Bălești (Vrancea County): population and statistics
Bălești has a population of 1,807 (2026) across 39.7 km², or 45.5 people per km². It ranks 2,505 of 3,181 localities by population. Its population is falling: −9.9% between 2016 and 2026.
- 1,807 residents
- 39.7 km²
- 46 people/km²
Key points
Among the 73 localities in Vrancea County, Bălești ranks No. 62 by population.
Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants: 0.00 ‰ in Bălești, compared with an average of 2.31 ‰ in Vrancea County and 3.92 ‰ nationally.
People leaving the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants: 9.4 ‰ in Bălești, compared with an average of 19.4 ‰ in Vrancea County and 20.1 ‰ nationally.
Bălești: the most common activity among active businesses is Retail trade (except motor vehicles) (16 businesses).
Bălești in numbers
Where is Bălești?
Population of Bălești over time
Bălești had 2,005 residents in 2016 and 1,807 in 2026.
| Year | Population (by registered residence) |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,882 |
| 2022 | 1,850 |
| 2023 | 1,818 |
| 2024 | 1,805 |
| 2025 | 1,817 |
| 2026 | 1,807 |
Did you know?
- “Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 98% of localities.
- “People leaving the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 97% of localities.
- “Registered unemployed as a share of labour resources (working-age population)”: lower than in 93% of localities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 5,557 football pitches.
- The nearest locality is Ciorăști, 5.4 km away.
- The nearest more populous locality is Tătăranu (4,039 residents), 6.9 km away.
All indicators for Bălești
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 | Bălești | Vrancea County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| People settling in the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 19.9 ‰ | 16.3 ‰ | 16.0 ‰ | ranked 908 of 3,163 | |
| People leaving the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 9.4 ‰ | 19.4 ‰ | 17.3 ‰ | ranked 3,059 of 3,163 | |
| Live births per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 3.3 ‰ | 6.5 ‰ | 6.9 ‰ | ranked 3,004 of 3,157 | |
| Deaths per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 19.9 ‰ | 11.5 ‰ | 13.0 ‰ | ranked 320 of 3,163 |
Housing
| Indicator | Bălești | Vrancea County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length of the drinking-water network per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 7.75 km | 5.63 km | 7.67 km | ranked 1,347 of 2,728 | |
| Building permits for residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 0.55 ‰ | 1.84 ‰ | 1.53 ‰ | ranked 2,102 of 2,438 | |
| Existing dwellings (2025) | 883 | 164,863 | 10,177,161 | ranked 2,660 of 3,181 | |
| Dwellings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 488.7 ‰ | 450.3 ‰ | 484.8 ‰ | ranked 1,540 of 3,163 | |
| Average living floor area per dwelling (m²) (2025) | 47.7 m² | 52.7 m² | 50.3 m² | ranked 1,883 of 3,163 |
Economy
| Indicator | Bălești | Vrancea County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active companies in the trade register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 17.7 ‰ | 37.8 ‰ | 29.4 ‰ | ranked 2,617 of 3,163 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 0.00 ‰ | 2.31 ‰ | 2.10 ‰ | ranked 3,005 of 3,163 |
Employment
| Indicator | Bălești | Vrancea County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average number of employees per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 45 ‰ | 167 ‰ | 71 ‰ | ranked 2,407 of 3,163 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of labour resources (working-age population) (2026) | 0.5% | 1.0% | 2.3% | ranked 2,890 of 3,163 |
Environment
| Indicator | Bălești | Vrancea County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drinking water distributed per inhabitant (m³) (2025) | 25.5 m³ | 30.7 m³ | 27.2 m³ | ranked 1,430 of 2,656 |
Health
| Indicator | Bălești | Vrancea County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Doctors per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 0.55 ‰ | 1.55 ‰ | 0.52 ‰ | ranked 1,309 of 2,833 | |
| Family doctors per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 0.55 ‰ | 0.40 ‰ | 0.46 ‰ | ranked 937 of 2,807 |
Education
| Indicator | Bălești | Vrancea County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| School population (children, pupils and students) per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 61 ‰ | 131 ‰ | 91 ‰ | ranked 2,730 of 3,158 | |
| Education units per 10,000 inhabitants (2025) | 5.5 per 10,000 inh. | 3.1 per 10,000 inh. | 3.6 per 10,000 inh. | ranked 688 of 3,122 |
Businesses by activity: Bălești
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 trade20 · 28.2%
- Construction10 · 14.1%
- Transport and storage9 · 12.7%
- Manufacturing5 · 7.0%
- Accommodation and food services5 · 7.0%
- Administrative and support services5 · 7.0%
- Arts, entertainment and recreation5 · 7.0%
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing4 · 5.6%
Most common activities
- Retail trade (except motor vehicles)16 · 22.5%
- Wholesale trade (except motor vehicles)13 · 18.3%
- Specialised construction activities9 · 12.7%
- Construction of buildings8 · 11.3%
- Warehousing and transport support activities6 · 8.5%
- Food and beverage service activities5 · 7.0%
- Civil engineering4 · 5.6%
- Land transport and transport via pipelines4 · 5.6%
- Crop and animal production, hunting and related services3 · 4.2%
- Rental and leasing activities3 · 4.2%
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Bălești?
Bălești has 1,807 residents (2026), ranking 2,505 of 3,181 localities.
How big is Bălești?
Bălești covers 39.7 km², with a density of 46 people per km².
Is the population of Bălești growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Bălești went from 2,005 to 1,807, a change of −9.9%.
Where is Bălești?
Bălești is in Vrancea County. Latitude 45.470, longitude 27.254.
Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Bălești?
In Bălești, “Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 0.00 ‰ (2026), ranking 3,005 of 3,163 localities; the national median is 2.10 ‰.
People leaving the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Bălești?
In Bălești, “People leaving the municipality per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 9.4 ‰ (2025), ranking 3,059 of 3,163 localities; the national median is 17.3 ‰.
Which localities border Bălești?
The nearest to Bălești are Ciorăști (5.4 km), Tătăranu (6.9 km), Puiești (8.4 km), Sihlea (11 km), Obrejița (14 km).