Simo: population and statistics
Simo has a population of 2,701 (2025) across 1,445.7 km², or 1.9 people per km². It ranks 225 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −16.6% between 2015 and 2025.
- 2,701 residents
- 1,445.7 km²
- 2 people/km²
- 16 m
Simo in numbers
Key points
Among the 21 municipalities in Lapland, Simo ranks No. 16 by population.
Share of foreign nationals: 0.7% in Simo, compared with an average of 4.3% in Lapland and 7.7% nationally.
Largest business sector: Health and social work, with 38.6% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 48° generates about 912 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Lapland for “Share of dwellings built before 1940”.
- Number 1 in Lapland for “Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses”.
- “Share of foreign nationals”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of residential buildings heated with district heating”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of dwellings in blocks of flats”: lower than in 98% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 202,479 football pitches.
- Its population density is 9.8 times lower than the national average.
Population of Simo over time
Simo had 3,238 residents in 2015 and 2,701 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 2,950 |
| 2021 | 2,904 |
| 2022 | 2,877 |
| 2023 | 2,828 |
| 2024 | 2,778 |
| 2025 | 2,701 |
All indicators for Simo
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 | Simo | Lapland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 11.4% | 13.5% | 13.3% | ranked 220 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 38.4% | 28.1% | 31.2% | ranked 65 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 52.5 years | 46.2 | 48.5 | ranked 64 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | ranked 131 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 0.7% | 4.3% | 3.4% | ranked 297 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Simo | Lapland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 1,699 no. | 109,438 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 226 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 6.1% | – | 8.2% | ranked 189 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 10.4% | – | 14.5% | ranked 221 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 79.8% | – | 64.5% | ranked 11 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 0.2% | – | 11.1% | ranked 296 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 20.2% | – | 16.9% | ranked 102 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 380.2 /1,000 inh. | 202.2 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 84 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Simo | Lapland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 0.1% | – | 3.9% | ranked 299 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 44.8% | – | 39.8% | ranked 89 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 3.7% | – | 5.5% | ranked 213 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 20.3% | – | 17.1% | ranked 99 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 30.6% | – | 29.1% | ranked 134 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Simo | Lapland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 339 no. | 19,780 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 258 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 122.0 /1,000 inh. | 112.3 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 197 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 30,232 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 92 of 302 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 125 per 1,000 inh. | 10,110 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 242 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 46.3 per 1,000 inh. | 57.4 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 221 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 2.2 per 1,000 inh. | 4.0 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 199 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Simo | Lapland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 598 no. | 74,760 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 251 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 10.0% | 10.1% | 10.8% | ranked 175 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 74.1% | 75.5% | 75.4% | ranked 181 of 302 |
Transport
| Indicator | Simo | Lapland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 597 /1,000 inh. | 535 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 102 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Simo | Lapland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 11.1% | 13.6% | 14.3% | ranked 229 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Simo | Lapland | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 23.6% | 29.3% | 24.1% | ranked 166 of 302 |
Business sectors: Simo
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Health and social work38.6% ×2.0
- Construction13.7% ×2.1
- Education10.1% ×1.4
- Administrative and support services8.1% ×1.1
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing6.6% ×2.7
- Transport and storage4.9% ×0.9
- Wholesale and retail trade3.4% ×0.3
- Accommodation and food services2.5% ×0.7
Sunshine and temperatures: Simo
Where is Simo?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Simo?
Simo has 2,701 residents (2025), ranking 225 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Simo?
Simo covers 1,445.7 km², with a density of 2 people per km².
Is the population of Simo growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Simo went from 3,238 to 2,701, a change of −16.6%.
Where is Simo?
Simo is in Lapland. Latitude 65.661, longitude 25.062.
Share of foreign nationals: what is the figure for Simo?
In Simo, “Share of foreign nationals” stands at 0.7% (2025), ranking 297 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 3.4%.
Share of residential buildings heated with district heating: what is the figure for Simo?
In Simo, “Share of residential buildings heated with district heating” stands at 0.1% (2025), ranking 299 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 3.9%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Simo?
In Simo, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 48° produces about 912 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Simo?
The nearest to Simo are Kemi (24 km), Keminmaa (28 km), Ii (41 km), Tornio (47 km), Tervola (49 km).
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