Kaavi: population and statistics
Kaavi has a population of 2,547 (2025) across 674.1 km², or 3.8 people per km². It ranks 229 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −20.3% between 2015 and 2025.
- 2,547 residents
- 674.1 km²
- 4 people/km²
- 112 m
Kaavi in numbers
Key points
Among the 19 municipalities in North Savo, Kaavi ranks No. 14 by population.
Employment rate (aged 20–64): 64.9% in Kaavi, compared with an average of 72.1% in North Savo and 73.7% nationally.
Largest business sector: Health and social work, with 30.6% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 45° generates about 870 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Employment rate (aged 20–64)”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of residential buildings heated with district heating”: lower than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification”: lower than in 98% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 94,412 football pitches.
- Its population density is 4.9 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Tuusniemi, 18.2 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Outokumpu (6,365 residents), 39 km away.
Population of Kaavi over time
Kaavi had 3,194 residents in 2015 and 2,547 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 2,807 |
| 2021 | 2,778 |
| 2022 | 2,689 |
| 2023 | 2,628 |
| 2024 | 2,589 |
| 2025 | 2,547 |
All indicators for Kaavi
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 | Kaavi | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 10.4% | 13.3% | 13.3% | ranked 252 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 39.4% | 27.8% | 31.2% | ranked 55 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 53.8 years | 46.1 | 48.5 | ranked 43 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.3% | ranked 222 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 2.1% | 4.3% | 3.4% | ranked 230 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Kaavi | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 1,858 no. | 149,584 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 219 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 6.8% | – | 8.2% | ranked 172 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 8.6% | – | 14.5% | ranked 252 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 60.4% | – | 64.5% | ranked 189 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 12.2% | – | 11.1% | ranked 143 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 25.7% | – | 16.9% | ranked 29 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 462.9 /1,000 inh. | 121.6 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 59 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Kaavi | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 0.3% | – | 3.9% | ranked 293 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 39.2% | – | 39.8% | ranked 166 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 4.0% | – | 5.5% | ranked 201 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 10.5% | – | 17.1% | ranked 256 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 46.0% | – | 29.1% | ranked 26 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Kaavi | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 413 no. | 26,710 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 236 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 159.5 /1,000 inh. | 107.1 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 103 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 27,001 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 276 of 302 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 101 per 1,000 inh. | 10,746 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 261 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 39.7 per 1,000 inh. | 43.2 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 277 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1.2 per 1,000 inh. | 2.6 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 280 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Kaavi | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 729 no. | 98,543 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 237 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 15.4% | 12.5% | 10.8% | ranked 27 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 64.9% | 72.1% | 75.4% | ranked 297 of 302 |
Transport
| Indicator | Kaavi | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 559 /1,000 inh. | 495 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 197 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Kaavi | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 19.9% | 15.4% | 14.3% | ranked 11 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Kaavi | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 15.4% | 30.8% | 24.1% | ranked 297 of 302 |
Business sectors: Kaavi
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Health and social work30.6% ×1.6
- Manufacturing15.3% ×1.2
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing12.6% ×5.2
- Transport and storage8.9% ×1.7
- Wholesale and retail trade7.9% ×0.7
- Construction6.9% ×1.1
- Administrative and support services5.0% ×0.7
- Other service activities3.5% ×1.3
Sunshine and temperatures: Kaavi
Where is Kaavi?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kaavi?
Kaavi has 2,547 residents (2025), ranking 229 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Kaavi?
Kaavi covers 674.1 km², with a density of 4 people per km².
Is the population of Kaavi growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Kaavi went from 3,194 to 2,547, a change of −20.3%.
Where is Kaavi?
Kaavi is in North Savo. Latitude 62.975, longitude 28.483.
Employment rate (aged 20–64): what is the figure for Kaavi?
In Kaavi, “Employment rate (aged 20–64)” stands at 64.9% (2024), ranking 297 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 75.4%.
Share of residential buildings heated with district heating: what is the figure for Kaavi?
In Kaavi, “Share of residential buildings heated with district heating” stands at 0.3% (2025), ranking 293 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 3.9%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Kaavi?
In Kaavi, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 45° produces about 870 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Kaavi?
The nearest to Kaavi are Tuusniemi (18 km), Outokumpu (39 km), Kuopio (42 km), Siilinjärvi (43 km), Polvijärvi (47 km).
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