Romania, 3rd in the EU for Poverty Risk: 27.4% of the Population Affected

According to Eurostat data for 2025, Romania ranks third in the European Union in terms of risk of poverty or social exclusion, with a rate of 27.4% of the population. Across Europe, over 92 million people faced this situation last year, meaning approximately one in five Europeans — slightly below the 2024 figure, when 93.3 million people were affected (21% of the EU population).

The European Union average for 2025 was 20.9%, well below the figure recorded in Romania.

EU Member State Rankings

Bulgaria ranks first, with 29% of its population at risk of poverty or social exclusion, followed by Greece at 27.5%, and Romania at 27.4%. At the opposite end of the scale are Czechia, with just 11.5%, Poland with 15%, and Slovenia with 15.5%. The gap between Romania and the countries at the bottom of the ranking exceeds 10 percentage points.

• Bulgaria: 29.0%
• Greece: 27.5%
• Romania: 27.4%
• EU average: 20.9%
• Slovenia: 15.5%
• Poland: 15.0%
• Czechia: 11.5%

What This Indicator Measures

The European indicator accounts for people experiencing at least one of three situations: risk of poverty, severe material and social deprivation, or living in a household with very low work intensity. Of the 92.7 million Europeans at risk, 5.7 million were simultaneously facing all three forms of vulnerability. In total, 72.4 million people were at risk of poverty, while 26.9 million were experiencing severe material and social deprivation.

When examined separately, the rate of severe material and social deprivation places Romania first in the EU at 16.8%, ahead of Bulgaria (15%) and Greece (14.9%). Gender differences are also evident: in Romania, 18.3% of women faced this form of vulnerability, compared to 15.4% of men.

Young People and Families with Children Among Vulnerable Groups

Among young people aged 15 to 29, Romania records the highest rate in the EU for severe material and social deprivation: 15.1%, compared to 14.7% in Greece and 14% in Bulgaria. The European average for this age group is just 5.8%. Across the Union as a whole, 24.2% of young people aged 15–29 were at risk of poverty or social exclusion, above the general population average.

The situation is also difficult for families with dependent children. In Romania, 29.4% of people living in such households were at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2025, placing the country second in the EU on this indicator, behind Spain (29.9%) and ahead of Bulgaria (29.1%). The European Union average for households with dependent children is 22.1%.