Croatia faces demographic shift from Bosnian roots and rising poverty affecting one‑fifth of citizens

Research by Prof. Tado Jurić estimates that roughly 40 % of Croatians have immediate family origins in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a historical pattern that has long replenished Croatia’s population but is now waning. The study notes that without this cross‑border migration, Croatia’s demographic outlook would be markedly different, while the Croat community in Bosnia and Herzegovina also confronts a steep population decline.

State Statistics Office data for 2025 show that 19.5 % of Croatia’s population lived below the poverty risk threshold, meaning almost one in five citizens faced income insecurity. The risk is highest among single‑person households, the elderly and households without dependent children. Housing costs accounted for 23.1 % of disposable income for single households, highlighting the financial strain on the most vulnerable groups.