Kotka: population and statistics
Kotka has a population of 50,029 (2025) across 272.1 km², or 184 people per km². It ranks 21 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −7.9% between 2015 and 2025.
- 50,029 residents
- 272.1 km²
- 184 people/km²
- 1 m
Kotka in numbers
Key points
Among the 6 municipalities in Kymenlaakso, Kotka ranks No. 2 by population.
Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants: 75.2 /1,000 inh. in Kotka, compared with an average of 92.0 /1,000 inh. in Kymenlaakso and 106.4 /1,000 inh. nationally.
Largest business sector: Health and social work, with 25.5% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 44° generates about 965 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Kymenlaakso for “Population density”.
- Number 1 in Kymenlaakso for “Share of foreign nationals”.
- “Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of dwellings in blocks of flats”: higher than in 96% of municipalities.
- “Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas”: higher than in 94% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 38,115 football pitches.
- Its population density is 9.9 times the national average.
Population of Kotka over time
Kotka had 54,319 residents in 2015 and 50,029 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 51,668 |
| 2021 | 51,241 |
| 2022 | 50,617 |
| 2023 | 50,500 |
| 2024 | 50,210 |
| 2025 | 50,029 |
All indicators for Kotka
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 | Kotka | Kymenlaakso | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 11.4% | 11.6% | 13.3% | ranked 220 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 29.7% | 31.0% | 31.2% | ranked 177 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 48.1 years | 48.8 | 48.5 | ranked 161 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.9% | 0.7% | 0.3% | ranked 66 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 7.1% | 5.2% | 3.4% | ranked 38 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Kotka | Kymenlaakso | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 31,449 no. | 97,135 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 19 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 11.7% | – | 8.2% | ranked 81 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 11.7% | – | 14.5% | ranked 192 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 30.9% | – | 64.5% | ranked 288 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 56.7% | – | 11.1% | ranked 12 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 12.3% | – | 16.9% | ranked 223 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 36.2 /1,000 inh. | 97.0 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 260 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Kotka | Kymenlaakso | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 18.8% | – | 3.9% | ranked 25 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 33.0% | – | 39.8% | ranked 262 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 8.9% | – | 5.5% | ranked 67 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 30.2% | – | 17.1% | ranked 19 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 8.3% | – | 29.1% | ranked 276 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Kotka | Kymenlaakso | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 3,778 no. | 14,497 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 27 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 75.2 /1,000 inh. | 92.0 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 299 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 28,658 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 172 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 1,184 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 99 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 2,309 per 1,000 inh. | 7,039 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 29 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 46.2 per 1,000 inh. | 45.1 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 222 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | 2.5 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 143 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Kotka | Kymenlaakso | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 21,142 no. | 58,589 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 21 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 16.0% | 14.7% | 10.8% | ranked 19 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 68.1% | 70.2% | 75.4% | ranked 279 of 302 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Kotka | Kymenlaakso | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 24.4 /1,000 inh. | 19.0 /1,000 inh. | 36.4 /1,000 inh. | ranked 86 of 136 |
Transport
| Indicator | Kotka | Kymenlaakso | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 497 /1,000 inh. | 552 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 284 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Kotka | Kymenlaakso | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 17.3% | 15.5% | 14.3% | ranked 54 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Kotka | Kymenlaakso | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 29.4% | 27.9% | 24.1% | ranked 69 of 302 |
Business sectors: Kotka
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Health and social work25.5% ×1.3
- Manufacturing13.5% ×1.1
- Transport and storage10.0% ×1.9
- Wholesale and retail trade9.5% ×0.9
- Administrative and support services8.9% ×1.2
- Education6.3% ×0.8
- Construction5.8% ×0.9
- Public administration and defence4.5% ×0.9
Sunshine and temperatures: Kotka
Where is Kotka?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kotka?
Kotka has 50,029 residents (2025), ranking 21 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Kotka?
Kotka covers 272.1 km², with a density of 184 people per km².
Is the population of Kotka growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Kotka went from 54,319 to 50,029, a change of −7.9%.
Where is Kotka?
Kotka is in Kymenlaakso. Latitude 60.467, longitude 26.946.
Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Kotka?
In Kotka, “Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 75.2 /1,000 inh. (2024), ranking 299 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 141.7 /1,000 inh..
Share of dwellings in blocks of flats: what is the figure for Kotka?
In Kotka, “Share of dwellings in blocks of flats” stands at 56.7% (2025), ranking 12 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 11.1%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Kotka?
In Kotka, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 44° produces about 965 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Kotka?
The nearest to Kotka are Hamina (18 km), Pyhtää (22 km), Loviisa (40 km), Virolahti (43 km), Lapinjärvi (44 km).
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