Oulu: population and statistics
Oulu has a population of 217,469 (2025) across 2,972.4 km², or 73.2 people per km². It ranks 5 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +9.5% between 2015 and 2025.
- 217,469 residents
- 2,972.4 km²
- 73 people/km²
- 14 m
Oulu in numbers
Key points
Among the 30 municipalities in North Ostrobothnia, Oulu ranks No. 1 by population.
Mean age of the population: 40.1 years in Oulu, compared with an average of 42.0 years in North Ostrobothnia and 44.1 years nationally.
Largest business sector: Health and social work, with 22.6% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 48° generates about 903 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in North Ostrobothnia for “Population”.
- Number 1 in North Ostrobothnia for “Total dwellings”.
- “Share of residential buildings heated with district heating”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Mean age of the population”: lower than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Total dwellings”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 416,300 football pitches.
- Its population density is 3.9 times the national average.
Population of Oulu over time
Oulu had 198,525 residents in 2015 and 217,469 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 207,327 |
| 2021 | 209,551 |
| 2022 | 211,848 |
| 2023 | 214,633 |
| 2024 | 216,152 |
| 2025 | 217,469 |
All indicators for Oulu
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 | Oulu | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 15.2% | 16.6% | 13.3% | ranked 86 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 17.9% | 21.9% | 31.2% | ranked 294 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 40.1 years | 42.0 | 48.5 | ranked 295 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% | ranked 154 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 5.0% | 3.6% | 3.4% | ranked 82 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Oulu | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 121,438 no. | 228,549 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 6 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 1.5% | – | 8.2% | ranked 286 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 41.1% | – | 14.5% | ranked 13 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 27.7% | – | 64.5% | ranked 291 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 56.0% | – | 11.1% | ranked 13 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 8.4% | – | 16.9% | ranked 283 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 18.5 /1,000 inh. | 75.4 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 276 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Oulu | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 35.1% | – | 3.9% | ranked 4 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 38.8% | – | 39.8% | ranked 176 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 8.0% | – | 5.5% | ranked 89 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 11.9% | – | 17.1% | ranked 238 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 5.8% | – | 29.1% | ranked 285 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Oulu | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 17,372 no. | 40,555 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 6 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 80.4 /1,000 inh. | 96.8 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 290 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 29,772 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 109 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 2,105 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 24 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 10,093 per 1,000 inh. | 19,646 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 6 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 46.4 per 1,000 inh. | 47.0 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 220 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 3.7 per 1,000 inh. | 3.5 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 67 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Oulu | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 99,464 no. | 170,344 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 6 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 13.5% | 12.5% | 10.8% | ranked 57 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 70.3% | 72.6% | 75.4% | ranked 257 of 302 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Oulu | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 15.1 /1,000 inh. | 49.4 /1,000 inh. | 36.4 /1,000 inh. | ranked 110 of 136 |
Transport
| Indicator | Oulu | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 437 /1,000 inh. | 482 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 295 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Oulu | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 15.9% | 14.8% | 14.3% | ranked 102 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Oulu | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 39.0% | 32.1% | 24.1% | ranked 11 of 302 |
Business sectors: Oulu
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Health and social work22.6% ×1.2
- Manufacturing10.1% ×0.8
- Education9.4% ×1.3
- Wholesale and retail trade9.4% ×0.9
- Construction7.7% ×1.2
- Professional, scientific and technical7.3% ×1.2
- Administrative and support services7.0% ×1.0
- Information and communication5.9% ×1.2
Sunshine and temperatures: Oulu
Where is Oulu?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Oulu?
Oulu has 217,469 residents (2025), ranking 5 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Oulu?
Oulu covers 2,972.4 km², with a density of 73 people per km².
Is the population of Oulu growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Oulu went from 198,525 to 217,469, a change of +9.5%.
Where is Oulu?
Oulu is in North Ostrobothnia. Latitude 65.014, longitude 25.472.
Share of residential buildings heated with district heating: what is the figure for Oulu?
In Oulu, “Share of residential buildings heated with district heating” stands at 35.1% (2025), ranking 4 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 3.9%.
Mean age of the population: what is the figure for Oulu?
In Oulu, “Mean age of the population” stands at 40.1 years (2025), ranking 295 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 48.5 years.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Oulu?
In Oulu, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 48° produces about 903 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Oulu?
The nearest to Oulu are Kempele (11 km), Liminka (23 km), Lumijoki (24 km), Tyrnävä (29 km), Muhos (34 km).
Coat of arms: City of Oulu, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons · Flag: Fenn-O-maniC, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons. Coats of arms and flags are shown for identification only; this site is not affiliated with any public authority.
