Jerzmanowa tops Poland in average wages, outpacing Warsaw

Data released by Poland's statistical office show that the small gmina of Jerzmanowa in the Lower Silesian region recorded a median monthly salary of 13,000 zł gross in January, the highest level in the country. This surpasses the capital Warsaw, where the median was below 10,000 zł. The unusually high earnings in Jerzmanowa are driven by the presence of the state‑owned copper giant KGHM, whose mines and smelters employ most residents and provide substantial annual bonuses, including a “fourteenth” payment that can reach 100‑140 % of a worker’s monthly pay. Other gminas with strong KGHM or PGE employment – such as Lubin, Rudna, Polkowice, Głogów and Bogatynia – also posted median salaries above 10,000 zł, but none matched Jerzmanowa’s level. The findings illustrate a growing regional disparity in Polish wages, with industrial municipalities in the copper belt outpacing traditional high‑salary urban centres.