Why is Ilfov County growing so fast, and what does it mean if you are buying a home there?

Ilfov County growth: the short answer

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Ilfov is the county that surrounds Bucharest, and it was Romania's fastest-growing county between the last two censuses: from 388,738 residents in 2011 to 542,686 in 2021, an increase of about 40%, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INS). Families moving out of the capital for houses with gardens drove much of that growth. In 2025, the Bucharest–Ilfov region accounted for about 29% of all new dwellings completed in Romania.

When I show buyers a map of Bucharest, I always zoom out one level. The city itself is only part of the story. Around it is a ring of towns and communes, Voluntari, Otopeni, Chiajna, Popești-Leordeni, Balotești, that has changed beyond recognition in twenty years. Here is that ring in numbers, and what they mean for someone looking for a home.

Ilfov in numbers

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Indicator	Figure	Source
Population, 2011 census	388,738	INS
Population, 2021 census	542,686	INS
Change 2011–2021	about +154,000, about +40%	Calculated from INS
New dwellings completed in Romania, 2025	59,062 (-3.14% on 2024)	INS, via AGERPRES
New dwellings completed, Bucharest–Ilfov region, 2025	about 17,300, about 29% of Romania's total; +314 on 2024	INS
Example: Balotești, 2011 → 2021	8,314 → 11,210 (about +35%)	INS

One county, adding more than 150,000 residents in a decade, while Romania's overall population fell. That is the context for every price and every new project you will see in the area.

Why are people moving to Ilfov?

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1. Space. A house with a garden instead of an apartment in a block.
2. Proximity to the capital's jobs. The office hubs of northern Bucharest, Pipera and Băneasa, are close to the northern suburbs. See our guide to Pipera.
3. Infrastructure. The A0 ring road, the airport, and the M6 metro line under construction. See our guide to the A0 and our guide to the M6.
4. Schools. Several international schools are in northern Bucharest and Ilfov, and new campuses have been announced. See our guide to international schools.
5. Local taxes and services that differ from one commune to the next, since each is a separate local authority.

North and south: two different Ilfovs

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	Northern Ilfov	Southern and western Ilfov
Examples	Otopeni, Balotești, Corbeanca, Snagov, Voluntari, Pipera	Popești-Leordeni, Bragadiru, Chiajna, Măgurele
Character	More houses and villas, lakes and forests, the airport	Denser new apartment complexes in many areas
Main roads	DN1, A3, A0 north	A1, A2, A0 south, ring road
Proximity	Airport and the northern office hubs	Southern and western parts of the city

This is a generalisation, and every commune has exceptions. We go deeper in our comparison of north and south Bucharest and in our local guides to Otopeni, Balotești and Corbeanca and Snagov.

Fast growth has a price: what to check

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When a county grows by 40% in ten years, infrastructure does not always keep up. Before buying in any suburb:

1. Utilities in place, not "planned". Water, sewage, gas and electricity connected to the public networks.
2. The access road. Paved and lit up to the house, and who maintains it.
3. Zoning around you. Ask at the town hall what the zoning plan allows on the empty plots nearby.
4. The peak-hour drive. Test the route to work or school at the time you will actually drive it.
5. Schools and kindergartens. Places available, not just buildings.
6. The local authority. Each commune sets its own local tax and services; see our guide to the annual property tax.

Where we fit in

To be transparent: we build in northern Ilfov. Compass on the Lake is a project of 29 villas in Balotești, by a lake, from €299,900 all-inclusive, with handovers planned from December 2027. I mention it once, so you know where I am writing from. The checks above apply to every project, ours included.

Frequently asked questions

What is Ilfov County?

Ilfov is the county that surrounds Bucharest on all sides. It includes towns such as Voluntari, Otopeni, Buftea and Popești-Leordeni, and communes such as Balotești, Corbeanca and Snagov.

How fast is Ilfov growing?

According to INS censuses, Ilfov grew from 388,738 residents in 2011 to 542,686 in 2021, about 40%, the fastest growth of any Romanian county in that period.

How many new homes are being built around Bucharest?

According to INS, about 17,300 new dwellings were completed in the Bucharest–Ilfov region in 2025, about 29% of the 59,062 completed in Romania that year.

Is Ilfov part of Bucharest?

No. Ilfov is a separate county with its own towns and communes, each with its own local authority, local taxes and services. Together with Bucharest it forms the Bucharest–Ilfov development region.

Which part of Ilfov is best for families?

It depends on where you work and study. Northern Ilfov has more houses, lakes and forests and is close to the airport and the northern office hubs; the south has more new apartment complexes. Test the commute before you choose.

The bottom line

Ilfov is where Bucharest is growing. Its population rose by about 40% in a decade, and the region builds almost a third of Romania's new homes. That growth brings opportunity, and also roads, utilities and schools that sometimes lag behind.

If you are looking at a home in Ilfov, book a 30-minute call with me. We will go through the map together, commune by commune, and the questions to ask before each visit.

Moti Azulay, Compass Group Romania

Sources and data: National Institute of Statistics (INS), 2011 and 2021 population and housing censuses · AGERPRES, INS data on dwellings completed in 2025 · Ilfov County Council.

This article is for general information only. Statistical figures are as published by INS; local conditions differ from commune to commune.