More people are moving to Ostrava than are leaving the city: What changes did 2023 bring?

After years of population shrinkage, 2023 finally brought good news for Ostrava – for the first time since 1989, more people moved to the city than moved away from it.

To clarify: Ostrava already recorded positive net migration in 2022, but that was mainly due to the influx of refugees from Ukraine. However, last year the net figure was positive even without this factor.

Where do most new arrivals to Ostrava come from?

Mainly from nearby towns (Havířov, Frýdek-Místek, Karviná) or from larger cities such as Prague and Brno.

In 2023, a total 8 360 people moved to Ostrava.

On the other hand, in 2023 a total 6 054 people moved away from Ostrava, which is more than in 2022. The majority of these people moved to other parts of the Czech Republic, most frequently to Prague, Havířov and Brno but also to outlying communities that form part of Ostrava’s wider metropolitan area, such as Bohumín and Rychvald. It is likely that these people continue to use the services that Ostrava offers as part of its role a major metropolitan centre.

The growing number of people coming to Ostrava from other locations in the Czech Republic is a signal that the city is becoming a more attractive place to live.

2023 is the first indicator of a possible positive trend: the figures from next year will confirm whether this genuinely is a trend that could have a positive impact on Ostrava’s future.