Nivala: population and statistics
Nivala has a population of 10,300 (2025) across 527.4 km², or 19.5 people per km². It ranks 93 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −5.3% between 2015 and 2025.
- 10,300 residents
- 527.4 km²
- 20 people/km²
- 92 m
Nivala in numbers
Key points
Among the 30 municipalities in North Ostrobothnia, Nivala ranks No. 7 by population.
Share of people aged under 15: 20.2% in Nivala, compared with an average of 16.6% in North Ostrobothnia and 14.3% nationally.
Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants: 19.8 /1,000 inh. in Nivala, compared with an average of 75.4 /1,000 inh. in North Ostrobothnia and 85.9 /1,000 inh. nationally.
Largest business sector: Manufacturing, with 18.6% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 45° generates about 842 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Share of people aged under 15”: higher than in 96% of municipalities.
- “Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 91% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 73,859 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Sievi, 22.7 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Raahe (23,413 residents), 87 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,368 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Population of Nivala over time
Nivala had 10,876 residents in 2015 and 10,300 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 10,500 |
| 2021 | 10,396 |
| 2022 | 10,419 |
| 2023 | 10,454 |
| 2024 | 10,378 |
| 2025 | 10,300 |
All indicators for Nivala
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 | Nivala | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 20.2% | 16.6% | 13.3% | ranked 13 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 24.6% | 21.9% | 31.2% | ranked 240 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 41.9 years | 42.0 | 48.5 | ranked 276 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.3% | ranked 222 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 1.5% | 3.6% | 3.4% | ranked 268 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Nivala | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 5,209 no. | 228,549 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 103 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 3.1% | – | 8.2% | ranked 250 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 22.9% | – | 14.5% | ranked 78 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 66.1% | – | 64.5% | ranked 135 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 8.7% | – | 11.1% | ranked 179 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 13.6% | – | 16.9% | ranked 206 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 19.8 /1,000 inh. | 75.4 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 274 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Nivala | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 11.3% | – | 3.9% | ranked 51 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 39.1% | – | 39.8% | ranked 168 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 8.3% | – | 5.5% | ranked 81 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 15.3% | – | 17.1% | ranked 182 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 25.9% | – | 29.1% | ranked 175 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Nivala | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 1,249 no. | 40,555 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 102 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 120.4 /1,000 inh. | 96.8 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 204 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 27,613 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 234 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 1,142 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 104 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 510 per 1,000 inh. | 19,646 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 104 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 49.5 per 1,000 inh. | 47.0 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 197 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 4.5 per 1,000 inh. | 3.5 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 33 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Nivala | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 3,842 no. | 170,344 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 90 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 9.7% | 12.5% | 10.8% | ranked 181 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 77.5% | 72.6% | 75.4% | ranked 105 of 302 |
Transport
| Indicator | Nivala | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 542 /1,000 inh. | 482 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 231 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Nivala | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 15.3% | 14.8% | 14.3% | ranked 122 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Nivala | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 20.0% | 32.1% | 24.1% | ranked 252 of 302 |
Business sectors: Nivala
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Manufacturing18.6% ×1.5
- Health and social work16.3% ×0.9
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing11.1% ×4.5
- Construction10.4% ×1.6
- Education10.0% ×1.3
- Wholesale and retail trade7.8% ×0.7
- Mining and quarrying4.7% ×18.0
- Administrative and support services3.8% ×0.5
Sunshine and temperatures: Nivala
Where is Nivala?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Nivala?
Nivala has 10,300 residents (2025), ranking 93 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Nivala?
Nivala covers 527.4 km², with a density of 20 people per km².
Is the population of Nivala growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Nivala went from 10,876 to 10,300, a change of −5.3%.
Where is Nivala?
Nivala is in North Ostrobothnia. Latitude 63.929, longitude 24.978.
Share of people aged under 15: what is the figure for Nivala?
In Nivala, “Share of people aged under 15” stands at 20.2% (2025), ranking 13 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 13.3%.
Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Nivala?
In Nivala, “Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 19.8 /1,000 inh. (2025), ranking 274 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 186.3 /1,000 inh..
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Nivala?
In Nivala, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 45° produces about 842 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Nivala?
The nearest to Nivala are Sievi (23 km), Haapajärvi (26 km), Ylivieska (27 km), Haapavesi (30 km), Reisjärvi (36 km).
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