Location map: Merești
Locality · Harghita County

Merești: population and statistics

Merești has a population of 1,347 (2026) across 108.5 km², or 12.4 people per km². It ranks 2,842 of 3,181 localities by population. Its population is falling: −1.2% between 2016 and 2026.

  • 1,347 residents
  • 108.5 km²
  • 12 people/km²

Key points

Among the 67 localities in Harghita County, Merești ranks No. 63 by population.

People leaving the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants: 4.5 ‰ in Merești, compared with an average of 11.8 ‰ in Harghita County and 20.1 ‰ nationally.

Merești: the most common activity among active businesses is Retail trade (except motor vehicles) (11 businesses).

Merești in numbers

Population (by registered residence)
1,347
ranked 2,842 of 3,181
−1.2%over 10 years
2016–2026
Population density
12people/km²
ranked 3,049 of 3,163
Area
108km²
ranked 502 of 3,181
People leaving the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants
4.5‰
ranked 3,159 of 3,163
Existing dwellings
732
ranked 2,891 of 3,181
Education units per 10,000 inhabitants
7.4per 10,000 inh.
ranked 332 of 3,122
Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants
0.74‰
ranked 2,754 of 3,163

Where is Merești?

Population of Merești over time

1,3201,3301,3401,3501,3601,370201620182020202220242026
Population, 2016–2026

Merești had 1,364 residents in 2016 and 1,347 in 2026.

YearPopulation (by registered residence)
20211,343
20221,343
20231,335
20241,327
20251,333
20261,347

Did you know?

All indicators for Merești

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.

MereștiNational medianHover over or tap a bar to see what it shows.

Population

IndicatorMereștiHarghita CountyNationalPosition?Rank
People settling in the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants (2025)17.8 ‰10.8 ‰16.0 ‰ranked 1,219 of 3,163
People leaving the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants (2025)4.5 ‰11.8 ‰17.3 ‰ranked 3,159 of 3,163
Live births per 1,000 inhabitants (2025)8.9 ‰7.6 ‰6.9 ‰ranked 737 of 3,157
Deaths per 1,000 inhabitants (2025)12.6 ‰11.0 ‰13.0 ‰ranked 1,698 of 3,163

Housing

IndicatorMereștiHarghita CountyNationalPosition?Rank
Length of the drinking-water network per 1,000 inhabitants (2025)9.65 km5.80 km7.67 kmranked 962 of 2,728
Building permits for residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025)0.74 ‰1.36 ‰1.53 ‰ranked 1,913 of 2,438
Existing dwellings (2025)732151,95710,177,161ranked 2,891 of 3,181
Dwellings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025)543.4 ‰472.1 ‰484.8 ‰ranked 973 of 3,163
Average living floor area per dwelling (m²) (2025)48.7 m²53.5 m²50.3 m²ranked 1,777 of 3,163

Economy

IndicatorMereștiHarghita CountyNationalPosition?Rank
Active companies in the trade register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026)19.3 ‰38.2 ‰29.4 ‰ranked 2,473 of 3,163
Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026)0.74 ‰1.53 ‰2.10 ‰ranked 2,754 of 3,163

Employment

IndicatorMereștiHarghita CountyNationalPosition?Rank
Average number of employees per 1,000 inhabitants (2024)97 ‰220 ‰71 ‰ranked 1,064 of 3,163
Registered unemployed as a share of labour resources (working-age population) (2026)4.1%2.9%2.3%ranked 888 of 3,163

Tourism

IndicatorMereștiHarghita CountyNationalPosition?Rank
Tourist overnight stays per inhabitant (2025)0.3 nights1.70.4ranked 658 of 1,250
Tourist arrivals per 1,000 inhabitants (2025)135 ‰727 ‰200 ‰ranked 729 of 1,250
Tourist accommodation places per 1,000 inhabitants (2025)17.8 ‰42.7 ‰11.8 ‰ranked 517 of 1,362

Environment

IndicatorMereștiHarghita CountyNationalPosition?Rank
Drinking water distributed per inhabitant (m³) (2025)52.0 m³33.9 m³27.2 m³ranked 375 of 2,656

Health

IndicatorMereștiHarghita CountyNationalPosition?Rank
Doctors per 1,000 inhabitants (2024)0.74 ‰2.08 ‰0.52 ‰ranked 810 of 2,833
Family doctors per 1,000 inhabitants (2024)0.74 ‰0.48 ‰0.46 ‰ranked 398 of 2,807
Pharmacists per 1,000 inhabitants (2024)0.74 ‰0.74 ‰0.47 ‰ranked 496 of 2,248

Education

IndicatorMereștiHarghita CountyNationalPosition?Rank
School population (children, pupils and students) per 1,000 inhabitants (2025)109 ‰159 ‰91 ‰ranked 973 of 3,158
Education units per 10,000 inhabitants (2025)7.4 per 10,000 inh.4.1 per 10,000 inh.3.6 per 10,000 inh.ranked 332 of 3,122

Businesses by activity: Merești

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

Most common activities

Frequently asked questions

What is the population of Merești?

Merești has 1,347 residents (2026), ranking 2,842 of 3,181 localities.

How big is Merești?

Merești covers 108.5 km², with a density of 12 people per km².

Is the population of Merești growing?

Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Merești went from 1,364 to 1,347, a change of −1.2%.

Where is Merești?

Merești is in Harghita County. Latitude 46.224, longitude 25.485.

People leaving the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Merești?

In Merești, “People leaving the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 4.5 ‰ (2025), ranking 3,159 of 3,163 localities; the national median is 17.3 ‰.

Existing dwellings: what is the figure for Merești?

In Merești, “Existing dwellings” stands at 732 (2025), ranking 2,891 of 3,181 localities; the national median is 1,464.

Which localities border Merești?

The nearest to Merești are Ocland (7.6 km), Mărtiniș (8.6 km), Lueta (10 km), Vârghiș (11 km), Brăduț (13 km).