Paltamo: population and statistics
Paltamo has a population of 2,941 (2025) across 918.8 km², or 3.2 people per km². It ranks 212 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −15.7% between 2015 and 2025.
- 2,941 residents
- 918.8 km²
- 3 people/km²
- 127 m
Paltamo in numbers
Key points
Among the 8 municipalities in Kainuu, Paltamo ranks No. 5 by population.
Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders): 38.4 per 1,000 inh. in Paltamo, compared with an average of 38.5 per 1,000 inh. in Kainuu and 59.4 per 1,000 inh. nationally.
Largest business sector: Health and social work, with 20.1% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 46° generates about 833 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders)”: lower than in 95% of municipalities.
- “Share of dwellings built after 2000”: lower than in 91% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 128,683 football pitches.
- Its population density is 5.8 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Kajaani (36,370 residents), 21 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,332 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Population of Paltamo over time
Paltamo had 3,488 residents in 2015 and 2,941 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 3,235 |
| 2021 | 3,183 |
| 2022 | 3,100 |
| 2023 | 3,037 |
| 2024 | 2,990 |
| 2025 | 2,941 |
All indicators for Paltamo
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 | Paltamo | Kainuu | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 10.6% | 12.4% | 13.3% | ranked 244 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 38.1% | 31.8% | 31.2% | ranked 71 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 52.4 years | 48.4 | 48.5 | ranked 67 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.3% | ranked 154 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 1.6% | 5.2% | 3.4% | ranked 262 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Paltamo | Kainuu | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 2,001 no. | 43,053 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 211 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 5.4% | – | 8.2% | ranked 207 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 6.7% | – | 14.5% | ranked 274 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 61.5% | – | 64.5% | ranked 179 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 5.5% | – | 11.1% | ranked 212 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 23.5% | – | 16.9% | ranked 50 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 406.3 /1,000 inh. | 169.3 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 76 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Paltamo | Kainuu | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 4.8% | – | 3.9% | ranked 121 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 36.3% | – | 39.8% | ranked 213 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 3.8% | – | 5.5% | ranked 207 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 9.7% | – | 17.1% | ranked 267 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 45.3% | – | 29.1% | ranked 33 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Paltamo | Kainuu | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 436 no. | 7,427 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 231 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 145.8 /1,000 inh. | 106.5 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 138 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 27,841 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 223 of 302 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 113 per 1,000 inh. | 2,662 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 252 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 38.4 per 1,000 inh. | 38.5 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 286 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1.4 per 1,000 inh. | 2.1 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 267 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Paltamo | Kainuu | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 785 no. | 27,030 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 228 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 11.6% | 12.1% | 10.8% | ranked 120 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 71.3% | 72.1% | 75.4% | ranked 248 of 302 |
Transport
| Indicator | Paltamo | Kainuu | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 572 /1,000 inh. | 538 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 166 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Paltamo | Kainuu | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 16.5% | 15.4% | 14.3% | ranked 76 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Paltamo | Kainuu | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 21.1% | 26.9% | 24.1% | ranked 229 of 302 |
Business sectors: Paltamo
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Health and social work20.1% ×1.0
- Transport and storage14.0% ×2.7
- Construction10.2% ×1.6
- Wholesale and retail trade9.8% ×0.9
- Education8.9% ×1.2
- Administrative and support services8.4% ×1.1
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing7.2% ×3.0
- Public administration and defence6.3% ×1.3
Sunshine and temperatures: Paltamo
Where is Paltamo?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Paltamo?
Paltamo has 2,941 residents (2025), ranking 212 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Paltamo?
Paltamo covers 918.8 km², with a density of 3 people per km².
Is the population of Paltamo growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Paltamo went from 3,488 to 2,941, a change of −15.7%.
Where is Paltamo?
Paltamo is in Kainuu. Latitude 64.407, longitude 27.837.
Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders): what is the figure for Paltamo?
In Paltamo, “Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders)” stands at 38.4 per 1,000 inh. (2026), ranking 286 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 53.9 per 1,000 inh..
Share of dwellings built after 2000: what is the figure for Paltamo?
In Paltamo, “Share of dwellings built after 2000” stands at 6.7% (2025), ranking 274 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 14.5%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Paltamo?
In Paltamo, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 46° produces about 833 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Paltamo?
The nearest to Paltamo are Kajaani (21 km), Ristijärvi (21 km), Sotkamo (40 km), Hyrynsalmi (43 km), Vaala (51 km).
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