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
Where is Merești?
Neighbouring localities
- Ocland7.6 km · 1,278
- Mărtiniș8.6 km · 2,922
- Lueta10 km · 3,599
- Vârghiș11 km · 1,695
- Brăduț13 km · 5,317
- Vlăhița14 km · 7,516
- Satu Mare15 km · 2,076
- Ulieș16 km · 1,178
All localities in Harghita County
Localities of similar size
Population of Merești over time
Merești had 1,364 residents in 2016 and 1,347 in 2026.
| Year | Population (by registered residence) |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,343 |
| 2022 | 1,343 |
| 2023 | 1,335 |
| 2024 | 1,327 |
| 2025 | 1,333 |
| 2026 | 1,347 |
Did you know?
- “People leaving the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 99% of localities.
- “Existing dwellings”: lower than in 91% of localities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 15,195 football pitches.
- Its population density is 7.3 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest locality is Ocland, 7.6 km away.
- The nearest more populous locality is Mărtiniș (2,922 residents), 8.6 km away.
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.
Population
| Indicator | Merești | Harghita County | National | Position? | 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
| Indicator | Merești | Harghita County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length of the drinking-water network per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 9.65 km | 5.80 km | 7.67 km | ranked 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) | 732 | 151,957 | 10,177,161 | ranked 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 m² | 53.5 m² | 50.3 m² | ranked 1,777 of 3,163 |
Economy
| Indicator | Merești | Harghita County | National | Position? | 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
| Indicator | Merești | Harghita County | National | Position? | 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
| Indicator | Merești | Harghita County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist overnight stays per inhabitant (2025) | 0.3 nights | 1.7 | 0.4 | ranked 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
| Indicator | Merești | Harghita County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drinking water distributed per inhabitant (m³) (2025) | 52.0 m³ | 33.9 m³ | 27.2 m³ | ranked 375 of 2,656 |
Health
| Indicator | Merești | Harghita County | National | Position? | 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
| Indicator | Merești | Harghita County | National | Position? | 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
- Wholesale and retail trade13 · 16.0%
- Transport and storage13 · 16.0%
- Manufacturing9 · 11.1%
- Administrative and support services8 · 9.9%
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing7 · 8.6%
- Construction6 · 7.4%
- Professional, scientific and technical6 · 7.4%
- Arts, entertainment and recreation6 · 7.4%
Most common activities
- Retail trade (except motor vehicles)11 · 13.6%
- Land transport and transport via pipelines9 · 11.1%
- Wholesale trade (except motor vehicles)8 · 9.9%
- Warehousing and transport support activities8 · 9.9%
- Specialised construction activities6 · 7.4%
- Manufacture of wood and wood products (except furniture)5 · 6.2%
- Forestry and logging4 · 4.9%
- Construction of buildings4 · 4.9%
- Food and beverage service activities4 · 4.9%
- Head offices and management consultancy4 · 4.9%
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).