Ștefăneștii de Jos had 4,131 residents in 2002 and 5,775 in 2011 (INS). About 23% of residents in 2021 were children aged 0–14.
INS records 32.5 km of water pipes, 50.4 km of gas pipes and only 8.5 km of sewer pipes in the commune in 2025.
The 2025–2026 school network lists one state middle school in two shifts, a state kindergarten site and two fee-paying units. No high school.
Ștefăneștii de Jos: the short answer
Ștefăneștii de Jos is a commune in Ilfov County, north-east of Bucharest, between the town of Voluntari and the communes of Tunari, Dascălu and Afumați. It has three villages: Ștefăneștii de Jos, Ștefăneștii de Sus and Crețuleasca. According to the 2021 census of the National Institute of Statistics (INS), it had 10,588 residents, almost twice the 5,775 counted in 2011.
That growth is the whole story. The commune is young, with a lot of new housing, and it sits right on the ring road and the A3 motorway. But its public networks have not kept up. INS records only 8.5 km of sewer pipes in the commune, unchanged from 2021 to 2025, one state school working in two shifts, and no high school.
In plain words: Ștefăneștii de Jos offers space, new homes and quick access to the ring road, but a buyer has to check the sewer, the school place and the bus route street by street.
Our comparison of eight Ilfov communes puts Ștefăneștii next to its neighbours. This guide looks at the commune on its own.
Ștefăneștii de Jos in numbers
| Item | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Commune, Ilfov County, 3 villages | INS |
| Area | about 32 km² | Town hall |
| Residents, 2002 / 2011 / 2021 | 4,131 / 5,775 / 10,588 | INS |
| Children aged 0–14, 2021 | 2,454 (about 23%) | INS |
| Homes, end of 2021 | 5,330 | INS, TEMPO LOC101B |
| Homes, end of 2025 | 6,345 | INS, TEMPO LOC101B |
| New homes completed, 2021–2025 | 1,179 | INS, TEMPO LOC104B |
| Sewer network, 2025 | 8.5 km | INS, TEMPO GOS110A |
| Water network, 2025 | 32.5 km | INS, TEMPO GOS106B |
| Gas network, 2025 | 50.4 km | INS, TEMPO GOS116A |
Two figures matter most for a family. Almost one resident in four was a child at the last census, which says a lot about who has been moving in. And the gas network grew by about 9 km in four years, while the sewer network did not grow at all.
The three villages
Ștefăneștii de Jos is the seat of the commune and by far the largest village, with 7,436 residents in 2021. The town hall, the state school and the main church are here, along Șoseaua Ștefănești.
Ștefăneștii de Sus had 2,367 residents. It lies where the county road DJ100 crosses the DJ200, the road that runs south to Voluntari and Bucharest's Colentina area.
Crețuleasca, in the west, is the smallest, with 785 residents. According to the town hall, its 17th-century church is a historic monument.
The town hall describes the commune as lying on both sides of the Pasărea pond (balta Pasărea), with the Lipoveanca-Vulpache and Runcu forests at its edge. For a family, that means water and woods close by. It also means one more thing to check: the town hall publishes a flood defence plan, so ask whether your plot is near the water.
New homes: what INS shows
| Year | Homes completed in Ștefăneștii de Jos (INS) |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 164 |
| 2022 | 368 |
| 2023 | 64 |
| 2024 | 237 |
| 2025 | 346 |
Building moves in waves here, not at a steady pace. A quiet year can be followed by a busy one. The largest single ensemble is Cosmopolis: according to the town hall, it covers 106 hectares at the boundary with Tunari, opened in 2009 with a first phase of about 450 homes in blocks and duplex villas, and is entered from the ring road.
The jump in the housing stock between 2020 and 2021 in the INS series is a recount after the 2021 census, not a building boom. That is why we compare from the end of 2021.
Water, sewer and gas: the real question
According to the town hall, the commune has running water and a partial gas network. INS gives the lengths: 32.5 km of water pipes, 50.4 km of gas pipes and 8.5 km of sewer pipes in 2025.
The sewer, the school shift and the bus route are not details here; they shape daily life.
A short sewer network in a commune of more than 10,000 people means that many homes use a septic tank or a small treatment unit. The town hall keeps a public register of these individual wastewater systems. Before buying, ask three questions in writing:
- Is this street connected to the public sewer, or only to water?
- If not, what system does the house use, and is it in the town hall register?
- Is a sewer extension planned for this street, and when?
Our guide to utility connections for villas in Ilfov explains what each answer means for your costs.
Getting around
Roads. Two county roads cross the commune. The DJ100 runs west to Tunari and Otopeni, where it meets the DN1, and east to Afumați and the DN2. The DJ200 runs north to Dascălu and south to Voluntari and Colentina. The northern ring road passes along the southern edge, and the town hall notes that the A3 motorway crosses the commune with an access junction. Our article on the A3 motorway covers the route north.
