Pudasjärvi: population and statistics
Pudasjärvi has a population of 7,168 (2025) across 5,639.0 km², or 1.3 people per km². It ranks 130 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −13.2% between 2015 and 2025.
- 7,168 residents
- 5,639.0 km²
- 1 people/km²
- 121 m
Pudasjärvi in numbers
Key points
Among the 30 municipalities in North Ostrobothnia, Pudasjärvi ranks No. 11 by population.
Unemployed as a share of the labour force: 19.0% in Pudasjärvi, compared with an average of 12.5% in North Ostrobothnia and 11.7% nationally.
Largest business sector: Health and social work, with 23.4% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 47° generates about 820 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in North Ostrobothnia for “Unemployed as a share of the labour force”.
- “Unemployed as a share of the labour force”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Median disposable cash income per consumption unit”: lower than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification”: lower than in 95% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 789,770 football pitches.
- Its population density is 14.3 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Taivalkoski, 62.3 km away.
Population of Pudasjärvi over time
Pudasjärvi had 8,257 residents in 2015 and 7,168 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 7,779 |
| 2021 | 7,702 |
| 2022 | 7,603 |
| 2023 | 7,479 |
| 2024 | 7,304 |
| 2025 | 7,168 |
All indicators for Pudasjärvi
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 | Pudasjärvi | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 14.0% | 16.6% | 13.3% | ranked 120 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 37.5% | 21.9% | 31.2% | ranked 78 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 50.6 years | 42.0 | 48.5 | ranked 102 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% | ranked 154 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 1.3% | 3.6% | 3.4% | ranked 280 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Pudasjärvi | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 4,515 no. | 228,549 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 123 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 4.7% | – | 8.2% | ranked 218 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 15.8% | – | 14.5% | ranked 131 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 63.2% | – | 64.5% | ranked 166 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 11.1% | – | 11.1% | ranked 152 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 21.3% | – | 16.9% | ranked 86 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 516.9 /1,000 inh. | 75.4 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 51 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Pudasjärvi | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 10.1% | – | 3.9% | ranked 58 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 31.4% | – | 39.8% | ranked 273 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 2.7% | – | 5.5% | ranked 262 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 12.6% | – | 17.1% | ranked 231 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 43.2% | – | 29.1% | ranked 48 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Pudasjärvi | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 1,002 no. | 40,555 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 127 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 137.2 /1,000 inh. | 96.8 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 163 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 26,165 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 293 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 753 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 174 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 331 per 1,000 inh. | 19,646 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 149 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 46.2 per 1,000 inh. | 47.0 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 222 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 | Pudasjärvi | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 2,168 no. | 170,344 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 142 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 19.0% | 12.5% | 10.8% | ranked 5 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 65.1% | 72.6% | 75.4% | ranked 295 of 302 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Pudasjärvi | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 210.4 /1,000 inh. | 49.4 /1,000 inh. | 36.4 /1,000 inh. | ranked 18 of 136 |
Transport
| Indicator | Pudasjärvi | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 524 /1,000 inh. | 482 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 262 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Pudasjärvi | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 18.0% | 14.8% | 14.3% | ranked 41 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Pudasjärvi | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 17.4% | 32.1% | 24.1% | ranked 287 of 302 |
Business sectors: Pudasjärvi
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Health and social work23.4% ×1.2
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing12.3% ×5.1
- Manufacturing10.7% ×0.9
- Wholesale and retail trade8.6% ×0.8
- Education7.0% ×0.9
- Transport and storage5.9% ×1.1
- Accommodation and food services5.5% ×1.5
- Construction5.4% ×0.8
Sunshine and temperatures: Pudasjärvi
Where is Pudasjärvi?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Pudasjärvi?
Pudasjärvi has 7,168 residents (2025), ranking 130 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Pudasjärvi?
Pudasjärvi covers 5,639.0 km², with a density of 1 people per km².
Is the population of Pudasjärvi growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Pudasjärvi went from 8,257 to 7,168, a change of −13.2%.
Where is Pudasjärvi?
Pudasjärvi is in North Ostrobothnia. Latitude 65.360, longitude 26.997.
Unemployed as a share of the labour force: what is the figure for Pudasjärvi?
In Pudasjärvi, “Unemployed as a share of the labour force” stands at 19.0% (2024), ranking 5 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 10.8%.
Median disposable cash income per consumption unit: what is the figure for Pudasjärvi?
In Pudasjärvi, “Median disposable cash income per consumption unit” stands at 26,165 €/year (2024), ranking 293 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 29,044 €/year.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Pudasjärvi?
In Pudasjärvi, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 47° produces about 820 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Pudasjärvi?
The nearest to Pudasjärvi are Taivalkoski (62 km), Puolanka (63 km), Ranua (67 km), Utajärvi (72 km), Ii (76 km).
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