Kolari: population and statistics
Kolari has a population of 4,001 (2025) across 2,559.4 km², or 1.6 people per km². It ranks 190 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +4.0% between 2015 and 2025.
- 4,001 residents
- 2,559.4 km²
- 2 people/km²
- 158 m
Kolari in numbers
Key points
Among the 21 municipalities in Lapland, Kolari ranks No. 9 by population.
Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants: 1,013 /1,000 inh. in Kolari, compared with an average of 191.7 /1,000 inh. in Lapland and 38.9 /1,000 inh. nationally.
Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders): 99.7 per 1,000 inh. in Kolari, compared with an average of 57.4 per 1,000 inh. in Lapland and 59.4 per 1,000 inh. nationally.
Largest business sector: Accommodation and food services, with 17.3% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 49° generates about 801 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Lapland for “Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders)”.
- “Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders)”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of dwellings built before 1940”: lower than in 97% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 358,458 football pitches.
- Its population density is 11.6 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Kittilä (6,973 residents), 60 km away.
Population of Kolari over time
Kolari had 3,848 residents in 2015 and 4,001 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 3,925 |
| 2021 | 3,989 |
| 2022 | 3,999 |
| 2023 | 4,011 |
| 2024 | 3,987 |
| 2025 | 4,001 |
All indicators for Kolari
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 | Kolari | Lapland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 14.7% | 13.5% | 13.3% | ranked 102 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 28.7% | 28.1% | 31.2% | ranked 187 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 46.9 years | 46.2 | 48.5 | ranked 191 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.7% | 0.3% | 0.3% | ranked 76 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 3.1% | 4.3% | 3.4% | ranked 165 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Kolari | Lapland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 2,438 no. | 109,438 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 188 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 1.0% | – | 8.2% | ranked 290 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 20.6% | – | 14.5% | ranked 93 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 68.8% | – | 64.5% | ranked 103 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) | 26.2% | – | 16.9% | ranked 21 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 796.8 /1,000 inh. | 202.2 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 19 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Kolari | Lapland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 1.8% | – | 3.9% | ranked 211 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 48.5% | – | 39.8% | ranked 45 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 5.9% | – | 5.5% | ranked 134 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 13.1% | – | 17.1% | ranked 219 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 30.7% | – | 29.1% | ranked 133 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Kolari | Lapland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 746 no. | 19,780 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 161 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 187.1 /1,000 inh. | 112.3 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 44 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 29,853 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 107 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 1,620 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 52 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 399 per 1,000 inh. | 10,110 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 132 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 99.7 per 1,000 inh. | 57.4 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 4 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 7.0 per 1,000 inh. | 4.0 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 9 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Kolari | Lapland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 1,700 no. | 74,760 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 162 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 7.7% | 10.1% | 10.8% | ranked 247 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 81.5% | 75.5% | 75.4% | ranked 38 of 302 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Kolari | Lapland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 1,013 /1,000 inh. | 191.7 /1,000 inh. | 36.4 /1,000 inh. | ranked 2 of 136 |
Transport
| Indicator | Kolari | Lapland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 588 /1,000 inh. | 535 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 125 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Kolari | Lapland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 12.1% | 13.6% | 14.3% | ranked 209 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Kolari | Lapland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 26.1% | 29.3% | 24.1% | ranked 115 of 302 |
Business sectors: Kolari
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Accommodation and food services17.3% ×4.7
- Health and social work16.5% ×0.9
- Administrative and support services13.5% ×1.8
- Wholesale and retail trade12.0% ×1.1
- Arts, entertainment and recreation6.2% ×3.2
- Education5.6% ×0.8
- Construction5.0% ×0.8
- Transport and storage4.9% ×0.9
Sunshine and temperatures: Kolari
Where is Kolari?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kolari?
Kolari has 4,001 residents (2025), ranking 190 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Kolari?
Kolari covers 2,559.4 km², with a density of 2 people per km².
Is the population of Kolari growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Kolari went from 3,848 to 4,001, a change of +4.0%.
Where is Kolari?
Kolari is in Lapland. Latitude 67.332, longitude 23.789.
Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Kolari?
In Kolari, “Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 1,013 /1,000 inh. (2025), ranking 2 of 136 municipalities; the national median is 36.4 /1,000 inh..
Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders): what is the figure for Kolari?
In Kolari, “Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders)” stands at 99.7 per 1,000 inh. (2026), ranking 4 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 53.9 per 1,000 inh..
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Kolari?
In Kolari, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 49° produces about 801 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Kolari?
The nearest to Kolari are Kittilä (60 km), Pello (62 km), Muonio (70 km), Ylitornio (112 km), Enontekiö (117 km).
Coat of arms: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons. Coats of arms and flags are shown for identification only; this site is not affiliated with any public authority.
