Oulainen: population and statistics
Oulainen has a population of 6,832 (2025) across 586.6 km², or 11.6 people per km². It ranks 135 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −10.2% between 2015 and 2025.
- 6,832 residents
- 586.6 km²
- 12 people/km²
- 69 m
Oulainen in numbers
Key points
Among the 30 municipalities in North Ostrobothnia, Oulainen ranks No. 12 by population.
Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders): 38.8 per 1,000 inh. in Oulainen, compared with an average of 47.0 per 1,000 inh. in North Ostrobothnia and 59.4 per 1,000 inh. nationally.
Share of Swedish speakers: 0.1% in Oulainen, compared with an average of 0.2% in North Ostrobothnia and 5.0% nationally.
Largest business sector: Health and social work, with 36.0% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 47° generates about 880 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders)”: lower than in 94% of municipalities.
- “Share of Swedish speakers”: lower than in 93% of municipalities.
- “Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 91% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 82,161 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Merijärvi, 18.1 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Ylivieska (15,274 residents), 26 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,520 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Population of Oulainen over time
Oulainen had 7,610 residents in 2015 and 6,832 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 7,155 |
| 2021 | 7,102 |
| 2022 | 7,025 |
| 2023 | 6,978 |
| 2024 | 6,912 |
| 2025 | 6,832 |
All indicators for Oulainen
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 | Oulainen | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 15.4% | 16.6% | 13.3% | ranked 79 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 30.9% | 21.9% | 31.2% | ranked 160 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 46.9 years | 42.0 | 48.5 | ranked 191 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.3% | ranked 222 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 2.0% | 3.6% | 3.4% | ranked 236 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Oulainen | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 4,033 no. | 228,549 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 138 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 3.4% | – | 8.2% | ranked 244 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 18.9% | – | 14.5% | ranked 104 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 56.1% | – | 64.5% | ranked 218 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 15.6% | – | 11.1% | ranked 118 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 15.8% | – | 16.9% | ranked 173 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 41.1 /1,000 inh. | 75.4 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 254 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Oulainen | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 7.8% | – | 3.9% | ranked 76 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 40.6% | – | 39.8% | ranked 142 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 7.6% | – | 5.5% | ranked 93 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 14.9% | – | 17.1% | ranked 184 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 29.0% | – | 29.1% | ranked 152 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Oulainen | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 740 no. | 40,555 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 164 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 107.1 /1,000 inh. | 96.8 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 234 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 27,154 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 265 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 840 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 153 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 265 per 1,000 inh. | 19,646 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 166 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 38.8 per 1,000 inh. | 47.0 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 282 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1.5 per 1,000 inh. | 3.5 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 258 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Oulainen | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 2,541 no. | 170,344 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 120 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 10.4% | 12.5% | 10.8% | ranked 164 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 74.3% | 72.6% | 75.4% | ranked 178 of 302 |
Transport
| Indicator | Oulainen | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 512 /1,000 inh. | 482 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 274 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Oulainen | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 15.8% | 14.8% | 14.3% | ranked 108 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Oulainen | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 23.7% | 32.1% | 24.1% | ranked 160 of 302 |
Business sectors: Oulainen
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Health and social work36.0% ×1.9
- Manufacturing14.1% ×1.1
- Construction8.1% ×1.2
- Education8.0% ×1.1
- Wholesale and retail trade7.7% ×0.7
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing5.4% ×2.2
- Transport and storage4.4% ×0.9
- Administrative and support services3.8% ×0.5
Sunshine and temperatures: Oulainen
Where is Oulainen?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Oulainen?
Oulainen has 6,832 residents (2025), ranking 135 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Oulainen?
Oulainen covers 586.6 km², with a density of 12 people per km².
Is the population of Oulainen growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Oulainen went from 7,610 to 6,832, a change of −10.2%.
Where is Oulainen?
Oulainen is in North Ostrobothnia. Latitude 64.267, longitude 24.817.
Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders): what is the figure for Oulainen?
In Oulainen, “Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders)” stands at 38.8 per 1,000 inh. (2026), ranking 282 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 53.9 per 1,000 inh..
Share of Swedish speakers: what is the figure for Oulainen?
In Oulainen, “Share of Swedish speakers” stands at 0.1% (2025), ranking 222 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 0.3%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Oulainen?
In Oulainen, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 47° produces about 880 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Oulainen?
The nearest to Oulainen are Merijärvi (18 km), Ylivieska (26 km), Alavieska (27 km), Haapavesi (30 km), Pyhäjoki (35 km).
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