Merijärvi: population and statistics
Merijärvi has a population of 1,031 (2025) across 229.7 km², or 4.5 people per km². It ranks 290 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −9.1% between 2015 and 2025.
- 1,031 residents
- 229.7 km²
- 4 people/km²
- 49 m
Merijärvi in numbers
Key points
Among the 30 municipalities in North Ostrobothnia, Merijärvi ranks No. 29 by population.
Share of foreign nationals: 0.2% in Merijärvi, compared with an average of 3.6% in North Ostrobothnia and 7.7% nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 26.7% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 47° generates about 902 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in North Ostrobothnia for “Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat”.
- Number 1 in North Ostrobothnia for “At-risk-of-poverty rate”.
- “Share of foreign nationals”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Median disposable cash income per consumption unit”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 32,165 football pitches.
- Its population density is 4.1 times lower than the national average.
Population of Merijärvi over time
Merijärvi had 1,134 residents in 2015 and 1,031 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 1,078 |
| 2021 | 1,076 |
| 2022 | 1,067 |
| 2023 | 1,055 |
| 2024 | 1,059 |
| 2025 | 1,031 |
All indicators for Merijärvi
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 | Merijärvi | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 25.0% | 16.6% | 13.3% | ranked 4 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 26.1% | 21.9% | 31.2% | ranked 227 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 42.0 years | 42.0 | 48.5 | ranked 274 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.3% | ranked 131 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 0.2% | 3.6% | 3.4% | ranked 302 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Merijärvi | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 521 no. | 228,549 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 298 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 9.0% | – | 8.2% | ranked 126 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 16.3% | – | 14.5% | ranked 126 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 77.3% | – | 64.5% | ranked 26 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 0.8% | – | 11.1% | ranked 289 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 18.6% | – | 16.9% | ranked 125 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 72.7 /1,000 inh. | 75.4 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 215 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Merijärvi | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 0.4% | – | 3.9% | ranked 285 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 33.8% | – | 39.8% | ranked 250 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 6.9% | – | 5.5% | ranked 108 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 6.9% | – | 17.1% | ranked 293 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 51.8% | – | 29.1% | ranked 8 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Merijärvi | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 148 no. | 40,555 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 298 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 139.8 /1,000 inh. | 96.8 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 158 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 25,101 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 301 of 302 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 22 per 1,000 inh. | 19,646 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 307 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 21.3 per 1,000 inh. | 47.0 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 302 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1.0 per 1,000 inh. | 3.5 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 286 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Merijärvi | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 264 no. | 170,344 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 295 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 7.4% | 12.5% | 10.8% | ranked 258 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 80.4% | 72.6% | 75.4% | ranked 53 of 302 |
Transport
| Indicator | Merijärvi | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 504 /1,000 inh. | 482 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 277 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Merijärvi | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 19.2% | 14.8% | 14.3% | ranked 18 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Merijärvi | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 14.2% | 32.1% | 24.1% | ranked 300 of 302 |
Business sectors: Merijärvi
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing26.7% ×11.0
- Health and social work24.4% ×1.3
- Education12.2% ×1.7
- Mining and quarrying5.7% ×21.8
- Administrative and support services4.6% ×0.6
- Other service activities4.6% ×1.8
- Construction4.2% ×0.6
- Wholesale and retail trade4.2% ×0.4
Sunshine and temperatures: Merijärvi
Where is Merijärvi?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Merijärvi?
Merijärvi has 1,031 residents (2025), ranking 290 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Merijärvi?
Merijärvi covers 229.7 km², with a density of 4 people per km².
Is the population of Merijärvi growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Merijärvi went from 1,134 to 1,031, a change of −9.1%.
Where is Merijärvi?
Merijärvi is in North Ostrobothnia. Latitude 64.297, longitude 24.447.
Share of foreign nationals: what is the figure for Merijärvi?
In Merijärvi, “Share of foreign nationals” stands at 0.2% (2025), ranking 302 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 3.4%.
Median disposable cash income per consumption unit: what is the figure for Merijärvi?
In Merijärvi, “Median disposable cash income per consumption unit” stands at 25,101 €/year (2024), ranking 301 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 29,044 €/year.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Merijärvi?
In Merijärvi, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 47° produces about 902 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Merijärvi?
The nearest to Merijärvi are Alavieska (16 km), Oulainen (18 km), Pyhäjoki (21 km), Kalajoki (24 km), Ylivieska (25 km).
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