Șimleu Silvaniei: population and statistics
Șimleu Silvaniei has a population of 16,717 (2026) across 61.8 km², or 270 people per km². It ranks 136 of 3,181 localities by population. Its population is falling: −4.0% between 2016 and 2026.
- 16,717 residents
- 61.8 km²
- 270 people/km²
Key points
Among the 61 localities in Sălaj County, Șimleu Silvaniei ranks No. 2 by population.
School population (children, pupils and students) per 1,000 inhabitants: 252 ‰ in Șimleu Silvaniei, compared with an average of 154 ‰ in Sălaj County and 163 ‰ nationally.
People settling in the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants: 7.4 ‰ in Șimleu Silvaniei, compared with an average of 14.1 ‰ in Sălaj County and 18.5 ‰ nationally.
Șimleu Silvaniei: the most common activity among active businesses is Retail trade (except motor vehicles) (334 businesses).
Șimleu Silvaniei in numbers
Where is Șimleu Silvaniei?
Neighbouring localities
- Pericei7.1 km · 3,627
- Nușfalău7.1 km · 3,997
- Crasna9.2 km · 6,651
- Boghiș9.5 km · 1,977
- Șărmășag10 km · 6,466
- Măeriște11 km · 2,810
- Vârșolț11 km · 2,237
- Bocșa11 km · 3,332
All localities in Sălaj County
Localities of similar size
Population of Șimleu Silvaniei over time
Șimleu Silvaniei had 17,421 residents in 2016 and 16,717 in 2026.
| Year | Population (by registered residence) |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 17,285 |
| 2022 | 17,179 |
| 2023 | 16,986 |
| 2024 | 16,928 |
| 2025 | 16,784 |
| 2026 | 16,717 |
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Sălaj County for “School population (children, pupils and students) per 1,000 inhabitants”.
- “School population (children, pupils and students) per 1,000 inhabitants”: higher than in 99% of localities.
- “People settling in the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 97% of localities.
- “Existing dwellings”: higher than in 96% of localities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 8,658 football pitches.
- Its population density is 3.0 times the national average.
- The nearest locality is Pericei, 7.1 km away.
All indicators for Șimleu Silvaniei
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 | Șimleu Silvaniei | Sălaj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| People settling in the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 7.4 ‰ | 14.1 ‰ | 16.0 ‰ | ranked 3,078 of 3,163 | |
| People leaving the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 13.2 ‰ | 16.3 ‰ | 17.3 ‰ | ranked 2,613 of 3,163 | |
| Live births per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 9.2 ‰ | 8.8 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | ranked 661 of 3,157 | |
| Deaths per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 8.4 ‰ | 11.4 ‰ | 13.0 ‰ | ranked 2,890 of 3,163 |
Housing
| Indicator | Șimleu Silvaniei | Sălaj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length of the drinking-water network per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 4.03 km | 7.56 km | 7.67 km | ranked 2,245 of 2,728 | |
| Building permits for residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 1.08 ‰ | 1.93 ‰ | 1.53 ‰ | ranked 1,556 of 2,438 | |
| Existing dwellings (2025) | 7,286 | 109,182 | 10,177,161 | ranked 144 of 3,181 | |
| Dwellings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 435.8 ‰ | 462.4 ‰ | 484.8 ‰ | ranked 2,208 of 3,163 | |
| Average living floor area per dwelling (m²) (2025) | 48.0 m² | 52.2 m² | 50.3 m² | ranked 1,853 of 3,163 | |
| Dwellings completed in the year per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 1.73 ‰ | 2.60 ‰ | 1.30 ‰ | ranked 747 of 1,926 |
Energy
| Indicator | Șimleu Silvaniei | Sălaj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length of the gas distribution network per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 2.96 km | 4.43 km | 6.17 km | ranked 837 of 1,006 | |
| Natural gas distributed per inhabitant (m³) (2025) | 251 m³ | 5,957 m³ | 325,688 m³ | ranked 545 of 1,023 |
Economy
| Indicator | Șimleu Silvaniei | Sălaj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active companies in the trade register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 47.7 ‰ | 41.7 ‰ | 29.4 ‰ | ranked 567 of 3,163 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 2.03 ‰ | 2.57 ‰ | 2.10 ‰ | ranked 1,633 of 3,163 |
