Viitasaari: population and statistics
Viitasaari has a population of 5,695 (2025) across 1,248.5 km², or 4.6 people per km². It ranks 158 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −14.6% between 2015 and 2025.
- 5,695 residents
- 1,248.5 km²
- 5 people/km²
- 138 m
Viitasaari in numbers
Key points
Among the 22 municipalities in Central Finland, Viitasaari ranks No. 8 by population.
Share of Swedish speakers: 0.1% in Viitasaari, compared with an average of 0.2% in Central Finland and 5.0% nationally.
Largest business sector: Health and social work, with 24.7% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 44° generates about 838 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Share of Swedish speakers”: lower than in 93% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 174,864 football pitches.
- Its population density is 4.0 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Keitele, 27.2 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Saarijärvi (8,763 residents), 51 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,352 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Population of Viitasaari over time
Viitasaari had 6,666 residents in 2015 and 5,695 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 6,097 |
| 2021 | 6,070 |
| 2022 | 5,951 |
| 2023 | 5,877 |
| 2024 | 5,764 |
| 2025 | 5,695 |
All indicators for Viitasaari
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 | Viitasaari | Central Finland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 11.2% | 13.9% | 13.3% | ranked 229 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 40.5% | 25.4% | 31.2% | ranked 44 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 53.1 years | 44.6 | 48.5 | ranked 55 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.3% | ranked 222 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 1.9% | 4.2% | 3.4% | ranked 246 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Viitasaari | Central Finland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 3,841 no. | 164,402 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 145 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 7.1% | – | 8.2% | ranked 167 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 11.1% | – | 14.5% | ranked 202 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 55.4% | – | 64.5% | ranked 223 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 24.3% | – | 11.1% | ranked 81 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 19.4% | – | 16.9% | ranked 112 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 364.9 /1,000 inh. | 112.6 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 91 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Viitasaari | Central Finland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 7.4% | – | 3.9% | ranked 79 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 32.7% | – | 39.8% | ranked 266 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 3.5% | – | 5.5% | ranked 219 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 17.8% | – | 17.1% | ranked 143 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 38.6% | – | 29.1% | ranked 76 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Viitasaari | Central Finland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 866 no. | 28,724 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 148 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 150.2 /1,000 inh. | 104.6 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 127 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 27,441 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 248 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 731 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 179 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 286 per 1,000 inh. | 12,966 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 162 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 50.2 per 1,000 inh. | 47.4 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 189 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1.9 per 1,000 inh. | 3.5 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 228 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Viitasaari | Central Finland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 2,161 no. | 106,247 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 143 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 12.3% | 14.4% | 10.8% | ranked 89 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 73.4% | 70.1% | 75.4% | ranked 196 of 302 |
Transport
| Indicator | Viitasaari | Central Finland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 555 /1,000 inh. | 489 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 206 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Viitasaari | Central Finland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 16.3% | 17.3% | 14.3% | ranked 82 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Viitasaari | Central Finland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 21.2% | 32.5% | 24.1% | ranked 226 of 302 |
Business sectors: Viitasaari
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Health and social work24.7% ×1.3
- Manufacturing14.8% ×1.2
- Wholesale and retail trade14.4% ×1.4
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing9.1% ×3.7
- Transport and storage7.8% ×1.5
- Education5.5% ×0.8
- Construction4.8% ×0.7
- Public administration and defence4.4% ×0.9
Sunshine and temperatures: Viitasaari
Where is Viitasaari?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Viitasaari?
Viitasaari has 5,695 residents (2025), ranking 158 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Viitasaari?
Viitasaari covers 1,248.5 km², with a density of 5 people per km².
Is the population of Viitasaari growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Viitasaari went from 6,666 to 5,695, a change of −14.6%.
Where is Viitasaari?
Viitasaari is in Central Finland. Latitude 63.075, longitude 25.860.
Share of Swedish speakers: what is the figure for Viitasaari?
In Viitasaari, “Share of Swedish speakers” stands at 0.1% (2025), ranking 222 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 0.3%.
Share of residential buildings heated with electricity: what is the figure for Viitasaari?
In Viitasaari, “Share of residential buildings heated with electricity” stands at 32.7% (2025), ranking 266 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 39.8%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Viitasaari?
In Viitasaari, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 44° produces about 838 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Viitasaari?
The nearest to Viitasaari are Keitele (27 km), Kannonkoski (32 km), Vesanto (32 km), Pihtipudas (35 km), Kivijärvi (40 km).
Coat of arms: Viitasaaren kaupunki, CC0, Wikimedia Commons. Coats of arms and flags are shown for identification only; this site is not affiliated with any public authority.
