Ilomantsi: population and statistics
Ilomantsi has a population of 4,293 (2025) across 2,763.4 km², or 1.6 people per km². It ranks 183 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −19.5% between 2015 and 2025.
- 4,293 residents
- 2,763.4 km²
- 2 people/km²
- 141 m
Ilomantsi in numbers
Key points
Among the 13 municipalities in North Karelia, Ilomantsi ranks No. 8 by population.
Share of people aged 65 and over: 48.4% in Ilomantsi, compared with an average of 29.7% in North Karelia and 23.8% nationally.
Employment rate (aged 20–64): 64.9% in Ilomantsi, compared with an average of 68.0% in North Karelia and 73.7% nationally.
Largest business sector: Health and social work, with 30.5% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 45° generates about 850 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Share of people aged 65 and over”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Employment rate (aged 20–64)”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 387,028 football pitches.
- Its population density is 11.6 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Kontiolahti (15,060 residents), 56 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,400 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Population of Ilomantsi over time
Ilomantsi had 5,336 residents in 2015 and 4,293 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 4,749 |
| 2021 | 4,643 |
| 2022 | 4,492 |
| 2023 | 4,406 |
| 2024 | 4,382 |
| 2025 | 4,293 |
All indicators for Ilomantsi
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 | Ilomantsi | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 7.8% | 12.5% | 13.3% | ranked 294 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 48.4% | 29.7% | 31.2% | ranked 2 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 57.7 years | 46.9 | 48.5 | ranked 4 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.3% | ranked 154 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 3.5% | 5.2% | 3.4% | ranked 144 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Ilomantsi | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 3,330 no. | 100,662 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 155 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 4.1% | – | 8.2% | ranked 227 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 4.9% | – | 14.5% | ranked 292 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 57.3% | – | 64.5% | ranked 209 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 13.5% | – | 11.1% | ranked 131 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 26.4% | – | 16.9% | ranked 20 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 403.0 /1,000 inh. | 146.1 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 79 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Ilomantsi | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 8.0% | – | 3.9% | ranked 74 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 35.6% | – | 39.8% | ranked 225 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 1.7% | – | 5.5% | ranked 292 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 8.9% | – | 17.1% | ranked 272 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 45.9% | – | 29.1% | ranked 27 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Ilomantsi | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 635 no. | 17,600 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 183 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 144.9 /1,000 inh. | 108.3 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 140 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 26,471 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 290 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 349 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 218 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 174 per 1,000 inh. | 6,685 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 210 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 40.5 per 1,000 inh. | 41.4 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 270 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1.9 per 1,000 inh. | 2.0 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 228 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Ilomantsi | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 1,240 no. | 59,750 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 185 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 18.6% | 15.9% | 10.8% | ranked 6 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 64.9% | 68.0% | 75.4% | ranked 297 of 302 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Ilomantsi | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 53.6 /1,000 inh. | 35.8 /1,000 inh. | 36.4 /1,000 inh. | ranked 56 of 136 |
Transport
| Indicator | Ilomantsi | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 586 /1,000 inh. | 514 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 132 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Ilomantsi | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 19.2% | 18.9% | 14.3% | ranked 18 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Ilomantsi | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 17.4% | 28.9% | 24.1% | ranked 287 of 302 |
Business sectors: Ilomantsi
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Health and social work30.5% ×1.6
- Wholesale and retail trade11.0% ×1.0
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing8.9% ×3.6
- Public administration and defence7.3% ×1.5
- Construction7.0% ×1.1
- Manufacturing6.0% ×0.5
- Education5.2% ×0.7
- Transport and storage4.6% ×0.9
Sunshine and temperatures: Ilomantsi
Where is Ilomantsi?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Ilomantsi?
Ilomantsi has 4,293 residents (2025), ranking 183 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Ilomantsi?
Ilomantsi covers 2,763.4 km², with a density of 2 people per km².
Is the population of Ilomantsi growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Ilomantsi went from 5,336 to 4,293, a change of −19.5%.
Where is Ilomantsi?
Ilomantsi is in North Karelia. Latitude 62.672, longitude 30.931.
Share of people aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Ilomantsi?
In Ilomantsi, “Share of people aged 65 and over” stands at 48.4% (2025), ranking 2 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 31.2%.
Employment rate (aged 20–64): what is the figure for Ilomantsi?
In Ilomantsi, “Employment rate (aged 20–64)” stands at 64.9% (2024), ranking 297 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 75.4%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Ilomantsi?
In Ilomantsi, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 45° produces about 850 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Ilomantsi?
The nearest to Ilomantsi are Kontiolahti (56 km), Tohmajärvi (58 km), Joensuu (60 km), Kitee (76 km), Rääkkylä (78 km).
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