Perho: population and statistics
Perho has a population of 2,547 (2025) across 747.9 km², or 3.4 people per km². It ranks 229 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −13.1% between 2015 and 2025.
- 2,547 residents
- 747.9 km²
- 3 people/km²
- 170 m
Perho in numbers
Key points
Among the 8 municipalities in Central Ostrobothnia, Perho ranks No. 6 by population.
Share of foreign nationals: 0.7% in Perho, compared with an average of 4.0% in Central Ostrobothnia and 7.7% nationally.
Largest business sector: Health and social work, with 21.4% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 45° generates about 832 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Central Ostrobothnia for “Elevation”.
- Number 1 in Central Ostrobothnia for “Share of people aged under 15”.
- “Share of foreign nationals”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of dwellings in blocks of flats”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Median disposable cash income per consumption unit”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 104,744 football pitches.
- Its population density is 5.5 times lower than the national average.
Population of Perho over time
Perho had 2,931 residents in 2015 and 2,547 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 2,706 |
| 2021 | 2,676 |
| 2022 | 2,653 |
| 2023 | 2,578 |
| 2024 | 2,594 |
| 2025 | 2,547 |
All indicators for Perho
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 | Perho | Central Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 22.7% | 17.0% | 13.3% | ranked 7 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 26.8% | 25.3% | 31.2% | ranked 219 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 41.9 years | 43.9 | 48.5 | ranked 276 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.4% | 8.6% | 0.3% | ranked 103 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 0.7% | 4.0% | 3.4% | ranked 297 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Perho | Central Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 1,262 no. | 35,784 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 256 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 2.6% | – | 8.2% | ranked 266 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 15.0% | – | 14.5% | ranked 143 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 78.2% | – | 64.5% | ranked 20 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 0.0% | – | 11.1% | ranked 297 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 21.6% | – | 16.9% | ranked 78 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 98.5 /1,000 inh. | 62.4 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 199 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Perho | Central Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 4.3% | – | 3.9% | ranked 137 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 42.7% | – | 39.8% | ranked 108 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 6.1% | – | 5.5% | ranked 129 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 19.4% | – | 17.1% | ranked 113 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 27.3% | – | 29.1% | ranked 162 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Perho | Central Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 370 no. | 7,851 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 251 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 142.6 /1,000 inh. | 115.8 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 148 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 25,685 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 298 of 302 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 128 per 1,000 inh. | 3,471 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 241 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 50.3 per 1,000 inh. | 51.5 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 186 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 3.1 per 1,000 inh. | 2.5 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 115 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Perho | Central Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 818 no. | 28,357 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 225 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 11.2% | 9.2% | 10.8% | ranked 133 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 75.1% | 77.5% | 75.4% | ranked 157 of 302 |
Transport
| Indicator | Perho | Central Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 529 /1,000 inh. | 537 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 255 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Perho | Central Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 15.9% | 12.2% | 14.3% | ranked 102 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Perho | Central Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 14.4% | 27.7% | 24.1% | ranked 299 of 302 |
Business sectors: Perho
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Health and social work21.4% ×1.1
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing16.3% ×6.7
- Manufacturing15.1% ×1.2
- Education9.9% ×1.3
- Construction9.2% ×1.4
- Transport and storage8.4% ×1.6
- Wholesale and retail trade6.8% ×0.6
- Administrative and support services2.7% ×0.4
Sunshine and temperatures: Perho
Where is Perho?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Perho?
Perho has 2,547 residents (2025), ranking 229 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Perho?
Perho covers 747.9 km², with a density of 3 people per km².
Is the population of Perho growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Perho went from 2,931 to 2,547, a change of −13.1%.
Where is Perho?
Perho is in Central Ostrobothnia. Latitude 63.215, longitude 24.423.
Share of foreign nationals: what is the figure for Perho?
In Perho, “Share of foreign nationals” stands at 0.7% (2025), ranking 297 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 3.4%.
Share of dwellings in blocks of flats: what is the figure for Perho?
In Perho, “Share of dwellings in blocks of flats” stands at 0.0% (2025), ranking 297 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 11.1%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Perho?
In Perho, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 45° produces about 832 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Perho?
The nearest to Perho are Kyyjärvi (20 km), Halsua (30 km), Vimpeli (31 km), Kinnula (32 km), Kivijärvi (34 km).
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