Virolahti: population and statistics
Virolahti has a population of 2,751 (2025) across 372.6 km², or 7.4 people per km². It ranks 222 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −17.8% between 2015 and 2025.
- 2,751 residents
- 372.6 km²
- 7 people/km²
- 5 m
Virolahti in numbers
Key points
Among the 6 municipalities in Kymenlaakso, Virolahti ranks No. 5 by population.
Largest business sector: Public administration and defence, with 37.1% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 44° generates about 956 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Kymenlaakso for “Share of dwellings built before 1940”.
- Number 1 in Kymenlaakso for “Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants”.
- “Share of residential buildings heated with district heating”: lower than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Share of dwellings built before 1940”: higher than in 95% of municipalities.
- “Share of people aged under 15”: lower than in 94% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 52,179 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.5 times lower than the national average.
Population of Virolahti over time
Virolahti had 3,347 residents in 2015 and 2,751 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 3,087 |
| 2021 | 3,040 |
| 2022 | 2,985 |
| 2023 | 2,927 |
| 2024 | 2,831 |
| 2025 | 2,751 |
All indicators for Virolahti
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 | Virolahti | Kymenlaakso | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 8.8% | 11.6% | 13.3% | ranked 284 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 38.0% | 31.0% | 31.2% | ranked 72 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 53.7 years | 48.8 | 48.5 | ranked 44 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.4% | 0.7% | 0.3% | ranked 103 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 4.4% | 5.2% | 3.4% | ranked 99 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Virolahti | Kymenlaakso | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 1,916 no. | 97,135 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 215 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 18.9% | – | 8.2% | ranked 17 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 12.5% | – | 14.5% | ranked 180 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 69.9% | – | 64.5% | ranked 92 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 3.0% | – | 11.1% | ranked 250 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 24.2% | – | 16.9% | ranked 44 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 535.4 /1,000 inh. | 97.0 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 48 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Virolahti | Kymenlaakso | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 0.3% | – | 3.9% | ranked 293 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) | 5.2% | – | 5.5% | ranked 160 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 18.5% | – | 17.1% | ranked 129 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 29.0% | – | 29.1% | ranked 152 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Virolahti | Kymenlaakso | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 440 no. | 14,497 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 229 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 155.4 /1,000 inh. | 92.0 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 113 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 28,526 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 184 of 302 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 143 per 1,000 inh. | 7,039 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 233 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 52.0 per 1,000 inh. | 45.1 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 166 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 2.2 per 1,000 inh. | 2.5 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 199 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Virolahti | Kymenlaakso | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 935 no. | 58,589 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 211 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 15.6% | 14.7% | 10.8% | ranked 24 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 68.9% | 70.2% | 75.4% | ranked 270 of 302 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Virolahti | Kymenlaakso | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 64.0 /1,000 inh. | 19.0 /1,000 inh. | 36.4 /1,000 inh. | ranked 50 of 136 |
Transport
| Indicator | Virolahti | Kymenlaakso | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 642 /1,000 inh. | 552 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 23 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Virolahti | Kymenlaakso | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 16.2% | 15.5% | 14.3% | ranked 85 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Virolahti | Kymenlaakso | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 22.5% | 27.9% | 24.1% | ranked 193 of 302 |
Business sectors: Virolahti
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Public administration and defence37.1% ×7.5
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing11.5% ×4.7
- Health and social work11.2% ×0.6
- Education10.5% ×1.4
- Wholesale and retail trade9.0% ×0.8
- Other service activities3.6% ×1.4
- Construction3.3% ×0.5
- Mining and quarrying2.7% ×10.3
Sunshine and temperatures: Virolahti
Where is Virolahti?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Virolahti?
Virolahti has 2,751 residents (2025), ranking 222 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Virolahti?
Virolahti covers 372.6 km², with a density of 7 people per km².
Is the population of Virolahti growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Virolahti went from 3,347 to 2,751, a change of −17.8%.
Where is Virolahti?
Virolahti is in Kymenlaakso. Latitude 60.583, longitude 27.700.
Share of residential buildings heated with district heating: what is the figure for Virolahti?
In Virolahti, “Share of residential buildings heated with district heating” stands at 0.3% (2025), ranking 293 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 3.9%.
Share of dwellings built before 1940: what is the figure for Virolahti?
In Virolahti, “Share of dwellings built before 1940” stands at 18.9% (2025), ranking 17 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 8.2%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Virolahti?
In Virolahti, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 44° produces about 956 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Virolahti?
The nearest to Virolahti are Miehikkälä (9.7 km), Hamina (27 km), Luumäki (38 km), Kotka (43 km), Lemi (53 km).
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