According to INS, Romania went from 20,121,641 residents in 2011 to 19,053,815 in 2021. A fall of more than a million people.
Bucharest lost about 8.8% of its residents and Ilfov grew by about 39.6%. Together, the region fell only about 0.6% between the censuses.
According to Eurostat, Ilfov grew from 545,407 residents on 1.1.2022 to 604,264 on 1.1.2025, almost entirely through migration.
Romania's population and the capital region: the short answer
According to the censuses of Romania's National Institute of Statistics (INS), the country went from 20,121,641 residents in October 2011 to 19,053,815 in December 2021. That is a fall of 1,067,826 people, about 5.3%. Over the same decade the city of Bucharest lost 166,464 residents (about 8.8%), while Ilfov, the county that surrounds it, gained 153,966 (about 39.6%). The Bucharest-Ilfov region as a whole barely changed: down about 0.6%.
Since the census the pattern has held. According to Eurostat estimates, between 1 January 2022 and 1 January 2025 Romania's population stayed almost flat, the capital region grew by about 45,000 people, and Ilfov alone grew by about 58,900.
Put simply: Romania is shrinking, but its capital region is not. The growth has moved from the city to the ring around it.
The numbers: two censuses
| Area | 2011 census | 2021 census | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Romania | 20,121,641 | 19,053,815 | -1,067,826 (about -5.3%) |
| City of Bucharest | 1,883,425 | 1,716,961 | -166,464 (about -8.8%) |
| Ilfov County | 388,738 | 542,704 | +153,966 (about +39.6%) |
| Bucharest-Ilfov combined | 2,272,163 | 2,259,665 | -12,498 (about -0.6%) |
Source: final Table 1.01 of the 2021 census, published on the INS census website. The 2011 census was taken on 20 October 2011 and the 2021 census on 1 December 2021.
Look at the last row. Anyone who reads only the headline "Romania lost a million people" misses the main point: the capital region's share of the population went up, from about 11.3% in 2011 to about 11.9% in 2021.
A small note: older press coverage, and our own article on Ilfov County's growth, gives Ilfov 542,686 residents. That was the provisional 2022 figure. The final census result is 542,704.
After the census: what has happened since 2022
| Area | 1 January 2022 | 1 January 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Romania | 19,043,098 | 19,043,151 | almost zero |
| Bucharest-Ilfov | 2,268,381 | 2,313,455 | +45,074 (about +2.0%) |
| City of Bucharest | 1,722,974 | 1,709,191 | -13,783 (about -0.8%) |
| Ilfov County | 545,407 | 604,264 | +58,857 (about +10.8%) |
Source: Eurostat tables demo_r_d2jan and demo_r_pjanaggr3 (updated 28 August 2026). Eurostat receives these figures from INS.
According to Eurostat, Romania had 19,041,322 residents on 1 January 2026. The national figure is out; the county-level figures for 2026 had not been published there at the time of writing. Ilfov now holds more than a quarter of the region's residents (about 26%), compared with about 17% in 2011.
Why Romania is shrinking: births, deaths and migration
A population changes for two reasons. One is natural change: births minus deaths. The other is migration.
According to Eurostat, 134,238 babies were born in Romania in 2025 and 238,316 people died. Natural change was -104,078. In 2021 there were 193,191 births, so the number of births fell by about 30% in four years.
What has held the total steady in recent years is migration. In 2025 net migration was +102,249 (Eurostat's figure includes a statistical adjustment). That is why the national population has barely moved since 2022.
Why Ilfov grows and Bucharest doesn't
The county-level data shows where the growth comes from. Figures for 2024, according to Eurostat:
Romania is shrinking, but its capital region is not. The growth has moved from the city to the ring around it.
| 2024 | Natural change | Net migration |
|---|---|---|
| City of Bucharest | -6,897 | -5,696 |
| Ilfov County | -56 | +20,657 |
| Bucharest-Ilfov | -6,953 | +14,961 |
So Ilfov is not growing because of births. It is growing because people move there, from Bucharest and from the rest of Romania, and between 2022 and 2024 it added about 18,700 to 20,700 residents a year this way. The city itself has more deaths than births, and its migration balance swings from year to year: positive in 2022 and 2023, negative in 2024.
Age tells the same story. According to census Table 1.23, the average age in 2021 was 38.1 in Ilfov, 42.1 in Bucharest and 41.9 for Romania as a whole. Ilfov is where the younger families are.
