Pensions and Salaries by County: Where the Highest and Lowest Incomes Are Paid

The latest data from the Pension House, covering the month of July, shows that the average national pension stands at 2,821 RON. However, there are significant differences between counties, both in terms of pensions and salaries.

The highest pensions

Bucharest leads the pension rankings. Sector 1 has the highest average pension in the country, at 4,132 RON, with the other sectors of the capital also placing near the top of the table. In second place is Hunedoara county, with an average pension of 3,494 RON.

High pensions are also maintained in other counties with an industrial heritage: Brașov, Gorj, Constanța, and Galați.

The lowest pensions

At the other end of the scale lies the Moldova region. Botoșani, Vrancea, Vaslui, and Suceava are among the counties with the lowest incomes for retirees. The gap between the county with the highest pensions and the one with the lowest exceeds 1,900 RON.

The Hunedoara paradox

Despite having the second highest average pension in the country, Hunedoara currently ranks among the bottom counties when it comes to salaries. This situation illustrates that the high earnings recorded in the past, which are now reflected in pension levels, have not been sustained in terms of current wages — in effect, the economic centre of gravity has shifted, signalling the decline of the local economy in recent years.

The salary situation

With regard to salaries, Bucharest remains in first place, followed by Cluj and Brașov, which also feature near the top of the rankings. At the opposite end, alongside Hunedoara, the Moldova counties once again occupy the bottom positions in both salary and pension tables.