Distance. By our calculation on OpenStreetMap data, the town hall is about 17 km by road from central Bucharest, around 22 minutes with no traffic. Peak hours are much longer.
Buses. Regional lines 409, 409B, 468 and 468B, run by Serviciul de Transport Voluntari (STV), stop at the town hall (Primăria Ștefăneștii de Jos) and continue through Voluntari to Bucur Obor, next to the Obor metro station on line M1, according to STV's route pages.
Metro. There is no metro in the commune. The nearest station by road is Pipera on line M2, about 12 km away.
Schools and kindergartens
The national school network for 2025–2026, published by the Ministry of Education, lists four units in the commune:
| Unit | Funding | Timetable |
|---|---|---|
| Middle school no. 1 (Școala Gimnazială nr. 1) | State | Two shifts a day |
| Kindergarten no. 1, a site of the school | State | Normal programme |
| One kindergarten | Fee-paying | Long programme |
| One primary school | Fee-paying | One shift |
There is no high school in the commune, so teenagers commute to Voluntari or Bucharest. The register also notes rehabilitation works at the school's main address. If you count on the state school, ask the school which shift your child's class will be in. Our guide to kindergartens and schools in north Bucharest covers the wider choice.
Ștefăneștii de Jos and Tunari, side by side
| Ștefăneștii de Jos | Tunari | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents, 2011 | 5,775 | 5,336 |
| Residents, 2021 | 10,588 | 9,617 |
| Homes, end of 2025 | 6,345 | 7,645 |
| New homes, 2021–2025 | 1,179 | 4,018 |
| Sewer network, 2025 | 8.5 km | 10.7 km |
| Water network, 2025 | 32.5 km | 13.5 km |
| State middle schools | 1, two shifts | 1, two shifts |
Both communes grew by about 80% between the censuses and both have short sewer networks. Tunari has built much more since 2021, while Ștefăneștii has a longer water network. Our Tunari guide has the detail on the western neighbour.
Before you buy in Ștefăneștii de Jos: a checklist
- Confirm the village and the street. Ștefăneștii de Jos, Ștefăneștii de Sus and Crețuleasca differ in roads and services.
- Ask for the urbanism certificate (certificat de urbanism) for the plot, and look at the zoning in the general urban plan (PUG), which the town hall publishes.
- Check sewer, water and gas for the exact address, in writing.
- Check the flood plan if the plot is close to the Pasărea pond.
- Read the land register extract from ANCPI to confirm the owner and any charges.
- Drive to work and school at 8:00 and at 18:00, through Voluntari or along the ring road.
- Ask the school about places and shifts before you sign.
- Hire an independent lawyer. The seller's or developer's lawyer works for them, not for you.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Ștefăneștii de Jos?
In Ilfov County, north-east of Bucharest. It borders Voluntari to the south-west, Tunari to the west, Dascălu to the north and Afumați to the east. The northern ring road runs along its southern edge.
How many people live in Ștefăneștii de Jos?
According to the INS 2021 census, 10,588 people, compared with 5,775 in 2011 and 4,131 in 2002. About 23% of residents were children aged 0–14.
Is Ștefăneștii de Jos connected to the sewer?
Only partly. INS records 8.5 km of public sewer pipes in 2025, unchanged since 2021, and the town hall keeps a register of individual wastewater systems. Ask about the specific street before you buy.
Is there public transport to Bucharest?
Yes. STV lines 409, 409B, 468 and 468B stop at the town hall and run through Voluntari to Bucur Obor, near Obor metro station. There is no metro in the commune.
Are there schools in Ștefăneștii de Jos?
There is one state middle school, working in two shifts, with a state kindergarten site, plus one fee-paying kindergarten and one fee-paying primary school. There is no high school.
The bottom line
Ștefăneștii de Jos is one of the fastest-growing places around Bucharest, and it attracts young families for a reason: space, new homes and direct access to the ring road and the A3. The price of that growth is thin infrastructure. The sewer, the school shift and the bus route are not details here; they shape daily life.
If you are comparing Ștefăneștii de Jos with other communes north of Bucharest, book a half-hour call with me. We will go through the official figures and your daily routes together, even if you end up buying elsewhere.
Moti Azulay, Compass Group Romania
Sources: INS, 2021 census, resident population by locality (Table 1.22) · INS TEMPO Online, LOC101B, LOC104B, GOS106B, GOS110A, GOS116A · Ștefăneștii de Jos town hall, presentation of the commune · Town hall, Cosmopolis residential ensemble · Ministry of Education, school network 2025–2026 (data.gov.ro) · Serviciul de Transport Voluntari, line 468 · City Population, census series (INS data)
This article is for general information only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Figures and rules are current as of 22 October 2026. Bus routes, school timetables and planning rules change; check them with the operator, the school and the town hall, and consult an independent lawyer before any transaction.
Now you know more.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult local professionals before any transaction.
