Iisalmi: population and statistics
Iisalmi has a population of 20,205 (2025) across 763.0 km², or 26.5 people per km². It ranks 54 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −7.9% between 2015 and 2025.
- 20,205 residents
- 763.0 km²
- 26 people/km²
- 104 m
Iisalmi in numbers
Key points
Among the 19 municipalities in North Savo, Iisalmi ranks No. 3 by population.
Share of Swedish speakers: 0.0% in Iisalmi, compared with an average of 0.1% in North Savo and 5.0% nationally.
Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders): 41.1 per 1,000 inh. in Iisalmi, compared with an average of 43.2 per 1,000 inh. in North Savo and 59.4 per 1,000 inh. nationally.
Largest business sector: Health and social work, with 20.5% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 46° generates about 841 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Share of Swedish speakers”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 106,864 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Sonkajärvi, 20.7 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Kuopio (126,572 residents), 78 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,364 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Population of Iisalmi over time
Iisalmi had 21,945 residents in 2015 and 20,205 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 21,124 |
| 2021 | 20,958 |
| 2022 | 20,801 |
| 2023 | 20,618 |
| 2024 | 20,463 |
| 2025 | 20,205 |
All indicators for Iisalmi
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 | Iisalmi | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 13.3% | 13.3% | 13.3% | ranked 148 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 30.5% | 27.8% | 31.2% | ranked 165 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 47.3 years | 46.1 | 48.5 | ranked 182 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.3% | ranked 282 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 3.8% | 4.3% | 3.4% | ranked 128 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Iisalmi | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 12,232 no. | 149,584 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 47 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 3.2% | – | 8.2% | ranked 247 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 13.3% | – | 14.5% | ranked 170 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 41.3% | – | 64.5% | ranked 266 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 43.4% | – | 11.1% | ranked 36 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 12.7% | – | 16.9% | ranked 218 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 52.4 /1,000 inh. | 121.6 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 239 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Iisalmi | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 9.9% | – | 3.9% | ranked 60 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 46.1% | – | 39.8% | ranked 77 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 7.2% | – | 5.5% | ranked 101 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) | 23.9% | – | 29.1% | ranked 185 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Iisalmi | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 2,021 no. | 26,710 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 57 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 98.8 /1,000 inh. | 107.1 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 251 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 28,555 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 181 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 1,161 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 101 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 830 per 1,000 inh. | 10,746 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 71 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 41.1 per 1,000 inh. | 43.2 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 267 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 2.4 per 1,000 inh. | 2.6 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 171 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Iisalmi | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 8,540 no. | 98,543 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 46 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 14.2% | 12.5% | 10.8% | ranked 40 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 71.7% | 72.1% | 75.4% | ranked 239 of 302 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Iisalmi | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 27.5 /1,000 inh. | 34.3 /1,000 inh. | 36.4 /1,000 inh. | ranked 78 of 136 |
Transport
| Indicator | Iisalmi | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 527 /1,000 inh. | 495 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 259 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Iisalmi | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 15.9% | 15.4% | 14.3% | ranked 102 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Iisalmi | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 26.1% | 30.8% | 24.1% | ranked 115 of 302 |
Business sectors: Iisalmi
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Health and social work20.5% ×1.1
- Manufacturing20.4% ×1.6
- Wholesale and retail trade12.0% ×1.1
- Education8.0% ×1.1
- Transport and storage6.9% ×1.3
- Administrative and support services5.3% ×0.7
- Construction5.1% ×0.8
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing3.7% ×1.5
Sunshine and temperatures: Iisalmi
Where is Iisalmi?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Iisalmi?
Iisalmi has 20,205 residents (2025), ranking 54 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Iisalmi?
Iisalmi covers 763.0 km², with a density of 26 people per km².
Is the population of Iisalmi growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Iisalmi went from 21,945 to 20,205, a change of −7.9%.
Where is Iisalmi?
Iisalmi is in North Savo. Latitude 63.557, longitude 27.188.
Share of Swedish speakers: what is the figure for Iisalmi?
In Iisalmi, “Share of Swedish speakers” stands at 0.0% (2025), ranking 282 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 0.3%.
Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders): what is the figure for Iisalmi?
In Iisalmi, “Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders)” stands at 41.1 per 1,000 inh. (2026), ranking 267 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 53.9 per 1,000 inh..
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Iisalmi?
In Iisalmi, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 46° produces about 841 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Iisalmi?
The nearest to Iisalmi are Sonkajärvi (21 km), Vieremä (23 km), Lapinlahti (23 km), Kiuruvesi (30 km), Pielavesi (42 km).
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