Employment
| Indicator | Șimleu Silvaniei | Sălaj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average number of employees per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 186 ‰ | 223 ‰ | 71 ‰ | ranked 442 of 3,163 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of labour resources (working-age population) (2026) | 1.1% | 4.0% | 2.3% | ranked 2,352 of 3,163 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Șimleu Silvaniei | Sălaj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist overnight stays per inhabitant (2025) | 0.0 nights | 0.4 | 0.4 | ranked 1,070 of 1,250 | |
| Tourist arrivals per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 27 ‰ | 212 ‰ | 200 ‰ | ranked 1,058 of 1,250 | |
| Tourist accommodation places per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 9.3 ‰ | 13.1 ‰ | 11.8 ‰ | ranked 789 of 1,362 |
Environment
| Indicator | Șimleu Silvaniei | Sălaj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drinking water distributed per inhabitant (m³) (2025) | 27.7 m³ | 35.4 m³ | 27.2 m³ | ranked 1,295 of 2,656 | |
| Length of the sewer network per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 2.78 km | 5.15 km | 4.05 km | ranked 1,138 of 1,695 |
Health
| Indicator | Șimleu Silvaniei | Sălaj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doctors per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 3.17 ‰ | 2.13 ‰ | 0.52 ‰ | ranked 151 of 2,833 | |
| Family doctors per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 0.48 ‰ | 0.48 ‰ | 0.46 ‰ | ranked 1,284 of 2,807 | |
| Pharmacists per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 0.60 ‰ | 0.94 ‰ | 0.47 ‰ | ranked 755 of 2,248 |
Education
| Indicator | Șimleu Silvaniei | Sălaj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| School population (children, pupils and students) per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 252 ‰ | 154 ‰ | 91 ‰ | ranked 43 of 3,158 | |
| Education units per 10,000 inhabitants (2025) | 4.8 per 10,000 inh. | 4.4 per 10,000 inh. | 3.6 per 10,000 inh. | ranked 924 of 3,122 |
Businesses by activity: Șimleu Silvaniei
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 trade436 · 18.6%
- Transport and storage260 · 11.1%
- Administrative and support services233 · 10.0%
- Professional, scientific and technical203 · 8.7%
- Construction199 · 8.5%
- Manufacturing198 · 8.5%
- Other service activities143 · 6.1%
- Real estate137 · 5.9%
Most common activities
- Retail trade (except motor vehicles)334 · 14.3%
- Wholesale trade (except motor vehicles)262 · 11.2%
- Land transport and transport via pipelines227 · 9.7%
- Specialised construction activities184 · 7.9%
- Warehousing and transport support activities137 · 5.9%
- Real estate activities137 · 5.9%
- Construction of buildings126 · 5.4%
- Rental and leasing activities124 · 5.3%
- Civil engineering114 · 4.9%
- Food and beverage service activities113 · 4.8%
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Șimleu Silvaniei?
Șimleu Silvaniei has 16,717 residents (2026), ranking 136 of 3,181 localities.
How big is Șimleu Silvaniei?
Șimleu Silvaniei covers 61.8 km², with a density of 270 people per km².
Is the population of Șimleu Silvaniei growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Șimleu Silvaniei went from 17,421 to 16,717, a change of −4.0%.
Where is Șimleu Silvaniei?
Șimleu Silvaniei is in Sălaj County. Latitude 47.230, longitude 22.800.
School population (children, pupils and students) per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Șimleu Silvaniei?
In Șimleu Silvaniei, “School population (children, pupils and students) per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 252 ‰ (2025), ranking 43 of 3,158 localities; the national median is 91 ‰.
People settling in the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Șimleu Silvaniei?
In Șimleu Silvaniei, “People settling in the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 7.4 ‰ (2025), ranking 3,078 of 3,163 localities; the national median is 16.0 ‰.
Which localities border Șimleu Silvaniei?
The nearest to Șimleu Silvaniei are Pericei (7.1 km), Nușfalău (7.1 km), Crasna (9.2 km), Boghiș (9.5 km), Șărmășag (10 km).