Keitele: population and statistics
Keitele has a population of 1,922 (2025) across 482.9 km², or 4.0 people per km². It ranks 258 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −19.2% between 2015 and 2025.
- 1,922 residents
- 482.9 km²
- 4 people/km²
- 99 m
Keitele in numbers
Key points
Among the 19 municipalities in North Savo, Keitele ranks No. 16 by population.
Share of people aged 65 and over: 43.8% in Keitele, compared with an average of 27.8% in North Savo and 23.8% nationally.
Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders): 38.5 per 1,000 inh. in Keitele, 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: Manufacturing, with 37.4% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 45° generates about 847 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Share of people aged 65 and over”: higher than in 94% of municipalities.
- “Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders)”: lower than in 94% of municipalities.
- “Share of dwellings not permanently occupied”: higher than in 90% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 67,633 football pitches.
- Its population density is 4.7 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Pielavesi (3,873 residents), 21 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,388 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Population of Keitele over time
Keitele had 2,379 residents in 2015 and 1,922 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 2,155 |
| 2021 | 2,095 |
| 2022 | 2,029 |
| 2023 | 2,035 |
| 2024 | 1,985 |
| 2025 | 1,922 |
All indicators for Keitele
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 | Keitele | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 10.0% | 13.3% | 13.3% | ranked 265 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 43.8% | 27.8% | 31.2% | ranked 18 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 54.8 years | 46.1 | 48.5 | ranked 31 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.3% | ranked 154 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 3.2% | 4.3% | 3.4% | ranked 157 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Keitele | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 1,402 no. | 149,584 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 244 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 7.4% | – | 8.2% | ranked 160 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 8.9% | – | 14.5% | ranked 247 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 61.4% | – | 64.5% | ranked 181 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) | 25.7% | – | 16.9% | ranked 29 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 203.4 /1,000 inh. | 121.6 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 141 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Keitele | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 4.7% | – | 3.9% | ranked 123 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 40.3% | – | 39.8% | ranked 147 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 3.3% | – | 5.5% | ranked 231 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 10.3% | – | 17.1% | ranked 261 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 41.5% | – | 29.1% | ranked 61 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Keitele | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 332 no. | 26,710 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 263 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 167.3 /1,000 inh. | 107.1 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 80 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 27,597 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 236 of 302 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 74 per 1,000 inh. | 10,746 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 280 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 38.5 per 1,000 inh. | 43.2 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 285 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1.6 per 1,000 inh. | 2.6 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 249 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Keitele | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 840 no. | 98,543 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 220 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 11.8% | 12.5% | 10.8% | ranked 108 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 72.7% | 72.1% | 75.4% | ranked 218 of 302 |
Transport
| Indicator | Keitele | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 568 /1,000 inh. | 495 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 177 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Keitele | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 14.0% | 15.4% | 14.3% | ranked 160 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Keitele | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 19.4% | 30.8% | 24.1% | ranked 263 of 302 |
Business sectors: Keitele
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Manufacturing37.4% ×3.0
- Health and social work18.4% ×1.0
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing12.7% ×5.2
- Transport and storage7.2% ×1.4
- Public administration and defence4.2% ×0.8
- Education4.2% ×0.6
- Wholesale and retail trade4.0% ×0.4
- Administrative and support services4.0% ×0.5
Sunshine and temperatures: Keitele
Where is Keitele?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Keitele?
Keitele has 1,922 residents (2025), ranking 258 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Keitele?
Keitele covers 482.9 km², with a density of 4 people per km².
Is the population of Keitele growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Keitele went from 2,379 to 1,922, a change of −19.2%.
Where is Keitele?
Keitele is in North Savo. Latitude 63.179, longitude 26.350.
Share of people aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Keitele?
In Keitele, “Share of people aged 65 and over” stands at 43.8% (2025), ranking 18 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 31.2%.
Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders): what is the figure for Keitele?
In Keitele, “Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders)” stands at 38.5 per 1,000 inh. (2026), ranking 285 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 53.9 per 1,000 inh..
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Keitele?
In Keitele, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 45° produces about 847 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Keitele?
The nearest to Keitele are Pielavesi (21 km), Viitasaari (27 km), Vesanto (28 km), Tervo (32 km), Pihtipudas (44 km).
Coat of arms: Care; Original design by Ahti Hammar., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons. Coats of arms and flags are shown for identification only; this site is not affiliated with any public authority.
