Vaala: population and statistics
Vaala has a population of 2,544 (2025) across 1,302.3 km², or 2.0 people per km². It ranks 232 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −17.2% between 2015 and 2025.
- 2,544 residents
- 1,302.3 km²
- 2 people/km²
- 135 m
Vaala in numbers
Key points
Among the 30 municipalities in North Ostrobothnia, Vaala ranks No. 22 by population.
Share of Swedish speakers: 0.0% in Vaala, compared with an average of 0.2% in North Ostrobothnia and 5.0% nationally.
Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants: 7.1 per 1,000 inh. in Vaala, compared with an average of 3.5 per 1,000 inh. in North Ostrobothnia and 4.1 per 1,000 inh. nationally.
Largest business sector: Health and social work, with 25.4% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 47° generates about 857 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in North Ostrobothnia for “Share of dwellings not permanently occupied”.
- Number 1 in North Ostrobothnia for “Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants”.
- “Share of Swedish speakers”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Employment rate (aged 20–64)”: lower than in 96% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 182,396 football pitches.
- Its population density is 9.3 times lower than the national average.
Population of Vaala over time
Vaala had 3,074 residents in 2015 and 2,544 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 2,737 |
| 2021 | 2,673 |
| 2022 | 2,626 |
| 2023 | 2,589 |
| 2024 | 2,581 |
| 2025 | 2,544 |
All indicators for Vaala
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 | Vaala | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 10.7% | 16.6% | 13.3% | ranked 242 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 41.7% | 21.9% | 31.2% | ranked 36 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 54.2 years | 42.0 | 48.5 | ranked 37 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.0% | 0.2% | 0.3% | ranked 282 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 2.0% | 3.6% | 3.4% | ranked 236 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Vaala | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 1,882 no. | 228,549 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 218 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 3.5% | – | 8.2% | ranked 243 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 9.8% | – | 14.5% | ranked 236 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 65.9% | – | 64.5% | ranked 137 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 4.8% | – | 11.1% | ranked 227 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 26.2% | – | 16.9% | ranked 21 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 653.3 /1,000 inh. | 75.4 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 33 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Vaala | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 4.1% | – | 3.9% | ranked 144 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 35.1% | – | 39.8% | ranked 228 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 2.1% | – | 5.5% | ranked 280 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 12.9% | – | 17.1% | ranked 221 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 45.7% | – | 29.1% | ranked 29 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Vaala | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 368 no. | 40,555 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 252 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 142.6 /1,000 inh. | 96.8 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 148 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 27,305 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 258 of 302 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 130 per 1,000 inh. | 19,646 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 239 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 51.1 per 1,000 inh. | 47.0 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 181 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 7.1 per 1,000 inh. | 3.5 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 8 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Vaala | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 766 no. | 170,344 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 232 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 17.0% | 12.5% | 10.8% | ranked 15 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 66.1% | 72.6% | 75.4% | ranked 290 of 302 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Vaala | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 71.5 /1,000 inh. | 49.4 /1,000 inh. | 36.4 /1,000 inh. | ranked 46 of 136 |
Transport
| Indicator | Vaala | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 550 /1,000 inh. | 482 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 217 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Vaala | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 17.4% | 14.8% | 14.3% | ranked 53 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Vaala | North Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 20.7% | 32.1% | 24.1% | ranked 237 of 302 |
Business sectors: Vaala
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Health and social work25.4% ×1.3
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing18.3% ×7.5
- Public administration and defence15.0% ×3.0
- Wholesale and retail trade8.4% ×0.8
- Construction7.4% ×1.1
- Education5.3% ×0.7
- Transport and storage3.7% ×0.7
- Administrative and support services3.4% ×0.5
Sunshine and temperatures: Vaala
Where is Vaala?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Vaala?
Vaala has 2,544 residents (2025), ranking 232 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Vaala?
Vaala covers 1,302.3 km², with a density of 2 people per km².
Is the population of Vaala growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Vaala went from 3,074 to 2,544, a change of −17.2%.
Where is Vaala?
Vaala is in North Ostrobothnia. Latitude 64.560, longitude 26.840.
Share of Swedish speakers: what is the figure for Vaala?
In Vaala, “Share of Swedish speakers” stands at 0.0% (2025), ranking 282 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 0.3%.
Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Vaala?
In Vaala, “Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 7.1 per 1,000 inh. (2026), ranking 8 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 2.7 per 1,000 inh..
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Vaala?
In Vaala, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 47° produces about 857 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Vaala?
The nearest to Vaala are Utajärvi (30 km), Muhos (49 km), Paltamo (51 km), Puolanka (52 km), Pyhäntä (57 km).
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