Poznań’s economy continued to grow in July 2026 despite a weaker labour market. Average gross pay in the enterprise sector rose to PLN 10.9 thousand and was 12.7% higher than a year earlier. At the same time, employment fell 2.5% and registered unemployment increased by almost one quarter. Strong figures came from industry, construction, retail and the housing market.
The July figures do not show a conventional slowdown. Companies employ fewer people than a year ago and unemployment is rising, but wages, construction output, sales and housing completions are all increasing clearly.
Construction is particularly strong. Construction and assembly output was 22.4% higher than a year earlier, while growth from the start of the year reached 33.6%. Retail and industry also performed well.
Poznań in July 2026 – key figures
| Indicator | July 2026 | m/m change | y/y change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average gross pay | PLN 10,932.54 | +5.0% | +12.7% |
| Average employment | 166.1k | -0.2% | -2.5% |
| Registered unemployed | 5,484 | +0.8% | +24.6%* |
| Unemployment rate | 1.6% | 0.0 pp | +0.3 pp* |
| Industrial output | PLN 4.41bn | — | +5.2%¹ |
| Construction and assembly output | PLN 396.0m | -14.0% | +22.4% |
| Retail sales | — | -1.4% | +9.7% |
| Homes completed in July | 1,243 | — | +34.4% |
| REGON entities | 139,206 | +0.3% | +2.2% |
* New rules for registering and recording unemployed people have applied since 1 June 2025, which may affect comparability. ¹ Industrial output change measured at constant prices.
Poznań ranks among Poland’s top cities for wages
Average monthly gross pay in Poznań’s enterprise sector reached PLN 10,932.54 in July. It increased 5% during the month and was as much as 12.7% higher than in July 2025.
Among the 18 regional capitals, Poznań ranked fourth for average pay. Only Kraków, Warsaw and Gdańsk recorded higher levels.
| City | Average gross pay |
|---|---|
| Kraków | PLN 11,700.78 |
| Warsaw | PLN 11,392.64 |
| Gdańsk | PLN 10,978.11 |
| Poznań | PLN 10,932.54 |
| Katowice | PLN 10,286.98 |
| Wrocław | PLN 10,187.32 |
| Rzeszów | PLN 10,060.62 |
Wages in Poznań – 2025 vs 2026
Hover over or tap a point to see the exact value. The 2026 series runs through July.
Information and communication remains the biggest pay outlier. Average pay in this sector was 57.4% above the average for Poznań’s enterprise sector in July. In professional, scientific and technical activities, the premium was 5.2%.
At the other end of the ranking, accommodation and food service paid 42.5% below average, while administrative and support services were 29.5% below.
Where does Poznań pay the most? Deviation from the average
A positive value means pay is above the enterprise-sector average.
Wages are rising strongly, but jobs are declining
Employment looks considerably weaker. Average employment in the enterprise sector stood at 166.1 thousand people in July. That was 0.2% lower than a month earlier and 2.5% lower than a year ago, a decline of roughly 4,300 jobs.
The largest annual employment fall was in industry, at 5.9%. Administrative and support services declined 5.6%, while trade and transportation and storage each fell 3%.
Some sectors increased employment. Professional, scientific and technical activities grew 4.2% y/y. Information and communication and accommodation and food service each added 3%, while construction increased 2.9%.
Unemployment is rising, but the rate is still only 1.6%
At the end of July, 5,484 people were registered as unemployed in Poznań. That was 44 more than a month earlier and 1,084, or 24.6% more than a year ago.
Despite the large percentage increase, the unemployment rate remained very low at 1.6%. For comparison, it was 3.8% in Wielkopolskie and 5.8% nationwide. Among regional capitals, Warsaw recorded the same 1.6% rate.
The relationship between unemployed people and vacancies worsened clearly. There were 232 job vacancies reported in July, with 27 registered unemployed people per vacancy, compared with 16 a year earlier.
How many unemployed people are there per job vacancy?
Monthly comparison for 2025 and 2026. Labour-market data require caution because regulations changed in June 2025.
