Polvijärvi: population and statistics
Polvijärvi has a population of 3,942 (2025) across 804.7 km², or 4.9 people per km². It ranks 192 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −13.5% between 2015 and 2025.
- 3,942 residents
- 804.7 km²
- 5 people/km²
- 93 m
Polvijärvi in numbers
Key points
Among the 13 municipalities in North Karelia, Polvijärvi ranks No. 10 by population.
Largest business sector: Health and social work, with 28.0% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 45° generates about 865 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in North Karelia for “Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat”.
- “Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat”: higher than in 96% of municipalities.
- “Share of foreign nationals”: lower than in 94% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 112,700 football pitches.
- Its population density is 3.8 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Outokumpu (6,365 residents), 23 km away.
Population of Polvijärvi over time
Polvijärvi had 4,556 residents in 2015 and 3,942 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 4,201 |
| 2021 | 4,161 |
| 2022 | 4,084 |
| 2023 | 4,064 |
| 2024 | 3,999 |
| 2025 | 3,942 |
All indicators for Polvijärvi
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 | Polvijärvi | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 12.5% | 12.5% | 13.3% | ranked 178 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 38.5% | 29.7% | 31.2% | ranked 64 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 51.9 years | 46.9 | 48.5 | ranked 76 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.3% | ranked 154 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 1.3% | 5.2% | 3.4% | ranked 280 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Polvijärvi | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 2,625 no. | 100,662 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 180 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 7.8% | – | 8.2% | ranked 155 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 8.4% | – | 14.5% | ranked 259 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 70.1% | – | 64.5% | ranked 89 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 4.2% | – | 11.1% | ranked 233 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 23.4% | – | 16.9% | ranked 52 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 346.5 /1,000 inh. | 146.1 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 98 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Polvijärvi | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 1.3% | – | 3.9% | ranked 241 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 38.7% | – | 39.8% | ranked 178 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 2.1% | – | 5.5% | ranked 280 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 8.0% | – | 17.1% | ranked 282 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 49.8% | – | 29.1% | ranked 13 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Polvijärvi | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 615 no. | 17,600 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 187 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 153.8 /1,000 inh. | 108.3 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 116 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 27,056 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 270 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 325 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 220 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 139 per 1,000 inh. | 6,685 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 234 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 35.3 per 1,000 inh. | 41.4 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 295 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1.3 per 1,000 inh. | 2.0 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 275 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Polvijärvi | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 939 no. | 59,750 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 209 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 15.4% | 15.9% | 10.8% | ranked 27 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 70.2% | 68.0% | 75.4% | ranked 258 of 302 |
Transport
| Indicator | Polvijärvi | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 588 /1,000 inh. | 514 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 125 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Polvijärvi | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 18.8% | 18.9% | 14.3% | ranked 26 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Polvijärvi | North Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 18.5% | 28.9% | 24.1% | ranked 272 of 302 |
Business sectors: Polvijärvi
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Health and social work28.0% ×1.5
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing19.8% ×8.1
- Manufacturing8.5% ×0.7
- Construction6.9% ×1.1
- Education6.6% ×0.9
- Wholesale and retail trade5.6% ×0.5
- Administrative and support services4.3% ×0.6
- Professional, scientific and technical3.6% ×0.6
Sunshine and temperatures: Polvijärvi
Where is Polvijärvi?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Polvijärvi?
Polvijärvi has 3,942 residents (2025), ranking 192 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Polvijärvi?
Polvijärvi covers 804.7 km², with a density of 5 people per km².
Is the population of Polvijärvi growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Polvijärvi went from 4,556 to 3,942, a change of −13.5%.
Where is Polvijärvi?
Polvijärvi is in North Karelia. Latitude 62.854, longitude 29.369.
Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies: what is the figure for Polvijärvi?
In Polvijärvi, “Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies” stands at 325 €/m² (2025), ranking 220 of 220 municipalities; the national median is 1,110 €/m².
Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat: what is the figure for Polvijärvi?
In Polvijärvi, “Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat” stands at 49.8% (2025), ranking 13 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 29.1%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Polvijärvi?
In Polvijärvi, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 45° produces about 865 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Polvijärvi?
The nearest to Polvijärvi are Outokumpu (23 km), Kontiolahti (26 km), Joensuu (35 km), Liperi (36 km), Juuka (43 km).
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