Urban Moldova is splitting in two: cities that attract investment and cities that manage decline

Ghenadie Ivașcenco - June 2026

A country's development is measured neither by its capital, where money, institutions and opportunities concentrate naturally, nor by its marginalised villages, where decline has old and structural causes.

The real test is in the small and medium-sized cities.

The data show a very clear difference: some cities lose population but gain economy. Others lose people, employees and turnover at the same time.

THREE CITIES THAT LOST PEOPLE AND GAINED ECONOMY

Tvardița

-35.4% population

+153.6% employees

+232.6% real turnover

Bucovăț

-33.5% population

+48.3% employees

+189.1% real turnover

Căinari

-43.9% population

+32.9% employees

+122.7% real turnover

Demographic decline does not necessarily mean economic decline.

If companies, investment, infrastructure and economic positioning are still there, a small city can stay relevant.

At the opposite end are small cities where the decline is already economic, not only demographic. Ștefan Vodă has -23.2% population, -5.5% employees and -8.0% real turnover. Călărași has -12.4% population, -11.9% employees and -16.7% real turnover. Rezina has -15.0% population, -10.1% employees and -34.4% real turnover.

WHAT THE TABLE SHOWS

49 of 55

cities lost population between 2014 and 2024

20 of 55

gained employees between 2019 and 2024

30 of 55

gained real turnover between 2019 and 2024

20 of 55

lost on all three indicators

THE FULL PICTURE

55 cities, three indicators.

Change, %. Population 2014-2024. Employees and real turnover 2019-2024.

City Population Employees Real turnover

Tvardița -35.4% +153.6% +232.6%

Bucovăț -33.5% +48.3% +189.1%

Stăuceni +28.9% +53.7% +85.9%

Vatra -1.9% +30.2% +101.2%

Sîngera +24.1% +39.6% +57.1%

Căinari -43.9% +32.9% +122.7%

Basarabeasca -25.7% +22.9% +101.3%

Durlești +52.9% +19.7% +16.8%

Codru +14.9% +39.3% +33.1%

Orhei +5.3% +34.3% +24.9%

Cupcini -23.6% +22.7% +57.7%

Taraclia -18.9% +13.1% +46.4%

Anenii Noi -17.8% +18.3% +34.8%

Dondușeni -15.7% -11.5% +61.9%

Briceni -20.9% +1.0% +54.2%

Cornești -31.3% -0.8% +65.0%

Ialoveni +17.2% -0.4% +4.1%

Hîncești -8.8% -2.9% +22.9%

Rîșcani -6.9% -0.5% +14.2%

Leova -14.1% +14.2% +6.0%

Vulcănești -10.4% -4.9% +16.6%

Fălești -1.1% -4.6% -3.5%

Căușeni -15.6% -4.3% +5.9%

Cricova -10.6% +1.9% -5.8%

Nisporeni -9.2% -14.5% +7.0%

Ceadîr-Lunga -14.0% -4.0% +0.6%

Edineț -20.3% -2.6% +3.2%

Cimișlia -26.9% -12.2% +19.2%

City Population Employees Real turnover

Drochia -1.6% -9.3% -11.8%

Ocnița -28.5% -7.0% +11.6%

Sîngerei -20.1% +0.6% -7.3%

Frunză -26.5% -11.1% +8.8%

Glodeni -16.0% +0.1% -16.0%

Bălți (municipality) -11.2% -7.6% -13.3%

Vadul lui Vodă -19.2% -15.7% +2.6%

Lipcani -23.8% -24.0% +13.7%

Cahul -26.0% -8.3% -0.9%

Ștefan Vodă -23.2% -5.5% -8.0%

Telenești -21.5% -4.2% -11.5%

Călărași -12.4% -11.9% -16.7%

Soroca -4.8% -16.1% -20.2%

Mărculești -24.9% -22.9% -2.0%

Florești -8.9% -32.3% -9.3%

Comrat -4.9% -10.6% -35.4%

Strășeni -21.1% +4.2% -35.4%

Rezina -15.0% -10.1% -34.4%

Costești -27.5% -7.3% -26.7%

Ungheni -14.1% -17.1% -31.7%

Șoldănești -18.5% -26.7% -21.6%

Criuleni -12.9% -24.1% -31.0%

Iargara -35.9% +18.8% -51.2%

Otaci -40.5% -9.3% -26.3%

Ghindești -24.1% -17.8% -41.1%

Cantemir -22.6% -6.3% -65.8%

Biruința -16.1% -27.8% -52.8%

Source: Population and Housing Censuses 2014 and 2024 (National Bureau of Statistics); NBS financial reports 2019-2024. Real turnover for 2024 is deflated by cumulative inflation of 67%.

Urban Moldova is splitting in two: cities that attract investment and cities that manage decline

55 cities, three indicators.

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