Rautavaara: population and statistics
Rautavaara has a population of 1,398 (2025) across 1,150.8 km², or 1.2 people per km². It ranks 278 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −19.5% between 2015 and 2025.
- 1,398 residents
- 1,150.8 km²
- 1 people/km²
- 147 m
Rautavaara in numbers
Key points
Among the 19 municipalities in North Savo, Rautavaara ranks No. 18 by population.
Share of Swedish speakers: 0.0% in Rautavaara, compared with an average of 0.1% in North Savo and 5.0% nationally.
Largest business sector: Health and social work, with 32.1% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 46° generates about 849 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in North Savo for “Elevation”.
- Number 1 in North Savo for “Share of dwellings not permanently occupied”.
- “Share of Swedish speakers”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of dwellings built after 2000”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 161,178 football pitches.
- Its population density is 15.5 times lower than the national average.
Population of Rautavaara over time
Rautavaara had 1,737 residents in 2015 and 1,398 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 1,561 |
| 2021 | 1,513 |
| 2022 | 1,477 |
| 2023 | 1,424 |
| 2024 | 1,413 |
| 2025 | 1,398 |
All indicators for Rautavaara
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 | Rautavaara | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 8.2% | 13.3% | 13.3% | ranked 290 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 43.1% | 27.8% | 31.2% | ranked 24 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 55.5 years | 46.1 | 48.5 | ranked 19 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.3% | ranked 282 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 2.6% | 4.3% | 3.4% | ranked 194 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Rautavaara | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 1,090 no. | 149,584 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 266 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 5.6% | – | 8.2% | ranked 199 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 3.8% | – | 14.5% | ranked 300 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 63.0% | – | 64.5% | ranked 168 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 7.8% | – | 11.1% | ranked 192 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 30.6% | – | 16.9% | ranked 5 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 367.0 /1,000 inh. | 121.6 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 89 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Rautavaara | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 2.2% | – | 3.9% | ranked 198 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 32.2% | – | 39.8% | ranked 269 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 0.9% | – | 5.5% | ranked 301 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) | 53.6% | – | 29.1% | ranked 6 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Rautavaara | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 207 no. | 26,710 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 286 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 146.5 /1,000 inh. | 107.1 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 135 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 24,794 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 302 of 302 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 49 per 1,000 inh. | 10,746 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 295 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 35.1 per 1,000 inh. | 43.2 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 296 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1.4 per 1,000 inh. | 2.6 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 267 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Rautavaara | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 404 no. | 98,543 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 279 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 15.3% | 12.5% | 10.8% | ranked 29 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 62.0% | 72.1% | 75.4% | ranked 301 of 302 |
Transport
| Indicator | Rautavaara | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 587 /1,000 inh. | 495 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 130 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Rautavaara | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 23.0% | 15.4% | 14.3% | ranked 1 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Rautavaara | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 13.7% | 30.8% | 24.1% | ranked 301 of 302 |
Business sectors: Rautavaara
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Health and social work32.1% ×1.7
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing12.4% ×5.1
- Construction8.5% ×1.3
- Accommodation and food services7.5% ×2.0
- Education7.0% ×0.9
- Public administration and defence6.0% ×1.2
- Transport and storage5.7% ×1.1
- Administrative and support services5.5% ×0.7
Sunshine and temperatures: Rautavaara
Where is Rautavaara?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Rautavaara?
Rautavaara has 1,398 residents (2025), ranking 278 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Rautavaara?
Rautavaara covers 1,150.8 km², with a density of 1 people per km².
Is the population of Rautavaara growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Rautavaara went from 1,737 to 1,398, a change of −19.5%.
Where is Rautavaara?
Rautavaara is in North Savo. Latitude 63.494, longitude 28.299.
Share of Swedish speakers: what is the figure for Rautavaara?
In Rautavaara, “Share of Swedish speakers” stands at 0.0% (2025), ranking 282 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 0.3%.
Share of dwellings built after 2000: what is the figure for Rautavaara?
In Rautavaara, “Share of dwellings built after 2000” stands at 3.8% (2025), ranking 300 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 14.5%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Rautavaara?
In Rautavaara, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 46° produces about 849 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Rautavaara?
The nearest to Rautavaara are Nurmes (42 km), Sonkajärvi (43 km), Lapinlahti (47 km), Juuka (55 km), Iisalmi (55 km).
Coat of arms: User:Care; Original design by Olof Eriksson., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons. Coats of arms and flags are shown for identification only; this site is not affiliated with any public authority.
