Side by side
the European Union and Poland
The same question asked of every column. Numbers that break down by age or sex follow the controls; the rest stay country-wide and say so.
The widest gap is Housing costs over 40% of income: the European Union 7.7% against Poland 4.1%, 3.6 points apart.
One question per row
People
Money and work
Family and home
Health and daily life
Education
Public spending
Country and infrastructure
Environment
Where €100 of public spending goes
Every euro each general government spends, sorted into the ten functions all 27 countries report against. Open a row for the ranking of 27 and what sits inside it.
the European Union
Poland
Reference year 2024. Total public spending €100.00 in every column, so the ten shares always add up to one hundred.
Frequently asked: the European Union and Poland
Which covers more ground: the European Union or Poland?
The gap is 13.55×: the European Union 4,225,104, Poland 311,928. Total area of the country, inland water included. Eurostat · Land area & People per square kilometre · 2026. See the figure
Where do more people live: the European Union or Poland?
The gap is 12.35×: the European Union 450.6m, Poland 36.5m. People usually resident in the country on 1 January. Eurostat · People & Women in the population · 2025. See the figure
Where were more residents born abroad: the European Union or Poland?
The gap is 11.8 points: the European Union 14.4%, Poland 2.6%. Share of residents born in another country. Eurostat records country of birth, not ethnicity. Eurostat · Born abroad & Born outside the EU · 2025. See the figure
Which spends more on health per resident: the European Union or Poland?
The gap is 2.08×: the European Union €2,959, Poland €1,423. Hospitals, doctors, medicines and medical equipment, and public health programmes. Eurostat · Public spending by function · 2024. See the figure
Which spends a larger share of its budget on defence: the European Union or Poland?
The gap is 2.9 points: Poland 6.0%, the European Union 3.0%. Armed forces, defence equipment, military aid abroad, and defence research. Eurostat · Public spending by function · 2024. See the figure
Where do housing costs eat more of the income: the European Union or Poland?
The gap is 3.6 points: the European Union 7.7%, Poland 4.1%. Share whose housing costs exceed 40% of their disposable income. Eurostat · Housing costs over 40% of income · 2025. See the figure
Where does more energy come from renewables: the European Union or Poland?
The gap is 7.5 points: the European Union 26.2%, Poland 18.7%. Share of final energy use that comes from renewable sources. Eurostat · Renewable energy · 2025. See the figure
Where do more people own their home: the European Union or Poland?
The gap is 18.7 points: Poland 87.2%, the European Union 68.5%. Share of people living in a home owned by their household, mortgaged or outright. Eurostat · Own their home · 2025. See the figure
Where are there more hospital beds per 100,000 people: the European Union or Poland?
The gap is 23.7%: Poland 628, the European Union 507. Beds available in hospitals, per 100,000 residents. Eurostat · Hospital beds · 2024. See the figure
Where are there more university students per 1,000 people: the European Union or Poland?
The gap is 11.0%: the European Union 42.4, Poland 38.2. People in higher education, per 1,000 residents. Eurostat · University students & Students per 1,000 people · 2024. See the figure
Medians where possible, per-capita averages for spending. This person is a composite of published statistics, not the most common person in the country.