Who lives in the capital region: many were born elsewhere
The 2021 census also asked where people were born. According to Table 1.08 (which is based on registered domicile, so its totals differ slightly):
- In Bucharest, 701,226 of 1,764,528 residents were born in another county. About 40%.
- In Ilfov, 248,751 of 483,303 were born in another county. More than half. Many of them were probably born in Bucharest itself, but the table does not break this down.
- Across the region, 45,282 residents were born outside Romania.
What this means: the capital region is a region of internal migrants. People who grew up in another city and found work in Bucharest, and then families who moved from the city to a house with a garden in the ring around it.
What it means for housing demand in the capital region
The headcount is only a starting point. Here is what the data shows, and what it does not.
What the data shows:
- Demand in the capital does not rest on natural growth. It rests on people choosing to move here. As long as the jobs, universities and the airport are here, that is the engine.
- Within the region, demand is moving outwards. The city itself is barely growing, and the ring is growing fast. That matches what we see on the ground: families looking for more space.
- The ring is younger. Families with children need schools, kindergartens, roads and transport. That is why infrastructure in a specific area matters as much as the price.
What the data does not show:
- It does not predict prices. Prices also depend on interest rates, supply, incomes and credit. We covered the last decade of prices in our article on Bucharest property prices.
- It does not mean every commune in Ilfov will grow at the same pace. The north and the south differ a lot; see our comparison of north and south Bucharest.
- It does not guarantee that internal migration will continue. Estimates are revised, and they can change in any year.
How to check an area's population data before you buy: 6 steps
- Start with the census. Check the locality's population in 2011 and 2021 (Table 1.22 on the INS census site).
- Move to the estimates. Look up the county in Eurostat table demo_r_pjanaggr3 to see what happened after 2021.
- Separate births from migration. Table demo_r_gind3 shows whether growth comes from births or from people moving in.
- Check the age profile. A young area needs kindergartens and schools. Check whether they exist, or are only planned.
- Check infrastructure against the pace. An area that grew 10% in three years needs roads, water and sewerage that grow with it. See our guide to Ilfov County.
- Don't stop at the headline. "Romania is shrinking" and "Ilfov is booming" are both true. The question is what is happening on the street where you buy.
If you are looking north, Balotești, the commune where our Compass on the Lake project is located, counted 11,210 residents in the 2021 census. We collected the full picture in our Balotești guide.
Frequently asked questions
How many people live in Romania today?
According to Eurostat, Romania had 19,041,322 residents on 1 January 2026. The 2021 census counted 19,053,815, and the 2011 census 20,121,641.
Is Bucharest's population rising or falling?
The city itself has fallen, from 1,883,425 residents in 2011 to 1,716,961 in 2021, and to 1,709,191 at the start of 2025 according to Eurostat. Ilfov County around it grew from 388,738 to 542,704 between the censuses, and to 604,264 at the start of 2025.
Why is Ilfov growing so fast?
Because of migration, not births. According to Eurostat, natural change in Ilfov was close to zero in 2024, while net migration was +20,657. Many families move from the city to houses with gardens in the surrounding communes.
Does Romania's falling population mean housing demand in Bucharest will fall?
Not necessarily. The decline is concentrated mostly outside the capital region, and Bucharest-Ilfov grew by about 2% between 2022 and 2025. Population is only one driver of demand, though, alongside interest rates, incomes and supply.
Where can I check the data myself?
Census results can be downloaded from the INS census website, and annual county estimates from Eurostat. The links are at the end of this article.
The bottom line
Romania has been losing residents for years, and that number is real. But it does not describe the capital region. Bucharest and Ilfov together held their population between the censuses, and have grown since, because people choose to move here. Within the region, the growth has moved from the city to the ring around it.
What it means for you as a buyer: don't just ask "how many people live in Romania". Ask who is moving to the area you are looking at, and what is waiting for them there.
If you are considering a purchase in the Bucharest area, with us or anywhere else, book a half-hour call with me. We will go through the data for the area you are interested in.
Moti Azulay, Compass Group Romania
Sources: INS, 2021 Population Census, final results (Tables 1.01, 1.08, 1.22, 1.23) · Eurostat: population by NUTS2 region (demo_r_d2jan) · Eurostat: population by NUTS3 county (demo_r_pjanaggr3) · Eurostat: natural change and migration by county (demo_r_gind3) · Eurostat: national demographic balance (demo_gind)
This article is general information only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Figures are current as of 22 October 2026. Population estimates are revised from time to time, and past data does not predict the future.
Now you know more.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult local professionals before any transaction.
