Joensuu: population and statistics
Joensuu has a population of 79,129 (2025) across 2,381.9 km², or 33.2 people per km². It ranks 11 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +4.8% between 2015 and 2025.
- 79,129 residents
- 2,381.9 km²
- 33 people/km²
- 92 m
Joensuu in numbers
Key points
Among the 13 municipalities in North Karelia, Joensuu ranks No. 1 by population.
At-risk-of-poverty rate: 21.4% in Joensuu, compared with an average of 18.9% in North Karelia and 14.2% nationally.
Largest business sector: Health and social work, with 22.2% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 45° generates about 874 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in North Karelia for “Population”.
- Number 1 in North Karelia for “Population density”.
- “At-risk-of-poverty rate”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Persons employed in the area (jobs)”: higher than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Total dwellings”: higher than in 96% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 333,599 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Kontiolahti, 19.0 km away.
Population of Joensuu over time
Joensuu had 75,514 residents in 2015 and 79,129 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 76,935 |
| 2021 | 77,261 |
| 2022 | 77,513 |
| 2023 | 78,062 |
| 2024 | 78,741 |
| 2025 | 79,129 |
All indicators for Joensuu
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 | Joensuu | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 12.4% | 12.5% | 13.3% | ranked 181 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 23.9% | 29.7% | 31.2% | ranked 243 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 43.3 years | 46.9 | 48.5 | ranked 252 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.3% | ranked 222 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 7.0% | 5.2% | 3.4% | ranked 39 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Joensuu | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 48,043 no. | 100,662 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 12 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 1.8% | – | 8.2% | ranked 280 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 28.9% | – | 14.5% | ranked 46 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 31.1% | – | 64.5% | ranked 287 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 50.5% | – | 11.1% | ranked 21 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 9.9% | – | 16.9% | ranked 260 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 41.1 /1,000 inh. | 146.1 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 254 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Joensuu | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 19.1% | – | 3.9% | ranked 23 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) | 5.3% | – | 5.5% | ranked 156 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 8.8% | – | 17.1% | ranked 273 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 18.2% | – | 29.1% | ranked 221 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Joensuu | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 6,915 no. | 17,600 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 13 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 87.8 /1,000 inh. | 108.3 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 280 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 27,142 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 267 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 1,875 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 38 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 3,207 per 1,000 inh. | 6,685 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 19 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) | 2.2 per 1,000 inh. | 2.0 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 199 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Joensuu | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 35,213 no. | 59,750 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 11 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 15.8% | 15.9% | 10.8% | ranked 22 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 65.6% | 68.0% | 75.4% | ranked 293 of 302 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Joensuu | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 19.3 /1,000 inh. | 35.8 /1,000 inh. | 36.4 /1,000 inh. | ranked 97 of 136 |
Transport
| Indicator | Joensuu | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 453 /1,000 inh. | 514 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 290 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Joensuu | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 21.4% | 18.9% | 14.3% | ranked 3 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Joensuu | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 33.9% | 28.9% | 24.1% | ranked 41 of 302 |
Business sectors: Joensuu
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Health and social work22.2% ×1.2
- Wholesale and retail trade11.6% ×1.1
- Manufacturing11.5% ×0.9
- Education10.5% ×1.4
- Administrative and support services7.1% ×1.0
- Public administration and defence6.2% ×1.2
- Construction5.2% ×0.8
- Professional, scientific and technical4.2% ×0.7
Sunshine and temperatures: Joensuu
Where is Joensuu?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Joensuu?
Joensuu has 79,129 residents (2025), ranking 11 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Joensuu?
Joensuu covers 2,381.9 km², with a density of 33 people per km².
Is the population of Joensuu growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Joensuu went from 75,514 to 79,129, a change of +4.8%.
Where is Joensuu?
Joensuu is in North Karelia. Latitude 62.600, longitude 29.764.
At-risk-of-poverty rate: what is the figure for Joensuu?
In Joensuu, “At-risk-of-poverty rate” stands at 21.4% (2024), ranking 3 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 14.3%.
Persons employed in the area (jobs): what is the figure for Joensuu?
In Joensuu, “Persons employed in the area (jobs)” stands at 35,213 no. (2024), ranking 11 of 308 municipalities; the national median is 1,778 no..
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Joensuu?
In Joensuu, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 45° produces about 874 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Joensuu?
The nearest to Joensuu are Kontiolahti (19 km), Liperi (21 km), Rääkkylä (33 km), Polvijärvi (35 km), Outokumpu (41 km).
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