Kärsämäki: population and statistics
Kärsämäki has a population of 2,324 (2025) across 698.3 km², or 3.3 people per km². It ranks 239 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −12.6% between 2015 and 2025.
- 2,324 residents
- 698.3 km²
- 3 people/km²
- 118 m
Kärsämäki in numbers
Key points
Among the 30 municipalities in North Ostrobothnia, Kärsämäki ranks No. 26 by population.
Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification: 15.5% in Kärsämäki, compared with an average of 32.1% in North Ostrobothnia and 34.2% nationally.
Share of foreign nationals: 1.2% in Kärsämäki, compared with an average of 3.6% in North Ostrobothnia and 7.7% nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 18.5% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 47° generates about 855 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification”: lower than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Share of foreign nationals”: lower than in 96% of municipalities.
- “Share of dwellings in blocks of flats”: lower than in 96% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 97,797 football pitches.
- Its population density is 5.6 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Haapavesi (6,298 residents), 26 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,420 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Population of Kärsämäki over time
Kärsämäki had 2,658 residents in 2015 and 2,324 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 2,538 |
| 2021 | 2,533 |
| 2022 | 2,474 |
| 2023 | 2,440 |
| 2024 | 2,373 |
| 2025 | 2,324 |
All indicators for Kärsämäki
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 | Kärsämäki | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 15.5% | 16.6% | 13.3% | ranked 75 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 31.9% | 21.9% | 31.2% | ranked 139 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 47.6 years | 42.0 | 48.5 | ranked 176 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.3% | ranked 222 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 1.2% | 3.6% | 3.4% | ranked 284 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Kärsämäki | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 1,384 no. | 228,549 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 245 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 5.6% | – | 8.2% | ranked 199 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 10.0% | – | 14.5% | ranked 232 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 65.0% | – | 64.5% | ranked 146 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 0.7% | – | 11.1% | ranked 290 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 21.0% | – | 16.9% | ranked 91 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 39.2 /1,000 inh. | 75.4 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 259 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Kärsämäki | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 7.2% | – | 3.9% | ranked 81 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 36.4% | – | 39.8% | ranked 210 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 4.5% | – | 5.5% | ranked 186 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 7.2% | – | 17.1% | ranked 290 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 44.7% | – | 29.1% | ranked 40 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Kärsämäki | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 412 no. | 40,555 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 237 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 173.6 /1,000 inh. | 96.8 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 74 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 27,180 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 263 of 302 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 148 per 1,000 inh. | 19,646 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 229 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 63.7 per 1,000 inh. | 47.0 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 80 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 2.6 per 1,000 inh. | 3.5 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 155 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Kärsämäki | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 935 no. | 170,344 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 211 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 11.2% | 12.5% | 10.8% | ranked 133 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 74.8% | 72.6% | 75.4% | ranked 163 of 302 |
Transport
| Indicator | Kärsämäki | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 545 /1,000 inh. | 482 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 227 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Kärsämäki | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 15.4% | 14.8% | 14.3% | ranked 119 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Kärsämäki | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 15.5% | 32.1% | 24.1% | ranked 296 of 302 |
Business sectors: Kärsämäki
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing18.5% ×7.6
- Health and social work17.4% ×0.9
- Construction13.7% ×2.1
- Wholesale and retail trade10.4% ×1.0
- Manufacturing8.8% ×0.7
- Professional, scientific and technical7.0% ×1.1
- Education5.8% ×0.8
- Transport and storage4.2% ×0.8
Sunshine and temperatures: Kärsämäki
Where is Kärsämäki?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kärsämäki?
Kärsämäki has 2,324 residents (2025), ranking 239 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Kärsämäki?
Kärsämäki covers 698.3 km², with a density of 3 people per km².
Is the population of Kärsämäki growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Kärsämäki went from 2,658 to 2,324, a change of −12.6%.
Where is Kärsämäki?
Kärsämäki is in North Ostrobothnia. Latitude 63.979, longitude 25.758.
Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification: what is the figure for Kärsämäki?
In Kärsämäki, “Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification” stands at 15.5% (2024), ranking 296 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 24.1%.
Share of foreign nationals: what is the figure for Kärsämäki?
In Kärsämäki, “Share of foreign nationals” stands at 1.2% (2025), ranking 284 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 3.4%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Kärsämäki?
In Kärsämäki, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 47° produces about 855 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Kärsämäki?
The nearest to Kärsämäki are Haapavesi (26 km), Pyhäntä (31 km), Siikalatva (32 km), Haapajärvi (34 km), Pyhäjärvi (35 km).
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