Population by income level in Bulgaria
Bulgaria: Population by income level was 6.43 million in 2025. ▼ Falling
Population by income level in Bulgaria, 1960–2025
Source: United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Bulgaria recorded 6.43 million for population by income level in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.1% on the previous year and down 7.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population by income level in Bulgaria peaked at 8.98 million in 1988 and was at its lowest, 6.43 million, in 2025.
That places Bulgaria 111th out of 215 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Population by income level in Bulgaria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 7.87 million | — |
| 1961 | 7.94 million | +1.0% |
| 1962 | 8.01 million | +0.9% |
| 1963 | 8.08 million | +0.8% |
| 1964 | 8.14 million | +0.8% |
| 1965 | 8.20 million | +0.7% |
| 1966 | 8.26 million | +0.7% |
| 1967 | 8.31 million | +0.6% |
| 1968 | 8.37 million | +0.7% |
| 1969 | 8.43 million | +0.8% |
| 1970 | 8.49 million | +0.7% |
| 1971 | 8.54 million | +0.6% |
| 1972 | 8.58 million | +0.5% |
| 1973 | 8.62 million | +0.5% |
| 1974 | 8.68 million | +0.7% |
| 1975 | 8.72 million | +0.5% |
| 1976 | 8.76 million | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 8.80 million | +0.5% |
| 1978 | 8.81 million | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 8.83 million | +0.1% |
| 1980 | 8.86 million | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 8.89 million | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 8.92 million | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 8.94 million | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 8.96 million | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 8.96 million | -0.0% |
| 1986 | 8.96 million | -0.0% |
| 1987 | 8.97 million | +0.1% |
| 1988 | 8.98 million | +0.1% |
| 1989 | 8.88 million | -1.2% |
| 1990 | 8.72 million | -1.8% |
| 1991 | 8.63 million | -1.0% |
| 1992 | 8.54 million | -1.1% |
| 1993 | 8.47 million | -0.8% |
| 1994 | 8.44 million | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 8.41 million | -0.4% |
| 1996 | 8.36 million | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 8.31 million | -0.6% |
| 1998 | 8.26 million | -0.7% |
| 1999 | 8.21 million | -0.6% |
| 2000 | 8.17 million | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 8.01 million | -2.0% |
| 2002 | 7.84 million | -2.1% |
| 2003 | 7.78 million | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 7.72 million | -0.8% |
| 2005 | 7.66 million | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 7.60 million | -0.8% |
| 2007 | 7.55 million | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 7.49 million | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 7.44 million | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 7.40 million | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 7.35 million | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 7.31 million | -0.6% |
| 2013 | 7.16 million | -2.0% |
| 2014 | 7.07 million | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 6.98 million | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 6.89 million | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 6.80 million | -1.3% |
| 2018 | 6.71 million | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 6.62 million | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 6.55 million | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 6.51 million | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 6.47 million | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 6.45 million | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 6.44 million | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 6.43 million | -0.1% |
Bulgaria compared with similar countries
- Bulgaria's 6.43 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.97 million, 2.2× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Bulgaria's 6.43 million is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 6.22 million, 1.0× the median. (56 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 8.16 million | 7.87 million | 8.43 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 8.68 million | 8.49 million | 8.83 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.93 million | 8.86 million | 8.98 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 8.44 million | 8.21 million | 8.72 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.73 million | 7.44 million | 8.17 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.03 million | 6.62 million | 7.40 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.47 million | 6.43 million | 6.55 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bulgaria
More population data for Bulgaria
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.7245 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.34 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.7245 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -1.18 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 5,187 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.8803 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.921 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.7% (2100)
- Population density 32.53 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 146,527 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population by income level in Bulgaria?
- Population by income level in Bulgaria was 6.43 million in 2025, according to United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population by income level recorded in Bulgaria?
- The highest recorded value was 8.98 million in 1988.
- What is the lowest population by income level recorded in Bulgaria?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.43 million in 2025.
- How does Bulgaria rank for population by income level?
- Bulgaria ranks 111th out of 215 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population by income level rising or falling in Bulgaria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Bulgaria data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population by income level. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total population, differentiated by World Bank income level.