Industry returned to growth
Sold industrial output reached PLN 4.41 billion in July. At constant prices it was 5.2% higher than in July 2025. Manufacturing alone grew 6.1%.
The first seven months were much calmer overall. From January through July, sold industrial output reached PLN 34.38 billion and increased 0.9% in real terms. Manufacturing grew 0.5%.
Individual industries developed very unevenly. Basic metals surged 128.3%, printing 24.5%, rubber and plastic products 19.2%, food products 18.3%, and machinery and equipment 16.5%. Production of computers, electronic and optical products fell 29.4%.
At the same time, labour productivity in industry increased 7.3% year on year in real terms. That is significant in the context of falling employment: enterprises are producing more with fewer jobs.
Poznań economy in 2026 – year-on-year dynamics
An index of 100 represents the level in the corresponding month of the previous year.
Construction is growing very quickly
Sold construction output reached PLN 1.03 billion in July. It was 15.3% lower than in June but 18.2% higher year on year.
Construction and assembly output reached PLN 396 million. It fell 14% from June but was 22.4% higher than a year earlier.
The January–July period was even stronger. Construction and assembly output was 33.6% higher than a year ago. Among companies engaged in civil engineering, growth reached 62%.
Construction of buildings performed worse, falling 2.9%, while specialised construction activities declined 6.4%.
Retail sales are almost 10% higher than a year ago
Retail sales were 1.4% lower than a month earlier but increased 9.7% compared with July 2025. From the start of the year, growth was 9.5%.
Motor vehicles, motorcycles and parts posted the strongest annual increase at 20.2%. Food, beverages and tobacco rose 16.9%, while textiles, clothing and footwear increased 9.8%.
Furniture, consumer electronics and household appliances fell 15.3% y/y. Wholesale trade remained positive, with sales at trading enterprises 5.7% higher than a year earlier.
A record July for the housing market
In July, 1,243 homes were completed in Poznań. That was 34.4% more than a year earlier and by far the highest monthly result in the first seven months of 2026.
From the start of the year, 3,562 homes were delivered, 31.1% more than in the same period of 2025. The increase was driven mainly by housing for sale or rent, where completions rose from 2,455 to 3,445.
The coming months may be weaker, however. From January through July, construction started on 2,537 homes, 5.6% more than a year ago, but the number of homes covered by permits or project notifications fell as much as 68.1% to 1,831.
Homes completed – 2025 vs 2026
Monthly data. There were 1,243 homes completed in July 2026.
The number of businesses in Poznań is rising
At the end of July, REGON contained 139,206 national-economy entities. That was 350 more than a month earlier and 3,005, or 2.2%, more than in July 2025.
Professional, scientific and technical activities formed the largest group, at 16.4% of all entities. Trade and motor-vehicle repair accounted for 15.8% and construction 10.1%.
In July, 820 new entities were registered, 6.9% more than in June. At the same time, 412 entities were removed from REGON, compared with 471 a month earlier.
The number of suspended businesses is also rising. At the end of July there were 18,458, 2.6% more than a month earlier. More than 90% were sole proprietors.
Number of REGON entities – Poznań
End-of-month level. The 2026 series runs through July.
Poznań’s economy is growing without employment growth
July data show an increasingly clear gap between business performance and the labour market. Production, trade, wages, construction, housing completions and the number of businesses are rising, but companies employ fewer people than a year ago.
This does not mean the city is in a weak position. An unemployment rate of 1.6% remains one of the lowest in Poland and average pay is among the highest in the major cities. The figures instead suggest economic growth combined with higher productivity and a more cautious hiring policy.
The strongest warning signal outside the labour market may be the sharp drop in homes covered by permits and project notifications. Current construction and completion figures are very strong, but a much weaker pipeline of new projects may only become visible in coming quarters.
Source: Statistical Office in Poznań, “Statystyka Poznania 7/2026”, July 2026 data, publication generated on 4 September 2026. Wage, employment, industry, construction and trade figures cover enterprises employing more than nine people.
