Petäjävesi: population and statistics
Petäjävesi has a population of 3,511 (2025) across 456.4 km², or 7.7 people per km². It ranks 203 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −12.4% between 2015 and 2025.
- 3,511 residents
- 456.4 km²
- 8 people/km²
- 119 m
Petäjävesi in numbers
Key points
Among the 22 municipalities in Central Finland, Petäjävesi ranks No. 14 by population.
Share of foreign nationals: 1.4% in Petäjävesi, compared with an average of 4.2% in Central Finland and 7.7% nationally.
Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders): 41.9 per 1,000 inh. in Petäjävesi, compared with an average of 47.4 per 1,000 inh. in Central Finland and 59.4 per 1,000 inh. nationally.
Largest business sector: Health and social work, with 25.0% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 44° generates about 837 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Share of foreign nationals”: lower than in 92% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 63,926 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.4 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Keuruu (9,014 residents), 25 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,348 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Population of Petäjävesi over time
Petäjävesi had 4,008 residents in 2015 and 3,511 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 3,772 |
| 2021 | 3,678 |
| 2022 | 3,651 |
| 2023 | 3,596 |
| 2024 | 3,552 |
| 2025 | 3,511 |
All indicators for Petäjävesi
Value for the municipality, then the regional average and the national median (for counts: regional and national totals). The gauge places the municipality between the lowest and highest value in the country.
Population
| Indicator | Petäjävesi | Central Finland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 15.2% | 13.9% | 13.3% | ranked 86 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 27.0% | 25.4% | 31.2% | ranked 216 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 46.4 years | 44.6 | 48.5 | ranked 203 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% | ranked 154 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 1.4% | 4.2% | 3.4% | ranked 277 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Petäjävesi | Central Finland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 2,003 no. | 164,402 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 210 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 9.0% | – | 8.2% | ranked 126 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 19.6% | – | 14.5% | ranked 99 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 68.3% | – | 64.5% | ranked 112 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 9.7% | – | 11.1% | ranked 164 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 17.7% | – | 16.9% | ranked 137 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 219.3 /1,000 inh. | 112.6 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 133 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Petäjävesi | Central Finland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 3.1% | – | 3.9% | ranked 172 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 42.4% | – | 39.8% | ranked 115 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 8.6% | – | 5.5% | ranked 73 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 11.2% | – | 17.1% | ranked 246 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 34.6% | – | 29.1% | ranked 100 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Petäjävesi | Central Finland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 487 no. | 28,724 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 213 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 137.1 /1,000 inh. | 104.6 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 164 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 29,169 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 141 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 764 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 171 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 147 per 1,000 inh. | 12,966 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 230 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 41.9 per 1,000 inh. | 47.4 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 258 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1.7 per 1,000 inh. | 3.5 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 242 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Petäjävesi | Central Finland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 752 no. | 106,247 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 234 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 12.0% | 14.4% | 10.8% | ranked 102 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 77.3% | 70.1% | 75.4% | ranked 112 of 302 |
Transport
| Indicator | Petäjävesi | Central Finland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 564 /1,000 inh. | 489 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 184 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Petäjävesi | Central Finland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 14.3% | 17.3% | 14.3% | ranked 147 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Petäjävesi | Central Finland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 28.2% | 32.5% | 24.1% | ranked 81 of 302 |
Business sectors: Petäjävesi
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Health and social work25.0% ×1.3
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing13.0% ×5.3
- Education10.9% ×1.5
- Construction9.8% ×1.5
- Manufacturing6.6% ×0.5
- Wholesale and retail trade5.9% ×0.6
- Administrative and support services5.1% ×0.7
- Transport and storage4.6% ×0.9
Sunshine and temperatures: Petäjävesi
Where is Petäjävesi?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Petäjävesi?
Petäjävesi has 3,511 residents (2025), ranking 203 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Petäjävesi?
Petäjävesi covers 456.4 km², with a density of 8 people per km².
Is the population of Petäjävesi growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Petäjävesi went from 4,008 to 3,511, a change of −12.4%.
Where is Petäjävesi?
Petäjävesi is in Central Finland. Latitude 62.258, longitude 25.183.
Share of foreign nationals: what is the figure for Petäjävesi?
In Petäjävesi, “Share of foreign nationals” stands at 1.4% (2025), ranking 277 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 3.4%.
Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders): what is the figure for Petäjävesi?
In Petäjävesi, “Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders)” stands at 41.9 per 1,000 inh. (2026), ranking 258 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 53.9 per 1,000 inh..
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Petäjävesi?
In Petäjävesi, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 44° produces about 837 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Petäjävesi?
The nearest to Petäjävesi are Keuruu (25 km), Multia (26 km), Muurame (29 km), Jyväskylä (29 km), Uurainen (30 km).
Coat of arms: User:Care; Original design by Olof Eriksson., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons. Coats of arms and flags are shown for identification only; this site is not affiliated with any public authority.
