Bologna, August 27, 2026 – Emilia-Romagna confirms itself as one of the Italian regions with the highest incomes, but behind the regional average strong territorial differences emerge. This is what the analysis by Ires Emilia-Romagna on data from the Ministry of Economy and Finance relating to declarations submitted in 2025 and referring to the 2024 tax year reveals.
The regional average taxable income per capita is 26,831 euros, up 3.7% compared to 2023. Emilia-Romagna thus remains in fourth place in Italy, behind Lombardy, the Autonomous Province of Bolzano, and Lazio. The growth of the last year clearly exceeds inflation, which in 2024 was 1%, but the comparison over the 2019-2024 period returns a less positive picture: incomes increased by 17.7%, practically as much as prices (+17.4%).
Even more significant is the data on employees: their taxable income has grown by just 13.5% since 2019, well below inflation. A sign of the difficulty in recovering purchasing power.
Bologna first among provinces: the ranking
The provincial ranking sees Bologna in first place with an average taxable income of 29,157 euros, ahead of Parma (28,491), Modena (27,632), Reggio Emilia (27,273), and Piacenza (26,934). Further behind are Ravenna (25,184), Forlì-Cesena (24,445), and Ferrara (24,414). Closing is Rimini, with 22,480 euros.
Bologna is also the third Italian province for average income. The data confirms a precise economic geography: the highest values are concentrated along the Via Emilia axis, while the lower positions mainly concern Romagna and Ferrara.
A tax return form
The ranking of municipalities
Among the main municipalities, in 2024 Bologna surpasses Parma and takes first place, with 31,449 euros, followed by Parma (30,956) and Modena (30,693). Rimini closes the ranking with 23,331 euros.
The absolute regional ranking is instead led by small and medium municipalities. In first place is Gazzola, in the Piacenza area, with 33,280 euros, followed by Albinea (33,160), San Lazzaro di Savena (32,869), and Castelnuovo Rangone (32,068). Bologna is fifth.
At the opposite end, the lowest taxable income is recorded in Goro, in the Ferrara area, with 14,336 euros. The distance between the two extremes therefore approaches 19 thousand euros.
A quarter of taxpayers under 15 thousand euros
The analysis also highlights the presence of a significant segment of low incomes. Over 150 thousand taxpayers, 4.3% of the total, declare having no taxable income. Among those who declare an income, 27.5% do not exceed 15 thousand euros annually. The most critical data is that of Rimini, where the share reaches 37.6%. Bologna is instead the province with the lowest percentage, at 24.8%.
Incomes over 75 thousand euros
On the opposite side, Bologna and Parma record the highest presence of taxpayers with incomes over 75 thousand euros: 4.4%, compared to 3.6% regionally. Employment remains the main source of income: it concerns 58.1% of taxpayers, while pensions affect 34.3%. Average pension incomes reach 23,598 euros, with Bologna still at the provincial top and Rimini at the bottom.
A wealthy region in the national comparison, but far from homogeneous
For the general secretary of Cgil Emilia-Romagna Massimo Bussandri, the data show “several elements of concern.” In particular, the union recalls the impact of rising energy, fuel, and inflation costs on workers and pensioners and calls for structural interventions, contract renewals, and greater progressivity of the tax system. The snapshot of tax returns thus delivers a wealthy region in the national comparison, but far from homogeneous: Bologna and the heart of Via Emilia lead the ranking, while Rimini, Goro, and numerous small peripheral municipalities are at the bottom. And for those who mainly live on employment income, the recovery of purchasing power remains incomplete.
