |
Environment
| Indicator | Gherla | Cluj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drinking water distributed per inhabitant (m³) (2025) | 49.8 m³ | 49.3 m³ | 27.2 m³ | ranked 412 of 2,656 | |
| Length of the sewer network per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 3.02 km | 3.32 km | 4.05 km | ranked 1,082 of 1,695 |
Health
| Indicator | Gherla | Cluj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doctors per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 2.54 ‰ | 6.15 ‰ | 0.52 ‰ | ranked 200 of 2,833 | |
| Family doctors per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 0.51 ‰ | 0.66 ‰ | 0.46 ‰ | ranked 1,125 of 2,807 | |
| Pharmacists per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 0.74 ‰ | 1.50 ‰ | 0.47 ‰ | ranked 496 of 2,248 |
Education
| Indicator | Gherla | Cluj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| School population (children, pupils and students) per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 191 ‰ | 245 ‰ | 91 ‰ | ranked 143 of 3,158 | |
| Education units per 10,000 inhabitants (2025) | 3.2 per 10,000 inh. | 3.7 per 10,000 inh. | 3.6 per 10,000 inh. | ranked 1,781 of 3,122 |
Businesses by activity: Gherla
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 trade704 · 20.1%
- Construction402 · 11.5%
- Transport and storage353 · 10.1%
- Manufacturing310 · 8.9%
- Administrative and support services298 · 8.5%
- Professional, scientific and technical286 · 8.2%
- Other service activities209 · 6.0%
- Accommodation and food services191 · 5.5%
Most common activities
- Retail trade (except motor vehicles)554 · 15.9%
- Wholesale trade (except motor vehicles)392 · 11.2%
- Specialised construction activities366 · 10.5%
- Land transport and transport via pipelines280 · 8.0%
- Construction of buildings254 · 7.3%
- Real estate activities160 · 4.6%
- Warehousing and transport support activities154 · 4.4%
- Food and beverage service activities149 · 4.3%
- Rental and leasing activities148 · 4.2%
- Other personal service activities135 · 3.9%
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Gherla?
Gherla has 21,677 residents (2026), ranking 106 of 3,181 localities.
How big is Gherla?
Gherla covers 36.3 km², with a density of 598 people per km².
Is the population of Gherla growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Gherla went from 23,241 to 21,677, a change of −6.7%.
Where is Gherla?
Gherla is in Cluj County. Latitude 47.020, longitude 23.900.
Existing dwellings: what is the figure for Gherla?
In Gherla, “Existing dwellings” stands at 9,336 (2025), ranking 109 of 3,181 localities; the national median is 1,464.
School population (children, pupils and students) per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Gherla?
In Gherla, “School population (children, pupils and students) per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 191 ‰ (2025), ranking 143 of 3,158 localities; the national median is 91 ‰.
Which localities border Gherla?
The nearest to Gherla are Fizeșu Gherlii (4.0 km), Mintiu Gherlii (5.5 km), Iclod (8.4 km), Sic (11 km), Țaga (12 km).