Lestijärvi: population and statistics
Lestijärvi has a population of 656 (2025) across 480.1 km², or 1.4 people per km². It ranks 300 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −17.8% between 2015 and 2025.
- 656 residents
- 480.1 km²
- 1 people/km²
- 144 m
Lestijärvi in numbers
Key points
Among the 8 municipalities in Central Ostrobothnia, Lestijärvi ranks No. 8 by population.
Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants: 0.0 per 1,000 inh. in Lestijärvi, compared with an average of 2.5 per 1,000 inh. in Central Ostrobothnia and 4.1 per 1,000 inh. nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 29.1% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 45° generates about 826 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Central Ostrobothnia for “Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants”.
- Number 1 in Central Ostrobothnia for “Share of residential buildings heated with electricity”.
- “Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Total dwellings”: lower than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Persons employed in the area (jobs)”: lower than in 96% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 67,237 football pitches.
- Its population density is 13.3 times lower than the national average.
Population of Lestijärvi over time
Lestijärvi had 798 residents in 2015 and 656 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 722 |
| 2021 | 719 |
| 2022 | 695 |
| 2023 | 682 |
| 2024 | 665 |
| 2025 | 656 |
All indicators for Lestijärvi
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 | Lestijärvi | Central Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 14.5% | 17.0% | 13.3% | ranked 108 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 37.0% | 25.3% | 31.2% | ranked 86 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 50.1 years | 43.9 | 48.5 | ranked 112 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.2% | 8.6% | 0.3% | ranked 154 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 1.7% | 4.0% | 3.4% | ranked 256 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Lestijärvi | Central Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 412 no. | 35,784 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 300 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 6.1% | – | 8.2% | ranked 189 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 12.1% | – | 14.5% | ranked 186 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 77.4% | – | 64.5% | ranked 24 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 0.7% | – | 11.1% | ranked 290 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 24.3% | – | 16.9% | ranked 42 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 676.8 /1,000 inh. | 62.4 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 29 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Lestijärvi | Central Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 3.6% | – | 3.9% | ranked 157 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 46.6% | – | 39.8% | ranked 64 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 3.6% | – | 5.5% | ranked 215 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 12.1% | – | 17.1% | ranked 236 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 34.2% | – | 29.1% | ranked 102 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Lestijärvi | Central Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 133 no. | 7,851 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 300 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 200.0 /1,000 inh. | 115.8 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 29 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 29,202 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 137 of 302 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 32 per 1,000 inh. | 3,471 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 304 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 48.8 per 1,000 inh. | 51.5 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 204 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 0.0 per 1,000 inh. | 2.5 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 299 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Lestijärvi | Central Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 238 no. | 28,357 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 297 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 6.0% | 9.2% | 10.8% | ranked 278 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 74.5% | 77.5% | 75.4% | ranked 171 of 302 |
Transport
| Indicator | Lestijärvi | Central Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 578 /1,000 inh. | 537 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 157 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Lestijärvi | Central Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 13.7% | 12.2% | 14.3% | ranked 171 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Lestijärvi | Central Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 22.3% | 27.7% | 24.1% | ranked 196 of 302 |
Business sectors: Lestijärvi
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing29.1% ×12.0
- Health and social work16.0% ×0.8
- Manufacturing13.1% ×1.1
- Public administration and defence10.1% ×2.0
- Education7.2% ×1.0
- Information and communication5.1% ×1.1
- Wholesale and retail trade3.8% ×0.4
- Administrative and support services3.0% ×0.4
Sunshine and temperatures: Lestijärvi
Where is Lestijärvi?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Lestijärvi?
Lestijärvi has 656 residents (2025), ranking 300 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Lestijärvi?
Lestijärvi covers 480.1 km², with a density of 1 people per km².
Is the population of Lestijärvi growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Lestijärvi went from 798 to 656, a change of −17.8%.
Where is Lestijärvi?
Lestijärvi is in Central Ostrobothnia. Latitude 63.525, longitude 24.666.
Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Lestijärvi?
In Lestijärvi, “Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 0.0 per 1,000 inh. (2026), ranking 299 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 2.7 per 1,000 inh..
Total dwellings: what is the figure for Lestijärvi?
In Lestijärvi, “Total dwellings” stands at 412 no. (2025), ranking 300 of 308 municipalities; the national median is 3,342 no..
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Lestijärvi?
In Lestijärvi, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 45° produces about 826 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Lestijärvi?
The nearest to Lestijärvi are Reisjärvi (16 km), Kinnula (23 km), Halsua (26 km), Toholampi (34 km), Perho (36 km).
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