Kuusamo: population and statistics
Kuusamo has a population of 14,800 (2025) across 4,979.4 km², or 3.0 people per km². It ranks 75 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −5.7% between 2015 and 2025.
- 14,800 residents
- 4,979.4 km²
- 3 people/km²
- 261 m
Kuusamo in numbers
Key points
Among the 30 municipalities in North Ostrobothnia, Kuusamo ranks No. 5 by population.
Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants: 401.6 /1,000 inh. in Kuusamo, compared with an average of 49.4 /1,000 inh. in North Ostrobothnia and 38.9 /1,000 inh. nationally.
Largest business sector: Health and social work, with 17.1% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 47° generates about 794 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in North Ostrobothnia for “Elevation”.
- Number 1 in North Ostrobothnia for “Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants”.
- “Share of dwellings built before 1940”: lower than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants”: higher than in 92% of municipalities.
- “Share of residential buildings heated with district heating”: higher than in 91% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 697,396 football pitches.
- Its population density is 6.2 times lower than the national average.
Population of Kuusamo over time
Kuusamo had 15,688 residents in 2015 and 14,800 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 15,213 |
| 2021 | 15,165 |
| 2022 | 15,146 |
| 2023 | 15,019 |
| 2024 | 14,876 |
| 2025 | 14,800 |
All indicators for Kuusamo
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 | Kuusamo | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 13.4% | 16.6% | 13.3% | ranked 144 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 31.7% | 21.9% | 31.2% | ranked 143 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 48.6 years | 42.0 | 48.5 | ranked 147 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.3% | ranked 131 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 4.2% | 3.6% | 3.4% | ranked 108 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Kuusamo | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 8,728 no. | 228,549 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 74 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 0.7% | – | 8.2% | ranked 295 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 19.7% | – | 14.5% | ranked 98 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 53.3% | – | 64.5% | ranked 229 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 25.6% | – | 11.1% | ranked 76 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 17.3% | – | 16.9% | ranked 143 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 502.5 /1,000 inh. | 75.4 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 52 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Kuusamo | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 17.9% | – | 3.9% | ranked 27 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 35.9% | – | 39.8% | ranked 219 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 5.5% | – | 5.5% | ranked 152 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 13.6% | – | 17.1% | ranked 210 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 27.1% | – | 29.1% | ranked 164 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Kuusamo | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 2,063 no. | 40,555 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 56 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 138.7 /1,000 inh. | 96.8 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 162 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 28,489 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 186 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 1,427 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 71 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 831 per 1,000 inh. | 19,646 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 70 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 56.1 per 1,000 inh. | 47.0 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 136 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 3.9 per 1,000 inh. | 3.5 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 57 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Kuusamo | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 5,981 no. | 170,344 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 68 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 12.3% | 12.5% | 10.8% | ranked 89 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 73.8% | 72.6% | 75.4% | ranked 187 of 302 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Kuusamo | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 401.6 /1,000 inh. | 49.4 /1,000 inh. | 36.4 /1,000 inh. | ranked 12 of 136 |
Transport
| Indicator | Kuusamo | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 555 /1,000 inh. | 482 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 206 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Kuusamo | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 14.1% | 14.8% | 14.3% | ranked 155 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Kuusamo | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 24.0% | 32.1% | 24.1% | ranked 153 of 302 |
Business sectors: Kuusamo
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Health and social work17.1% ×0.9
- Administrative and support services13.0% ×1.8
- Wholesale and retail trade10.4% ×1.0
- Manufacturing7.3% ×0.6
- Transport and storage7.2% ×1.4
- Accommodation and food services7.0% ×1.9
- Construction6.6% ×1.0
- Education5.9% ×0.8
Sunshine and temperatures: Kuusamo
Where is Kuusamo?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kuusamo?
Kuusamo has 14,800 residents (2025), ranking 75 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Kuusamo?
Kuusamo covers 4,979.4 km², with a density of 3 people per km².
Is the population of Kuusamo growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Kuusamo went from 15,688 to 14,800, a change of −5.7%.
Where is Kuusamo?
Kuusamo is in North Ostrobothnia. Latitude 65.967, longitude 29.183.
Share of dwellings built before 1940: what is the figure for Kuusamo?
In Kuusamo, “Share of dwellings built before 1940” stands at 0.7% (2025), ranking 295 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 8.2%.
Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Kuusamo?
In Kuusamo, “Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 401.6 /1,000 inh. (2025), ranking 12 of 136 municipalities; the national median is 36.4 /1,000 inh..
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Kuusamo?
In Kuusamo, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 47° produces about 794 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Kuusamo?
The nearest to Kuusamo are Posio (48 km), Taivalkoski (61 km), Salla (99 km), Kemijärvi (114 km), Pudasjärvi (121 km).
Coat of arms: Care; Original design by Kaj and Terttu Kajander., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons. Coats of arms and flags are shown for identification only; this site is not affiliated with any public authority.
