Poland to grant city status to 12 settlements in 2027

The Ministry of the Interior and Administration (MSWiA) has drafted a regulation that would raise 12 Polish villages to town status on 1 January 2027, increasing the national total to 1,038. Four of the planned upgrades are in the Subcarpathian (Podkarpackie) region – Czudec, Gorzyce, Wielopole Skrzyńskie and Żołynia – while the other eight are spread across Kujawsko‑Pomorskie (Choceń), Lublin (Milejów), Mazovia (Rzekuń), Podlaskie (Bakałarzewo, Filipów, Mielnik) and Greater Poland (Kazimierz Biskupi, Kobyla Góra).

The change requires meeting strict criteria on infrastructure, historic rights and urban cohesion, local consultations, and a final decision by the Council of Ministers after the draft is prepared by MSWiA. Proponents expect new eligibility for state grants, infrastructure investment and tourism development. The move follows a recent trend: the number of towns in Poland surpassed 1,000 on 1 January 2024 (reaching 1,013), rose to 1,026 in 2026, and would climb to 1,038 with the new designations.