Kontiolahti: population and statistics
Kontiolahti has a population of 15,060 (2025) across 799.8 km², or 18.8 people per km². It ranks 73 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +1.6% between 2015 and 2025.
- 15,060 residents
- 799.8 km²
- 19 people/km²
- 126 m
Kontiolahti in numbers
Key points
Among the 13 municipalities in North Karelia, Kontiolahti ranks No. 2 by population.
Share of Swedish speakers: 0.0% in Kontiolahti, compared with an average of 0.1% in North Karelia and 5.0% nationally.
Largest business sector: Manufacturing, with 26.8% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 45° generates about 859 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in North Karelia for “Share of people aged under 15”.
- Number 1 in North Karelia for “Share of dwellings built after 2000”.
- “Share of Swedish speakers”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of residential buildings heated with electricity”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of dwellings not permanently occupied”: lower than in 96% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 112,017 football pitches.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Joensuu (79,129 residents), 19 km away.
Population of Kontiolahti over time
Kontiolahti had 14,827 residents in 2015 and 15,060 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 14,857 |
| 2021 | 15,035 |
| 2022 | 15,157 |
| 2023 | 15,136 |
| 2024 | 15,071 |
| 2025 | 15,060 |
All indicators for Kontiolahti
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 | Kontiolahti | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 19.3% | 12.5% | 13.3% | ranked 20 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 20.0% | 29.7% | 31.2% | ranked 282 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 41.5 years | 46.9 | 48.5 | ranked 284 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.3% | ranked 282 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 1.1% | 5.2% | 3.4% | ranked 291 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Kontiolahti | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 7,124 no. | 100,662 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 83 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 3.2% | – | 8.2% | ranked 247 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 38.7% | – | 14.5% | ranked 17 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 70.4% | – | 64.5% | ranked 85 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 5.5% | – | 11.1% | ranked 212 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 7.8% | – | 16.9% | ranked 291 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 96.9 /1,000 inh. | 146.1 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 200 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Kontiolahti | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 1.6% | – | 3.9% | ranked 226 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 63.4% | – | 39.8% | ranked 4 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 10.6% | – | 5.5% | ranked 47 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 7.6% | – | 17.1% | ranked 289 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 16.7% | – | 29.1% | ranked 231 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Kontiolahti | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 1,349 no. | 17,600 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 94 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 89.5 /1,000 inh. | 108.3 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 277 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 31,331 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 58 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 1,582 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 55 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 566 per 1,000 inh. | 6,685 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 97 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 37.6 per 1,000 inh. | 41.4 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 288 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 2.0 per 1,000 inh. | 2.0 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 221 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Kontiolahti | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 3,743 no. | 59,750 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 93 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 10.9% | 15.9% | 10.8% | ranked 149 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 79.6% | 68.0% | 75.4% | ranked 67 of 302 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Kontiolahti | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 10.6 /1,000 inh. | 35.8 /1,000 inh. | 36.4 /1,000 inh. | ranked 125 of 136 |
Transport
| Indicator | Kontiolahti | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 575 /1,000 inh. | 514 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 162 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Kontiolahti | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 8.6% | 18.9% | 14.3% | ranked 269 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Kontiolahti | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 35.7% | 28.9% | 24.1% | ranked 26 of 302 |
Business sectors: Kontiolahti
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Manufacturing26.8% ×2.2
- Health and social work24.0% ×1.3
- Construction11.1% ×1.7
- Education8.0% ×1.1
- Public administration and defence5.3% ×1.1
- Administrative and support services4.9% ×0.7
- Wholesale and retail trade4.0% ×0.4
- Professional, scientific and technical3.2% ×0.5
Sunshine and temperatures: Kontiolahti
Where is Kontiolahti?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kontiolahti?
Kontiolahti has 15,060 residents (2025), ranking 73 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Kontiolahti?
Kontiolahti covers 799.8 km², with a density of 19 people per km².
Is the population of Kontiolahti growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Kontiolahti went from 14,827 to 15,060, a change of +1.6%.
Where is Kontiolahti?
Kontiolahti is in North Karelia. Latitude 62.767, longitude 29.850.
Share of Swedish speakers: what is the figure for Kontiolahti?
In Kontiolahti, “Share of Swedish speakers” stands at 0.0% (2025), ranking 282 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 0.3%.
Share of residential buildings heated with electricity: what is the figure for Kontiolahti?
In Kontiolahti, “Share of residential buildings heated with electricity” stands at 63.4% (2025), ranking 4 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 39.8%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Kontiolahti?
In Kontiolahti, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 45° produces about 859 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Kontiolahti?
The nearest to Kontiolahti are Joensuu (19 km), Polvijärvi (26 km), Liperi (35 km), Outokumpu (43 km), Rääkkylä (52 km).
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