3 thousand PLN – additional commune from cities. Where is it worth living?

Today, none of the 1,020 Polish cities has a fertility level that ensures generation replacement. Local governments are strongly affected by the decline in the birth rate, the emigration of young people and the aging of the population.

From the beginning of 2026, Wysokie Mazowiecki pays the highest local government unemployment benefits in the region and one of the highest in Poland – PLN 3,000. zloty.

Will money for children reverse the trend?

The problem is very serious. Last year’s report “Development prospects for local governments – WARS Local Government Development Activity Index” shows that in the first half of 2025, fewer than 10 children were born in 72 cities, and in some of them, not a single one was born. Forecasts by the Association of Polish Cities (ZMP) show that by 2035 in 25 Polish cities the number of children will not be sufficient even to create one school class.

Additionally, last year one third of Polish cities had more than 33 percent. people over 50 years of age in their labor market.

Although finances and budgets remain the biggest challenge for local governments and communes, some have decided to pay large amounts to the parents of a newborn resident.

The conditions of the barrel house are very different

IN Szczecinek parents can receive PLN 1,000, which is a standard amount in many communes. The condition is that parents must be registered in the commune. IN Otmuchowie the benefit is PLN 1,500. IN Krakow newborns receive PLN 1,000, but with an additional income criterion for families that do not have many children.

In Andrychów, PLN 500 was also introduced for the birth of an only child, and in Wadowice the benefit is PLN 1,000 for the third and subsequent children. For twins it’s 3,000. zloty. In the communes of the Lublin Voivodeship, becić amounts range from PLN 500 to PLN 1,000.

Warsaw’s budget for 2026 is PLN 28 billion, but the city only pays PLN 1,000 in unemployment benefits. To receive the benefit, the family income per person cannot exceed PLN 674 net. You must also present a certificate confirming medical care from the 10th week of pregnancy to delivery at the latest. Wrocław and Kraków allocate a similar amount for babies, and you also have to meet the income criterion (PLN 1,922 net per person) and present a medical certificate regarding medical care from the 10th week of pregnancy.

Wysokie Mazowieckie definitely stands out from this background, where there is no income criterion at all. – From January 1, 2026, 3 thousand PLN is due to parents if they settle their taxes at our tax office and are registered or permanently live in Wysokie Mazowieckie – said Mayor Jarosław Siekierko on the Local Government Portal, explaining that the number of residents has decreased by 3-5% over the last dozen or so years.