City profile: Ostrołęka

Map of Ostrołęka

Overview of Ostrołęka

Snapshot of key indicators for Ostrołęka in the most recent year available.

Population

49,805

people · 2021

Avg. gross salary

8.5 K PLN

2024

Unemployment rate

7.5%

% · 2025

Businesses per 10k

1,333

entities / 10k · 2024

Population density

1,425.5

ppl / km² · 2024

Apartment price / m²

6.4 K PLN / m²

2024

About - Ostrołęka

Ostrołęka, with about 50,000 residents in Masovian Voivodeship, is a sub-regional centre on the Narew River near the Podlachian border, known for power generation (Ostrołęka Power Plant) and the paper industry (Stora Enso). Strengths: a dense network of sports clubs (6.7 per 10,000, 92nd percentile), low property crime (8.74 per 1,000, 92nd percentile), full sewage coverage (99.9%, 91st percentile), high police effectiveness at 78.3% (85th percentile) and a high birth rate of 7.05/1,000 (83rd percentile). Favourable demographics (natural increase -2.04/1,000, 89th percentile) set Ostrołęka apart from ageing cities. Weaknesses: minimal library readership (4,781 readers, 2nd percentile), just 1 stadium (5th percentile), high road fatalities (4.17 per 100,000, 5th percentile), a thin tourism base (137 tourists per 1,000, 4 hotels) and a low new-business count (390, 11th percentile). Gross wages of PLN 8,537 (99% of the national average) are attractive, but unemployment of 7.5% remains high. Ostrołęka offers strong demographics and safety, but needs development of its tourism and cultural sectors.

Strengths and weaknesses of Ostrołęka

Strengths and weaknesses of Ostrołęka based on the city's position across every published Polish-city ranking.

Top 3 rankings of Ostrołęka

Best ranking positions of Ostrołęka across Poland.

Strengths

High investment potential in Ostrołęka - strong capex activity by businesses and local government.
City investment potential
Rank among small cities (20–50 thousand inhabitants): #1
Rank in Poland: #5
Great conditions for an active lifestyle in Ostrołęka - plenty of sports and recreation spaces.
Best cities for an active lifestyle
Rank among small cities (20–50 thousand inhabitants): #2
Rank in Poland: #5
Housing in Ostrołęka is affordable - few monthly salaries needed per square metre.
Most affordable housing relative to earnings
Rank among small cities (20–50 thousand inhabitants):

Weaknesses

Limited weekend appeal in Ostrołęka - modest short-trip offer.
Best weekend cities
Rank among small cities (20–50 thousand inhabitants): #6
Rank in Poland: #52
Less senior-friendly conditions in Ostrołęka - weaker access to healthcare, culture or transport.
Best cities for seniors
Rank among small cities (20–50 thousand inhabitants): #6
Rank in Poland: #40
Low tourist appeal in Ostrołęka - modest visitor numbers and limited infrastructure.
Most tourist-attractive cities
Rank among small cities (20–50 thousand inhabitants):

Air quality today

Brak indeksuSource: GIOŚ

The result is based on the reading from 1 monitoring station in Ostrołęka.

PM2.5 now

4.9 µg/m³

PM10 now

9.2 µg/m³

Last updated

05/21/2026, 09:35 PM

Demographics of Ostrołęka

Gender composition and demographic load on the working-age population of Ostrołęka based on the latest GUS data.

Gender split in Ostrołęka

Men23,633 · 47.5%
Women26,172 · 52.5%

Dependency ratios in Ostrołęka

Non-working-age dependency ratio

ppl / 100 working-age · 2024

83.7

Post- per working-age

ppl / 100 working-age · 2024

50.3

Old-age dependency ratio

% · 2024

37.8%

Population change per 1k residents

ppl / 1k · 2024

-11.1

Vital events in Ostrołęka

Births, deaths, marriages and natural increase in Ostrołęka based on GUS data.

Total deaths

436

people · 2024

Marriages

143

marriages · 2024

Births / 1k7.05 per 1k people

Deaths / 1k9.1 per 1k people

Natural increase / 1k-2.04 per 1k people

Labour market in Ostrołęka

Salaries in Ostrołęka compared with the voivodeship and national averages, alongside broader employment signals.

Salary benchmark - Ostrołęka

Voivodeship and Poland baselines derived from BDL ratios (Ostrołęka vs. voivodeship / Poland).

Registered unemployment in Ostrołęka

7.5%

% · 2025

Salary growth YoY

12.75%

% · 2024

Job offers at year-end in Ostrołęka

offers · 2025

Employed per 1k residents

336

ppl / 1k · 2021

Business activity in Ostrołęka

REGON registrations, deregistrations and net balance in Ostrołęka.

Registrations vs deregistrations - Ostrołęka

New businesses

390

entities · 2025

Deregistered

326

entities · 2025

New businessesDeregistered

Net change+64

REGON entities per 10k residents

1,333

entities / 10k · 2024

REGON entities per 1k working-age

244.9

entities / 1k working-age · 2024

Sole props / working-age

18.7%

% · 2024

Foreign-capital companies in Ostrołęka

entity · 2025

Real estate in Ostrołęka

Apartment prices, affordability and construction activity in Ostrołęka.

Apartment price / m² in Ostrołęka

6.4 K PLN / m²

2024

Housing affordability in Ostrołęka

0.76

months of salary / m² · 2024

Dwellings completed / 1k residents

5.3

dwellings / 1k people · 2025

Months of gross salary required per 1 m² of apartment in Ostrołęka.

Education in Ostrołęka

Higher-education students, graduates and preschool-age children in Ostrołęka based on GUS BDL data.

