Market Research Companies in Zagreb

Key figures for researchers

Population

767,131 (2021 census), 19.8% of Croatia’s population¹

Official geography

17 city districts (gradske četvrti) and 68 settlements (2021 census)¹

Area and latest estimate

641.22 km²; 774,225 residents in mid-2024 (estimate)²

Largest districts

Sesvete 70,800, Trešnjevka – jug 65,324, Novi Zagreb – zapad 63,917; smallest: Brezovica 12,046 (2021 census)¹

Age

15.2% aged 0–14 and 20.7% aged 65 and over (2021 census)¹

Foreign citizens

6,559 people, 0.9% of residents (2021 census)¹

Language

Croatian is the mother tongue of 96.7% of residents; 93.6% declared themselves Croats (2021 census)¹

Households

300,329 private households, 2.53 people on average; 31.3% are one-person households (2021 census)⁴

Economy

GDP per capita €34,518, 168.2% of the Croatian average (2023)⁵

Labour market

unemployment rate 2.4%; average net monthly earnings €1,510 (2024)²

Tourism

1,419,929 tourist arrivals, of which 1,125,799 foreign (2024)²

Research guide

Research landscape

Zagreb is the main business centre of Croatia and the base of most full-service agencies, polling companies, qualitative and B2B specialists, CATI studios and online panel providers working in the country.

The City of Zagreb is a county in its own right, with 767,131 residents in the 2021 census, or 19.8% of Croatia’s population. It is much richer than the rest of the country: GDP per capita was €34,518 in 2023, 168.2% of the Croatian average, and unemployment was 2.4% in 2024. A Zagreb sample should therefore not be used to represent Croatia. Zagreb County, which surrounds the city, is a separate county with 299,983 people (mid-2021 estimate).

Who you will interview

Zagreb’s population is very homogeneous: in the 2021 census, 93.6% of residents declared themselves Croats, 96.7% gave Croatian as their mother tongue and only 6,559 people (0.9%) were foreign citizens. Croatian questionnaires are enough for almost all general population studies.

The city is ageing: 20.7% of residents were aged 65 and over in 2021, against 17.3% in 2011, while 15.2% were aged 0 to 14. In 2024, Zagreb recorded 6,862 live births and 8,635 deaths. Set age quotas on Zagreb figures rather than national ones.

Fieldwork in practice

Zagreb is divided into 17 city districts (gradske četvrti) and 68 settlements, over 641.22 km². District sizes vary widely: Sesvete, on the eastern edge, had 70,800 residents in 2021 and Brezovica, in the south-west, only 12,046. Sampling or quotas by district help control the spread of interviews between the centre and the outskirts.

There were 300,329 private households in 2021, with 2.53 people on average. 31.3% of households were one person, the largest group, and 26.4% two people, so door-to-door or recruitment work needs more contact attempts, often in the evening. Online and telephone interviews are common for consumer surveys, with face-to-face interviews for older or offline residents.

Focus groups and qualitative research

In-person groups are usually held in dedicated studios or meeting rooms in the city centre, with video streaming for remote observers. Groups are moderated in Croatian; ask whether the agency can provide simultaneous translation for international observers.

Zagreb is also a city-break destination, with 1,419,929 tourist arrivals in 2024, of which 1,125,799 were foreign. Visitor and hospitality studies can recruit on site; for studies with residents of outer districts such as Sesvete or Brezovica, check travel time to the studio.

Timing

In the 2026/2027 school year, classes run from 7 September 2026 to 15 June 2027. The first part of the winter break runs from 24 December 2026 to 5 January 2027, the second part from 22 to 26 February 2027 and the spring break from 25 March to 2 April 2027. The summer break starts on 16 June 2027.

Advent Zagreb runs from 28 November 2026 to 7 January 2027, with the Christmas market on Ban Jelačić Square, Gajeva and Bogovićeva streets, and events on the Strossmayer promenade, Gradec and in the city districts. The city centre is busy in this period: it suits visitor studies, but allow more time for street intercepts and studio access. Check national public holidays in the Croatia guide.

Working with a Zagreb agency

• Share a clear brief: objectives, target, sample size, city districts, method, languages and deadline.
• Say whether Zagreb County or other parts of Croatia must be covered too, and ask how quotas and weighting will be set.
• For face-to-face or recruitment, ask how the agency reaches one-person households and older residents.
• For focus groups, ask for the studio address, public transport access, viewing room capacity, streaming and translation options and incentive levels.
• Check fieldwork dates against the school breaks, Advent and public holidays.
• Compare several proposals: you can send one request to up to 5 Zagreb companies from this page.

National rules (data protection, holidays, sampling across regions) are covered in our guide to market research in Croatia.