Puolanka: population and statistics
Puolanka has a population of 2,322 (2025) across 2,461.2 km², or 0.9 people per km². It ranks 241 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −16.4% between 2015 and 2025.
- 2,322 residents
- 2,461.2 km²
- 1 people/km²
- 145 m
Puolanka in numbers
Key points
Among the 8 municipalities in Kainuu, Puolanka ranks No. 6 by population.
Unemployed as a share of the labour force: 21.0% in Puolanka, compared with an average of 12.1% in Kainuu and 11.7% nationally.
Share of people aged 65 and over: 44.8% in Puolanka, compared with an average of 31.8% in Kainuu and 23.8% nationally.
Largest business sector: Health and social work, with 27.4% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 46° generates about 821 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Kainuu for “Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants”.
- Number 1 in Kainuu for “Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat”.
- “Unemployed as a share of the labour force”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of people aged 65 and over”: higher than in 96% of municipalities.
- “Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat”: higher than in 96% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 344,706 football pitches.
- Its population density is 20.7 times lower than the national average.
Population of Puolanka over time
Puolanka had 2,776 residents in 2015 and 2,322 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 2,491 |
| 2021 | 2,446 |
| 2022 | 2,380 |
| 2023 | 2,359 |
| 2024 | 2,345 |
| 2025 | 2,322 |
All indicators for Puolanka
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 | Puolanka | Kainuu | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 8.6% | 12.4% | 13.3% | ranked 286 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 44.8% | 31.8% | 31.2% | ranked 10 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 56.1 years | 48.4 | 48.5 | ranked 14 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.3% | ranked 154 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 3.7% | 5.2% | 3.4% | ranked 131 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Puolanka | Kainuu | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 1,691 no. | 43,053 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 227 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 1.9% | – | 8.2% | ranked 278 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 6.9% | – | 14.5% | ranked 273 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 58.0% | – | 64.5% | ranked 201 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 8.2% | – | 11.1% | ranked 186 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 25.6% | – | 16.9% | ranked 31 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 578.4 /1,000 inh. | 169.3 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 41 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Puolanka | Kainuu | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 6.9% | – | 3.9% | ranked 83 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 32.2% | – | 39.8% | ranked 269 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 2.3% | – | 5.5% | ranked 276 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 8.3% | – | 17.1% | ranked 279 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 50.2% | – | 29.1% | ranked 12 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Puolanka | Kainuu | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 353 no. | 7,427 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 255 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 150.5 /1,000 inh. | 106.5 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 125 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 26,513 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 288 of 302 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 90 per 1,000 inh. | 2,662 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 272 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 38.8 per 1,000 inh. | 38.5 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 282 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 2.2 per 1,000 inh. | 2.1 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 199 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Puolanka | Kainuu | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 605 no. | 27,030 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 250 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 21.0% | 12.1% | 10.8% | ranked 1 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 60.8% | 72.1% | 75.4% | ranked 302 of 302 |
Transport
| Indicator | Puolanka | Kainuu | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 539 /1,000 inh. | 538 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 236 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Puolanka | Kainuu | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 19.4% | 15.4% | 14.3% | ranked 13 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Puolanka | Kainuu | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 20.2% | 26.9% | 24.1% | ranked 245 of 302 |
Business sectors: Puolanka
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Health and social work27.4% ×1.4
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing21.9% ×9.0
- Public administration and defence7.3% ×1.5
- Education6.8% ×0.9
- Wholesale and retail trade6.0% ×0.6
- Construction5.5% ×0.8
- Transport and storage5.3% ×1.0
- Administrative and support services5.3% ×0.7
Sunshine and temperatures: Puolanka
Where is Puolanka?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Puolanka?
Puolanka has 2,322 residents (2025), ranking 241 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Puolanka?
Puolanka covers 2,461.2 km², with a density of 1 people per km².
Is the population of Puolanka growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Puolanka went from 2,776 to 2,322, a change of −16.4%.
Where is Puolanka?
Puolanka is in Kainuu. Latitude 64.868, longitude 27.671.
Unemployed as a share of the labour force: what is the figure for Puolanka?
In Puolanka, “Unemployed as a share of the labour force” stands at 21.0% (2024), ranking 1 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 10.8%.
Share of people aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Puolanka?
In Puolanka, “Share of people aged 65 and over” stands at 44.8% (2025), ranking 10 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 31.2%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Puolanka?
In Puolanka, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 46° produces about 821 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Puolanka?
The nearest to Puolanka are Hyrynsalmi (44 km), Ristijärvi (48 km), Paltamo (52 km), Vaala (52 km), Suomussalmi (59 km).
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