Craiova: population and statistics
Craiova has a population of 278,599 (2026) across 85.1 km², or 3,274 people per km². It ranks 8 of 3,181 localities by population. Its population is falling: −9.0% between 2016 and 2026.
- 278,599 residents
- 85.1 km²
- 3,274 people/km²
Key points
Among the 111 localities in Dolj County, Craiova ranks No. 1 by population.
Doctors per 1,000 inhabitants: 11.53 ‰ in Craiova, compared with an average of 5.69 ‰ in Dolj County and 3.53 ‰ nationally.
Craiova: the most common activity among active businesses is Retail trade (except motor vehicles) (7,410 businesses).
Craiova in numbers
Where is Craiova?
Neighbouring localities
- Ghercești6.7 km · 2,077
- Șimnicu de Sus8.2 km · 6,121
- Cârcea8.8 km · 4,317
- Malu Mare9.3 km · 9,537
- Ișalnița9.3 km · 4,359
- Mischii9.6 km · 1,882
- Bucovăț10 km · 4,311
- Podari11 km · 7,063
Localities of similar size
Population of Craiova over time
Craiova had 306,106 residents in 2016 and 278,599 in 2026.
| Year | Population (by registered residence) |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 296,931 |
| 2022 | 293,847 |
| 2023 | 290,340 |
| 2024 | 286,029 |
| 2025 | 281,011 |
| 2026 | 278,599 |
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Dolj County for “Population (by registered residence)”.
- Number 1 in Dolj County for “Population density”.
- “Doctors per 1,000 inhabitants”: higher than in 99% of localities.
- “Existing dwellings”: higher than in 99% of localities.
- “School population (children, pupils and students) per 1,000 inhabitants”: higher than in 99% of localities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 11,919 football pitches.
- Its population density is 36.1 times the national average.
All indicators for Craiova
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 | Craiova | Dolj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| People settling in the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 13.3 ‰ | 17.6 ‰ | 16.0 ‰ | ranked 2,189 of 3,163 | |
| People leaving the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 18.8 ‰ | 18.6 ‰ | 17.3 ‰ | ranked 1,168 of 3,163 | |
| Live births per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 5.6 ‰ | 6.7 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | ranked 2,238 of 3,157 | |
| Deaths per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 10.0 ‰ | 12.8 ‰ | 13.0 ‰ | ranked 2,515 of 3,163 |
Housing
| Indicator | Craiova | Dolj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length of the drinking-water network per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 2.76 km | 5.11 km | 7.67 km | ranked 2,490 of 2,728 | |
| Building permits for residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 0.99 ‰ | 2.10 ‰ | 1.53 ‰ | ranked 1,640 of 2,438 | |
| Existing dwellings (2025) | 122,360 | 309,497 | 10,177,161 | ranked 7 of 3,181 | |
| Dwellings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 439.2 ‰ | 469.0 ‰ | 484.8 ‰ | ranked 2,166 of 3,163 | |
| Average living floor area per dwelling (m²) (2025) | 50.3 m² | 51.3 m² | 50.3 m² | ranked 1,576 of 3,163 | |
| Dwellings completed in the year per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 1.83 ‰ | 2.46 ‰ | 1.30 ‰ | ranked 706 of 1,926 |
Energy
| Indicator | Craiova | Dolj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length of the gas distribution network per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 1.93 km | 2.64 km | 6.17 km | ranked 916 of 1,006 | |
| Natural gas distributed per inhabitant (m³) (2025) | 332 m³ | 5,466 m³ | 325,688 m³ | ranked 370 of 1,023 |
Economy
| Indicator | Craiova | Dolj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active companies in the trade register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 76.9 ‰ | 55.2 ‰ | 29.4 ‰ | ranked 136 of 3,163 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 4.32 ‰ | 3.58 ‰ | 2.10 ‰ | ranked 418 of 3,163 |
Employment
| Indicator | Craiova | Dolj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average number of employees per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 425 ‰ | 215 ‰ | 71 ‰ | ranked 61 of 3,163 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of labour resources (working-age population) (2026) | 0.8% | 5.0% | 2.3% | ranked 2,620 of 3,163 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Craiova | Dolj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist overnight stays per inhabitant (2025) | 1.0 nights | 0.8 | 0.4 | ranked 342 of 1,250 | |
| Tourist arrivals per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 594 ‰ | 496 ‰ | 200 ‰ | ranked 326 of 1,250 | |
| Tourist accommodation places per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 7.5 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 11.8 ‰ | ranked 888 of 1,362 |
Environment
| Indicator | Craiova | Dolj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drinking water distributed per inhabitant (m³) (2025) | 37.1 m³ | 29.3 m³ | 27.2 m³ | ranked 795 of 2,656 | |
| Length of the sewer network per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 2.22 km | 3.38 km | 4.05 km | ranked 1,282 of 1,695 |
Health
| Indicator | Craiova | Dolj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doctors per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 11.53 ‰ | 5.69 ‰ | 0.52 ‰ | ranked 5 of 2,833 | |
| Family doctors per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 0.71 ‰ | 0.65 ‰ | 0.46 ‰ | ranked 451 of 2,807 | |
| Pharmacists per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 2.37 ‰ | 1.39 ‰ | 0.47 ‰ | ranked 12 of 2,248 |
Education
| Indicator | Craiova | Dolj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| School population (children, pupils and students) per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 268 ‰ | 172 ‰ | 91 ‰ | ranked 28 of 3,158 | |
| Education units per 10,000 inhabitants (2025) | 3.2 per 10,000 inh. | 3.2 per 10,000 inh. | 3.6 per 10,000 inh. | ranked 1,781 of 3,122 |
Businesses by activity: Craiova
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 trade9,347 · 21.6%
- Professional, scientific and technical4,575 · 10.6%
- Transport and storage4,096 · 9.5%
- Administrative and support services3,515 · 8.1%
- Manufacturing3,225 · 7.5%
- Construction2,980 · 6.9%
- Information and communication2,352 · 5.4%
- Real estate2,305 · 5.3%
Most common activities
- Retail trade (except motor vehicles)7,410 · 17.1%
- Wholesale trade (except motor vehicles)4,441 · 10.3%
- Land transport and transport via pipelines3,189 · 7.4%
- Specialised construction activities2,570 · 5.9%
- Real estate activities2,305 · 5.3%
- Human health activities1,925 · 4.5%
- Office administration and business support activities1,893 · 4.4%
- Head offices and management consultancy1,828 · 4.2%
- Food and beverage service activities1,823 · 4.2%
- Warehousing and transport support activities1,773 · 4.1%
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Craiova?
Craiova has 278,599 residents (2026), ranking 8 of 3,181 localities.
How big is Craiova?
Craiova covers 85.1 km², with a density of 3,274 people per km².
Is the population of Craiova growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Craiova went from 306,106 to 278,599, a change of −9.0%.
Where is Craiova?
Craiova is in Dolj County. Latitude 44.333, longitude 23.817.
Doctors per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Craiova?
In Craiova, “Doctors per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 11.53 ‰ (2024), ranking 5 of 2,833 localities; the national median is 0.52 ‰.
Existing dwellings: what is the figure for Craiova?
In Craiova, “Existing dwellings” stands at 122,360 (2025), ranking 7 of 3,181 localities; the national median is 1,464.
Which localities border Craiova?
The nearest to Craiova are Ghercești (6.7 km), Șimnicu de Sus (8.2 km), Cârcea (8.8 km), Malu Mare (9.3 km), Ișalnița (9.3 km).