Haapavesi: population and statistics
Haapavesi has a population of 6,298 (2025) across 1,050.9 km², or 6.0 people per km². It ranks 146 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −12.1% between 2015 and 2025.
- 6,298 residents
- 1,050.9 km²
- 6 people/km²
- 84 m
Haapavesi in numbers
Key points
Among the 30 municipalities in North Ostrobothnia, Haapavesi ranks No. 15 by population.
Share of Swedish speakers: 0.0% in Haapavesi, compared with an average of 0.2% in North Ostrobothnia and 5.0% nationally.
Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification: 18.3% in Haapavesi, compared with an average of 32.1% in North Ostrobothnia and 34.2% nationally.
Largest business sector: Manufacturing, with 25.1% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 47° generates about 862 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Share of Swedish speakers”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification”: lower than in 92% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 147,183 football pitches.
- Its population density is 3.1 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Kärsämäki, 25.9 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Nivala (10,300 residents), 30 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,448 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Population of Haapavesi over time
Haapavesi had 7,167 residents in 2015 and 6,298 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 6,667 |
| 2021 | 6,613 |
| 2022 | 6,591 |
| 2023 | 6,473 |
| 2024 | 6,365 |
| 2025 | 6,298 |
All indicators for Haapavesi
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 | Haapavesi | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 17.7% | 16.6% | 13.3% | ranked 32 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 27.2% | 21.9% | 31.2% | ranked 215 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 44.5 years | 42.0 | 48.5 | ranked 239 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.0% | 0.2% | 0.3% | ranked 282 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 3.5% | 3.6% | 3.4% | ranked 144 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Haapavesi | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 3,528 no. | 228,549 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 152 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 3.9% | – | 8.2% | ranked 232 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 15.1% | – | 14.5% | ranked 141 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 66.3% | – | 64.5% | ranked 132 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 7.9% | – | 11.1% | ranked 190 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 18.1% | – | 16.9% | ranked 133 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 68.0 /1,000 inh. | 75.4 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 219 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Haapavesi | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 6.4% | – | 3.9% | ranked 94 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 38.5% | – | 39.8% | ranked 180 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 4.9% | – | 5.5% | ranked 172 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 14.2% | – | 17.1% | ranked 199 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 35.9% | – | 29.1% | ranked 91 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Haapavesi | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 809 no. | 40,555 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 156 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 127.1 /1,000 inh. | 96.8 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 189 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 27,725 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 226 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 777 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 169 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 296 per 1,000 inh. | 19,646 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 158 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 47.0 per 1,000 inh. | 47.0 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 216 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 3.2 per 1,000 inh. | 3.5 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 106 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Haapavesi | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 2,534 no. | 170,344 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 121 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 10.7% | 12.5% | 10.8% | ranked 153 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 75.4% | 72.6% | 75.4% | ranked 146 of 302 |
Transport
| Indicator | Haapavesi | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 533 /1,000 inh. | 482 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 244 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Haapavesi | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 14.3% | 14.8% | 14.3% | ranked 147 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Haapavesi | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 18.3% | 32.1% | 24.1% | ranked 276 of 302 |
Business sectors: Haapavesi
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Manufacturing25.1% ×2.0
- Health and social work20.2% ×1.1
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing11.7% ×4.8
- Education10.1% ×1.4
- Construction8.3% ×1.3
- Wholesale and retail trade5.4% ×0.5
- Administrative and support services4.1% ×0.6
- Transport and storage3.8% ×0.7
Sunshine and temperatures: Haapavesi
Where is Haapavesi?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Haapavesi?
Haapavesi has 6,298 residents (2025), ranking 146 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Haapavesi?
Haapavesi covers 1,050.9 km², with a density of 6 people per km².
Is the population of Haapavesi growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Haapavesi went from 7,167 to 6,298, a change of −12.1%.
Where is Haapavesi?
Haapavesi is in North Ostrobothnia. Latitude 64.138, longitude 25.367.
Share of Swedish speakers: what is the figure for Haapavesi?
In Haapavesi, “Share of Swedish speakers” stands at 0.0% (2025), ranking 282 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 0.3%.
Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification: what is the figure for Haapavesi?
In Haapavesi, “Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification” stands at 18.3% (2024), ranking 276 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 24.1%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Haapavesi?
In Haapavesi, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 47° produces about 862 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Haapavesi?
The nearest to Haapavesi are Kärsämäki (26 km), Siikalatva (28 km), Nivala (30 km), Oulainen (30 km), Ylivieska (41 km).
Coat of arms: User:Tomia; Original design by A. O. Jääskö., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons. Coats of arms and flags are shown for identification only; this site is not affiliated with any public authority.