Higher-ed students

275

people · 2024

Higher-ed graduates

people · 2024

Preschool-age children

820

people · 2024

Students by gender

Women192
Men83

Transport & infrastructure in Ostrołęka

Registered vehicles, public roads and road infrastructure in Ostrołęka based on GUS BDL data.

Passenger cars

28,655

vehicles · 2024

Cars / 1k residents: 575.3

Environment and quality of life in Ostrołęka

Air quality, green areas and public-space quality in Ostrołęka.

Green areas per capita

44.9

m² / person · 2024

Municipal green areas per capita

13.2

m² / person · 2024

Parks & squares per capita

24.3

m² / person · 2024

Green-areas share of total area

6.4%

% · 2024

Air quality

· Monitoring stations: 1

Particulate matter

PM2.5 now

4.9 µg/m³

Fine particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs.

PM2.5 24h avg

9 µg/m³

PM2.5 30d avg

6.46 µg/m³

PM10 now

9.2 µg/m³

Larger airborne particles - dust, traffic and heating.

PM10 24h avg

14.68 µg/m³

PM10 30d avg

12.13 µg/m³

High PM10 days (30d)

Maximum number of days with PM10 above 50 µg/m³ at a single station.

Traffic-related pollution

Last updated: 05/21/2026, 09:35 PMSource: GIOŚ

Ostrołęka in numbers over time

Multi-year trajectory of the key indicators of Ostrołęka benchmarked against the voivodeship.

Average gross salary in Ostrołęka

Registered unemployment rate in Ostrołęka

REGON entities per 10k inhabitants - Ostrołęka

Population of Ostrołęka

Apartment price per m² in Ostrołęka

Ostrołęka in rankings

How does Ostrołęka rank?

Every city score is built from open data: GUS, GIOŚ, and public registries. A 0–100 score compares a city against the rest of Poland and against peers of similar population size.

Best cities to live in Poland

47.6/ 100

Rank in Poland: #50
Rank among small cities: #5

settlement year	Taxpayers (1.5%)	Total 1.5% PIT	OPPs in the city	Avg. per OPP
2025	100	15.9 K PLN	2	7.9 K PLN
2024	200	12.6 K PLN	2	6.3 K PLN
2023	100	4.6 K PLN	1	4.6 K PLN
2022	100	3.6 K PLN	1	3.6 K PLN
2021	200	13.3 K PLN	2	6.6 K PLN
2020	200	14.3 K PLN	2	7.1 K PLN
2019	300	13.0 K PLN	2	6.5 K PLN
2018	200

Indicator	Ostrołęka	Piekary Śląskie	Difference
Population	49,805	53,017	−3,212 −6.1%
Population density	1,425.5	1,288.8	+136.7 +10.6%
Avg. gross salary	8.5 K PLN	8.5 K PLN	+59.19 PLN +0.7%
Unemployment rate	7.5%	9.3%	−1.8% −19.4%
REGON / 10k	1,333	951	+382 +40.2%
Apartment price / m²	6.4 K PLN / m²	4.6 K PLN / m²	+1.9 K PLN / m² +41%
Green areas / capita	44.9	18.5	+26.4 +142.7%
Housing affordability	0.76	0.54	+0.22 +40.7%

City profile: Ostrołęka

Overview of Ostrołęka

About - Ostrołęka

Top 3 rankings of Ostrołęka

Strengths

Weaknesses

Demographics of Ostrołęka

Gender split in Ostrołęka

Dependency ratios in Ostrołęka

Vital events in Ostrołęka

Labour market in Ostrołęka

Salary benchmark - Ostrołęka

Business activity in Ostrołęka

Registrations vs deregistrations - Ostrołęka

Real estate in Ostrołęka

Education in Ostrołęka

Students by gender

Transport & infrastructure in Ostrołęka

Environment and quality of life in Ostrołęka

Air quality

Particulate matter

Traffic-related pollution

Ostrołęka in numbers over time

Average gross salary in Ostrołęka

Registered unemployment rate in Ostrołęka

REGON entities per 10k inhabitants - Ostrołęka

Population of Ostrołęka

Apartment price per m² in Ostrołęka

Ostrołęka in rankings

Best cities to live in Poland

Best cities to do business in

Best labour market

Most affordable housing relative to earnings

Greenest cities

City investment potential

Most demographically stable cities

Best cities for families

Best cities for students and education

Wealthiest cities

Safest cities

Best cities for culture

Best cities for an active lifestyle

Most tourist-attractive cities

Best weekend cities

Best cities for after-work life

Best cities for women's careers

Best cities for women

Best cities for seniors

Most peaceful cities to live in

Most bike-friendly cities

Cities with the highest parking pressure

Most innovative cities

Public-benefit organisations (OPP) and 1.5% PIT - Ostrołęka

Largest OPP in Ostrołęka

1.5% PIT history - Ostrołęka

Comparison - Ostrołęka vs another city

Percentage difference (Ostrołęka minus peer)

All indicators - Ostrołęka

Companies

Exception PCB Poland Spółka z Ograniczoną Odpowiedzialnością

Kazuz Spółka z Ograniczoną Odpowiedzialnością

Stomatolove Spółka z Ograniczoną Odpowiedzialonością

Associations

Stowarzyszenie OAZA dla Zwierząt pod Modrzewiem

Stowarzyszenie Sportowo - Taneczne Bezwahania

Stowarzyszenie Sympatyków Folkloru

Foundations

Fundacja Dobry RUCH

Fundacja ABS

Fundacja Magia Zdrowego Uśmiechu

Browse other city profiles

Comparison - Ostrołęka vs another city

Percentage difference (Ostrołęka minus peer)

Public-benefit organisations (OPP) and 1.5% PIT - Ostrołęka

Largest OPP in Ostrołęka

1.5% PIT history - Ostrołęka

Ostrołęka in rankings

Best cities to live in Poland

Best cities to do business in

Best labour market