Leppävirta: population and statistics
Leppävirta has a population of 8,924 (2025) across 1,136.3 km², or 7.9 people per km². It ranks 107 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −10.3% between 2015 and 2025.
- 8,924 residents
- 1,136.3 km²
- 8 people/km²
- 84 m
Leppävirta in numbers
Key points
Among the 19 municipalities in North Savo, Leppävirta ranks No. 5 by population.
Share of Swedish speakers: 0.1% in Leppävirta, compared with an average of 0.1% in North Savo and 5.0% nationally.
Largest business sector: Manufacturing, with 28.3% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 44° generates about 847 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in North Savo for “Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat”.
- “Share of Swedish speakers”: lower than in 93% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 159,140 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.4 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Varkaus (19,433 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 Leppävirta over time
Leppävirta had 9,953 residents in 2015 and 8,924 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 9,402 |
| 2021 | 9,280 |
| 2022 | 9,177 |
| 2023 | 9,049 |
| 2024 | 8,971 |
| 2025 | 8,924 |
All indicators for Leppävirta
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 | Leppävirta | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 12.3% | 13.3% | 13.3% | ranked 187 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 34.5% | 27.8% | 31.2% | ranked 111 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 50.8 years | 46.1 | 48.5 | ranked 96 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.3% | ranked 222 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 2.0% | 4.3% | 3.4% | ranked 236 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Leppävirta | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 5,348 no. | 149,584 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 101 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 9.8% | – | 8.2% | ranked 108 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 13.7% | – | 14.5% | ranked 167 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 60.2% | – | 64.5% | ranked 190 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 16.0% | – | 11.1% | ranked 116 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 16.0% | – | 16.9% | ranked 170 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 351.5 /1,000 inh. | 121.6 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 97 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Leppävirta | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 6.2% | – | 3.9% | ranked 101 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 45.7% | – | 39.8% | ranked 78 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 8.8% | – | 5.5% | ranked 69 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 11.0% | – | 17.1% | ranked 248 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 28.2% | – | 29.1% | ranked 158 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Leppävirta | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 1,183 no. | 26,710 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 108 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 131.9 /1,000 inh. | 107.1 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 177 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 30,274 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 88 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 700 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 185 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 404 per 1,000 inh. | 10,746 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 130 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 45.3 per 1,000 inh. | 43.2 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 233 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 | Leppävirta | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 2,670 no. | 98,543 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 117 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 12.4% | 12.5% | 10.8% | ranked 84 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 73.4% | 72.1% | 75.4% | ranked 196 of 302 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Leppävirta | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 55.2 /1,000 inh. | 34.3 /1,000 inh. | 36.4 /1,000 inh. | ranked 53 of 136 |
Transport
| Indicator | Leppävirta | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 586 /1,000 inh. | 495 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 132 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Leppävirta | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 12.4% | 15.4% | 14.3% | ranked 199 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Leppävirta | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 26.9% | 30.8% | 24.1% | ranked 101 of 302 |
Business sectors: Leppävirta
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Manufacturing28.3% ×2.3
- Health and social work21.2% ×1.1
- Construction8.5% ×1.3
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing7.4% ×3.0
- Wholesale and retail trade6.9% ×0.6
- Education4.8% ×0.6
- Administrative and support services4.2% ×0.6
- Transport and storage3.9% ×0.8
Sunshine and temperatures: Leppävirta
Where is Leppävirta?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Leppävirta?
Leppävirta has 8,924 residents (2025), ranking 107 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Leppävirta?
Leppävirta covers 1,136.3 km², with a density of 8 people per km².
Is the population of Leppävirta growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Leppävirta went from 9,953 to 8,924, a change of −10.3%.
Where is Leppävirta?
Leppävirta is in North Savo. Latitude 62.492, longitude 27.788.
Share of Swedish speakers: what is the figure for Leppävirta?
In Leppävirta, “Share of Swedish speakers” stands at 0.1% (2025), ranking 222 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 0.3%.
Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies: what is the figure for Leppävirta?
In Leppävirta, “Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies” stands at 700 €/m² (2025), ranking 185 of 220 municipalities; the national median is 1,110 €/m².
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Leppävirta?
In Leppävirta, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 44° produces about 847 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Leppävirta?
The nearest to Leppävirta are Varkaus (21 km), Joroinen (35 km), Suonenjoki (37 km), Pieksämäki (39 km), Heinävesi (44 km).
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