Nurmes: population and statistics
Nurmes has a population of 8,760 (2025) across 2,401.6 km², or 3.6 people per km². It ranks 113 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −15.1% between 2015 and 2025.
- 8,760 residents
- 2,401.6 km²
- 4 people/km²
- 91 m
Nurmes in numbers
Key points
Among the 13 municipalities in North Karelia, Nurmes ranks No. 6 by population.
Largest business sector: Health and social work, with 22.7% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 45° generates about 847 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat”: lower than in 96% of municipalities.
- “Median disposable cash income per consumption unit”: lower than in 96% of municipalities.
- “At-risk-of-poverty rate”: higher than in 95% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 336,357 football pitches.
- Its population density is 5.2 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Juuka, 34.2 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Siilinjärvi (21,348 residents), 90 km away.
Population of Nurmes over time
Nurmes had 10,320 residents in 2015 and 8,760 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 9,501 |
| 2021 | 9,423 |
| 2022 | 9,243 |
| 2023 | 9,130 |
| 2024 | 8,980 |
| 2025 | 8,760 |
All indicators for Nurmes
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 | Nurmes | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 10.9% | 12.5% | 13.3% | ranked 235 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 39.5% | 29.7% | 31.2% | ranked 54 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 52.4 years | 46.9 | 48.5 | ranked 67 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.3% | ranked 222 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 3.2% | 5.2% | 3.4% | ranked 157 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Nurmes | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 6,108 no. | 100,662 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 92 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 7.2% | – | 8.2% | ranked 164 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 5.9% | – | 14.5% | ranked 281 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 55.0% | – | 64.5% | ranked 226 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 22.2% | – | 11.1% | ranked 90 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 21.5% | – | 16.9% | ranked 82 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 188.0 /1,000 inh. | 146.1 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 149 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Nurmes | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 6.2% | – | 3.9% | ranked 101 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 37.0% | – | 39.8% | ranked 200 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 1.8% | – | 5.5% | ranked 290 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 12.7% | – | 17.1% | ranked 226 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 42.4% | – | 29.1% | ranked 52 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Nurmes | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 1,155 no. | 17,600 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 110 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 128.6 /1,000 inh. | 108.3 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 185 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 26,362 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 291 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 565 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 204 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 365 per 1,000 inh. | 6,685 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 140 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 41.7 per 1,000 inh. | 41.4 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 259 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1.5 per 1,000 inh. | 2.0 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 258 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Nurmes | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 3,106 no. | 59,750 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 107 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 15.9% | 15.9% | 10.8% | ranked 20 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 70.1% | 68.0% | 75.4% | ranked 260 of 302 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Nurmes | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 86.0 /1,000 inh. | 35.8 /1,000 inh. | 36.4 /1,000 inh. | ranked 40 of 136 |
Transport
| Indicator | Nurmes | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 560 /1,000 inh. | 514 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 191 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Nurmes | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 19.4% | 18.9% | 14.3% | ranked 13 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Nurmes | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 20.2% | 28.9% | 24.1% | ranked 245 of 302 |
Business sectors: Nurmes
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Health and social work22.7% ×1.2
- Manufacturing17.2% ×1.4
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing14.6% ×6.0
- Wholesale and retail trade9.2% ×0.9
- Education6.6% ×0.9
- Accommodation and food services5.8% ×1.6
- Transport and storage5.3% ×1.0
- Public administration and defence3.9% ×0.8
Sunshine and temperatures: Nurmes
Where is Nurmes?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Nurmes?
Nurmes has 8,760 residents (2025), ranking 113 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Nurmes?
Nurmes covers 2,401.6 km², with a density of 4 people per km².
Is the population of Nurmes growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Nurmes went from 10,320 to 8,760, a change of −15.1%.
Where is Nurmes?
Nurmes is in North Karelia. Latitude 63.544, longitude 29.133.
Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat: what is the figure for Nurmes?
In Nurmes, “Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat” stands at 1.8% (2025), ranking 290 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 5.5%.
Median disposable cash income per consumption unit: what is the figure for Nurmes?
In Nurmes, “Median disposable cash income per consumption unit” stands at 26,362 €/year (2024), ranking 291 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 29,044 €/year.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Nurmes?
In Nurmes, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 45° produces about 847 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Nurmes?
The nearest to Nurmes are Juuka (34 km), Rautavaara (42 km), Lieksa (51 km), Kuhmo (68 km), Kaavi (71 km).
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