Poland lost 156,000 inhabitants in year with 14 voivodeship capitals shrinking
Poland lost more than 156,000 residents in 2025, with population decline especially visible in its largest cities. Fourteen of the country’s 18 regional capitals recorded shrinking populations, while only Kraków, Rzeszów, Warsaw and Gdańsk grew. Kraków was the clear leader, adding 7,446 residents, or 0.92%, more than the other three growing cities combined. Łódź posted the largest absolute decline, losing 5,803 residents, equivalent to nearly 16 people a day.
Gorzów Wielkopolski recorded the steepest percentage drop, falling 0.99% to 113,569 residents. However, city-level figures may not tell the whole story, as some population growth is increasingly shifting to suburban areas beyond municipal boundaries.
