Valcău de Jos: population and statistics
Valcău de Jos has a population of 3,043 (2026) across 62.5 km², or 48.7 people per km². It ranks 1,552 of 3,181 localities by population. Its population is falling: −6.1% between 2016 and 2026.
- 3,043 residents
- 62.5 km²
- 49 people/km²
Key points
Among the 61 localities in Sălaj County, Valcău de Jos ranks No. 19 by population.
People settling in the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants: 6.9 ‰ in Valcău de Jos, compared with an average of 14.1 ‰ in Sălaj County and 18.5 ‰ nationally.
Registered unemployed as a share of labour resources (working-age population): 11.8% in Valcău de Jos, compared with an average of 4.0% in Sălaj County and 2.0% nationally.
Valcău de Jos: the most common activity among active businesses is Wholesale trade (except motor vehicles) (43 businesses).
Valcău de Jos in numbers
Where is Valcău de Jos?
Neighbouring localities
- Plopiș6.3 km · 2,423
- Boghiș6.6 km · 1,977
- Sâg6.9 km · 3,297
- Bănișor7.2 km · 1,770
- Nușfalău12 km · 3,997
- Cizer12 km · 2,230
- Halmășd13 km · 2,229
- Crasna13 km · 6,651
All localities in Sălaj County
Localities of similar size
Population of Valcău de Jos over time
Valcău de Jos had 3,240 residents in 2016 and 3,043 in 2026.
| Year | Population (by registered residence) |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,134 |
| 2022 | 3,135 |
| 2023 | 3,092 |
| 2024 | 3,075 |
| 2025 | 3,059 |
| 2026 | 3,043 |
Did you know?
- “People settling in the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 98% of localities.
- “Registered unemployed as a share of labour resources (working-age population)”: higher than in 95% of localities.
- “Tourist overnight stays per inhabitant”: lower than in 93% of localities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 8,755 football pitches.
- The nearest locality is Plopiș, 6.3 km away.
- The nearest more populous locality is Crasna (6,651 residents), 13 km away.
All indicators for Valcău de Jos
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 | Valcău de Jos | Sălaj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| People settling in the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 6.9 ‰ | 14.1 ‰ | 16.0 ‰ | ranked 3,108 of 3,163 | |
| People leaving the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 12.8 ‰ | 16.3 ‰ | 17.3 ‰ | ranked 2,679 of 3,163 | |
| Live births per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 10.8 ‰ | 8.8 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | ranked 307 of 3,157 | |
| Deaths per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 10.8 ‰ | 11.4 ‰ | 13.0 ‰ | ranked 2,259 of 3,163 |
Housing
| Indicator | Valcău de Jos | Sălaj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length of the drinking-water network per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 15.64 km | 7.56 km | 7.67 km | ranked 319 of 2,728 | |
| Building permits for residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 0.66 ‰ | 1.93 ‰ | 1.53 ‰ | ranked 1,992 of 2,438 | |
| Existing dwellings (2025) | 1,453 | 109,182 | 10,177,161 | ranked 1,611 of 3,181 | |
| Dwellings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 477.5 ‰ | 462.4 ‰ | 484.8 ‰ | ranked 1,676 of 3,163 | |
| Average living floor area per dwelling (m²) (2025) | 62.8 m² | 52.2 m² | 50.3 m² | ranked 445 of 3,163 |
Economy
| Indicator | Valcău de Jos | Sălaj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active companies in the trade register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 26.0 ‰ | 41.7 ‰ | 29.4 ‰ | ranked 1,882 of 3,163 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 2.30 ‰ | 2.57 ‰ | 2.10 ‰ | ranked 1,407 of 3,163 |
Employment
| Indicator | Valcău de Jos | Sălaj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average number of employees per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 76 ‰ | 223 ‰ | 71 ‰ | ranked 1,466 of 3,163 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of labour resources (working-age population) (2026) | 11.8% | 4.0% | 2.3% | ranked 144 of 3,163 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Valcău de Jos | 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) | 12 ‰ | 212 ‰ | 200 ‰ | ranked 1,145 of 1,250 | |
| Tourist accommodation places per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 8.5 ‰ | 13.1 ‰ | 11.8 ‰ | ranked 833 of 1,362 |
Environment
| Indicator | Valcău de Jos | Sălaj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drinking water distributed per inhabitant (m³) (2025) | 34.8 m³ | 35.4 m³ | 27.2 m³ | ranked 902 of 2,656 |
Health
| Indicator | Valcău de Jos | Sălaj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doctors per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 0.33 ‰ | 2.13 ‰ | 0.52 ‰ | ranked 2,277 of 2,833 | |
| Family doctors per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 0.33 ‰ | 0.48 ‰ | 0.46 ‰ | ranked 2,137 of 2,807 | |
| Pharmacists per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 0.66 ‰ | 0.94 ‰ | 0.47 ‰ | ranked 625 of 2,248 |
Education
| Indicator | Valcău de Jos | Sălaj County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| School population (children, pupils and students) per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 128 ‰ | 154 ‰ | 91 ‰ | ranked 580 of 3,158 | |
| Education units per 10,000 inhabitants (2025) | 3.3 per 10,000 inh. | 4.4 per 10,000 inh. | 3.6 per 10,000 inh. | ranked 1,683 of 3,122 |
Businesses by activity: Valcău de Jos
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 trade51 · 20.2%
- Transport and storage36 · 14.2%
- Construction31 · 12.3%
- Administrative and support services25 · 9.9%
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing21 · 8.3%
- Manufacturing20 · 7.9%
- Other service activities16 · 6.3%
- Professional, scientific and technical15 · 5.9%
Most common activities
- Wholesale trade (except motor vehicles)43 · 17.0%
- Retail trade (except motor vehicles)35 · 13.8%
- Land transport and transport via pipelines35 · 13.8%
- Specialised construction activities31 · 12.3%
- Civil engineering26 · 10.3%
- Construction of buildings25 · 9.9%
- Warehousing and transport support activities20 · 7.9%
- Rental and leasing activities18 · 7.1%
- Crop and animal production, hunting and related services16 · 6.3%
- Repair of computers and personal and household goods13 · 5.1%
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Valcău de Jos?
Valcău de Jos has 3,043 residents (2026), ranking 1,552 of 3,181 localities.
How big is Valcău de Jos?
Valcău de Jos covers 62.5 km², with a density of 49 people per km².
Is the population of Valcău de Jos growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Valcău de Jos went from 3,240 to 3,043, a change of −6.1%.
Where is Valcău de Jos?
Valcău de Jos is in Sălaj County. Latitude 47.097, longitude 22.722.
People settling in the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Valcău de Jos?
In Valcău de Jos, “People settling in the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 6.9 ‰ (2025), ranking 3,108 of 3,163 localities; the national median is 16.0 ‰.
Registered unemployed as a share of labour resources (working-age population): what is the figure for Valcău de Jos?
In Valcău de Jos, “Registered unemployed as a share of labour resources (working-age population)” stands at 11.8% (2026), ranking 144 of 3,163 localities; the national median is 2.3%.
Which localities border Valcău de Jos?
The nearest to Valcău de Jos are Plopiș (6.3 km), Boghiș (6.6 km), Sâg (6.9 km), Bănișor (7.2 km), Nușfalău (12 km).