Pest (Hungarian: Pest vármegye, pronounced [ˈpɛʃt]; German: Komitat Pest) is a county (vármegye) in central Hungary. It covers an area of 6,393.14 square kilometres (2,468.41 sq mi), and has a population of 1,339,090 (2023). It surrounds the national capital Budapest and the majority of the county's population (65.2%/790,995 in 2009) live in the suburbs of Budapest. It shares borders with Slovakia and the Hungarian counties Nógrád, Heves, Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok, Bács-Kiskun, Fejér, and Komárom-Esztergom. The River Danube flows through the county. The capital of Pest County is Budapest, although Budapest is not part of Pest County. Starting 2018, they also constitute different NUTS:HU level 2 regions, as previously Pest County has lost catch-up aids from the European Union because of the high development of Budapest.

The present county Pest was formed after World War II, when the former county Pest-Pilis-Solt-Kiskun was split in two parts (the other part is within present-day Bács-Kiskun). Pest County also existed in the early days of the medieval Kingdom of Hungary (11th century). Its territory comprised approximately the north-eastern part of present Pest County. It was combined with adjacent Pilis county before the 15th century. More information can be found at the entry of former Pest-Pilis-Solt-Kiskun county.

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2008)

In 2015, it had a population of 1,226,115 and the population density was 192/km.

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1870	330,089	—
1880	353,851	+7.2%
1890	395,142	+11.7%
1900	450,136	+13.9%
1910	524,320	+16.5%
1920	571,753	+9.0%
1930	633,257	+10.8%
1941	682,696	+7.8%
1949	686,953	+0.6%
1960	781,505	+13.8%
1970	878,644	+12.4%
1980	973,830	+10.8%
1990	949,842	−2.5%
2001	1,083,877	+14.1%
2011	1,217,476	+12.3%
2021	1,333,533	+9.5%
Source:

Besides the Hungarian majority, the main minorities are the Germans (approx. 25,000), Roma (20,000), Slovaks (6,000), Romanians (4,000) and Serbs (1,500).

Total population (2011 census): 1,217,476
Ethnic groups (2011 census): Identified themselves: 1,090,882 persons:

• Hungarians: 1,024,768 (93.94%)
• Germans: 24,994 (2.29%)
• Romani: 20,065 (1.84%)
• Others and indefinable: 21,055 (1.93%)

Approx. 178,000 persons in Pest County did not declare their ethnic group at the 2011 census.

Religious adherence in the county according to 2011 census:

• Catholic – 445,106 (Roman Catholic – 435,717; Greek Catholic – 9,235);
• Reformed – 134,848;
• Evangelical – 32,564;
• Orthodox – 1,796;
• Judaism – 947;
• Other religions – 26,485;
• Non-religious – 200,430;
• Atheism – 19,869;
• Undeclared – 355,431.

The Gross domestic product (GDP) of the county was 13.8 billion euros in 2018, accounting for 10.3% of Hungary's economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was 17,000 euros or 56% of the EU27 average in the same year. The GDP per employee was 69% of the EU average.

№	English and Hungarian names	Area (km)	Population (2011)	Density (pop./km)	Seat	№ of municipalities
1	Aszód District Aszódi járás	298.37	37,472	126	Aszód	11
2	Budakeszi District Budakeszi járás	288.95	83,670	290	Budakeszi	12
3	Cegléd District Ceglédi járás	886.30	88,952	100	Cegléd	12
4	Dabas District Dabasi járás	614.23	48,289	79	Dabas	11
5	Dunakeszi District Dunakeszi járás	103.08	78,634	763	Dunakeszi	4
6	Érd District Érdi járás	184.29	116,510	632	Érd	7
7	Gödöllő District Gödöllői járás	449.66	139,826	311	Gödöllő	15
8	Gyál District Gyáli járás	170.99	40,853	239	Gyál	4
9	Monor District Monori járás	329.81	64,016	194	Monor	12
10	Nagykáta District Nagykátai járás	710.12	73,959	104	Nagykáta	15
11	Nagykőrös District Nagykőrösi járás	349.25	27,977	80	Nagykőrös	3
12	Pilisvörösvár District Pilisvörösvári járás	130.81	53,201	407	Pilisvörösvár	9
13	Ráckeve District Ráckevei járás	417.05	35,732	86	Ráckeve	11
14	Szentendre District Szentendrei járás	326.58	77,802	238	Szentendre	13
15	Szigetszentmiklós District Szigetszentmiklósi járás	211.28	110,448	523	Szigetszentmiklós	9
16	Szob District Szobi járás	438.32	24,875	57	Szob	17
17	Vác District Váci járás	362.19	68,234	188	Vác	18
18	Vecsés District Vecsési járás	119.74	47,026	393	Vecsés	4
Pest County		6,393.14	1,217,476	192	Budapest	187

The Pest County Council, elected at the 2024 local government elections, is made up of 44 counselors, with the following party composition:

Party		Seats	Current County Assembly
	Fidesz-KDNP	21
	Momentum Movement	10
	Our Homeland Movement	8
	Democratic Coalition	7

List of presidents since 1990
István Szabó (Fidesz-KDNP)	2014–

Pest County has 1 urban county, 47 towns, 17 large villages and 122 villages.

City with county rights

(ordered by population, as of 2011 census)

• Érd (63,631)

Towns

Villages

municipalities are large villages.

• 
  View of Szentendre
• 
  Grassalkovich Palace in Gödöllő
• 
  Citadel of Visegrád
• 
  Cathedral in Vác
• 
  Zsámbék Premontre monastery church
• 
  Károlyi Mansion, Fót
• 
  Mailáth Mansion in Törökbálint
• 
  Choral Castle, Pomáz

Pest County has a partnership relationship with:

Chongqing Municipality, China Harghita County, Romania Hebei Province, China Ludwigsburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Masovian Voivodeship, Poland Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, Croatia

• Official website in Hungarian and English

47°25′N 19°20′E / 47.417°N 19.333°E / 47.417; 19.333