Kuopio: population and statistics
Kuopio has a population of 126,572 (2025) across 3,241.9 km², or 39.0 people per km². It ranks 8 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +8.3% between 2015 and 2025.
- 126,572 residents
- 3,241.9 km²
- 39 people/km²
- 85 m
Kuopio in numbers
Key points
Among the 19 municipalities in North Savo, Kuopio ranks No. 1 by population.
Largest business sector: Health and social work, with 25.5% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 45° generates about 856 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in North Savo for “Population”.
- Number 1 in North Savo for “Population change over 10 years”.
- “Share of residential buildings heated with district heating”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Business establishments”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Persons employed in the area (jobs)”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 454,046 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.1 times the national average.
Population of Kuopio over time
Kuopio had 116,921 residents in 2015 and 126,572 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 120,210 |
| 2021 | 121,543 |
| 2022 | 122,594 |
| 2023 | 124,021 |
| 2024 | 125,666 |
| 2025 | 126,572 |
All indicators for Kuopio
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 | Kuopio | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 13.8% | 13.3% | 13.3% | ranked 126 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 22.8% | 27.8% | 31.2% | ranked 256 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 43.1 years | 46.1 | 48.5 | ranked 256 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.3% | ranked 222 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 5.3% | 4.3% | 3.4% | ranked 70 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Kuopio | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 73,783 no. | 149,584 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 9 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 3.8% | – | 8.2% | ranked 237 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 29.4% | – | 14.5% | ranked 43 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 25.7% | – | 64.5% | ranked 293 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 59.5% | – | 11.1% | ranked 11 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 9.3% | – | 16.9% | ranked 273 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 81.1 /1,000 inh. | 121.6 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 210 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Kuopio | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 31.1% | – | 3.9% | ranked 7 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 34.1% | – | 39.8% | ranked 243 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 7.3% | – | 5.5% | ranked 99 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 8.0% | – | 17.1% | ranked 282 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 19.5% | – | 29.1% | ranked 212 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Kuopio | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 11,562 no. | 26,710 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 8 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 92.0 /1,000 inh. | 107.1 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 271 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 29,532 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 119 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 2,086 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 27 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 5,484 per 1,000 inh. | 10,746 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 9 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 43.3 per 1,000 inh. | 43.2 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 249 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 3.1 per 1,000 inh. | 2.6 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 115 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Kuopio | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 55,759 no. | 98,543 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 8 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 12.2% | 12.5% | 10.8% | ranked 95 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 71.4% | 72.1% | 75.4% | ranked 247 of 302 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Kuopio | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 33.9 /1,000 inh. | 34.3 /1,000 inh. | 36.4 /1,000 inh. | ranked 72 of 136 |
Transport
| Indicator | Kuopio | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 441 /1,000 inh. | 495 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 293 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Kuopio | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 15.7% | 15.4% | 14.3% | ranked 112 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Kuopio | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 36.2% | 30.8% | 24.1% | ranked 24 of 302 |
Business sectors: Kuopio
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Health and social work25.5% ×1.3
- Wholesale and retail trade10.2% ×1.0
- Administrative and support services9.1% ×1.2
- Education8.7% ×1.2
- Manufacturing6.6% ×0.5
- Construction6.5% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical6.0% ×1.0
- Public administration and defence4.8% ×1.0
Sunshine and temperatures: Kuopio
Where is Kuopio?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kuopio?
Kuopio has 126,572 residents (2025), ranking 8 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Kuopio?
Kuopio covers 3,241.9 km², with a density of 39 people per km².
Is the population of Kuopio growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Kuopio went from 116,921 to 126,572, a change of +8.3%.
Where is Kuopio?
Kuopio is in North Savo. Latitude 62.892, longitude 27.678.
Share of residential buildings heated with district heating: what is the figure for Kuopio?
In Kuopio, “Share of residential buildings heated with district heating” stands at 31.1% (2025), ranking 7 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 3.9%.
Business establishments: what is the figure for Kuopio?
In Kuopio, “Business establishments” stands at 11,562 no. (2024), ranking 8 of 308 municipalities; the national median is 818 no..
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Kuopio?
In Kuopio, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 45° produces about 856 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Kuopio?
The nearest to Kuopio are Siilinjärvi (20 km), Suonenjoki (41 km), Kaavi (42 km), Tuusniemi (42 km), Leppävirta (45 km).
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