Sonkajärvi: population and statistics
Sonkajärvi has a population of 3,521 (2025) across 1,466.1 km², or 2.4 people per km². It ranks 201 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −17.7% between 2015 and 2025.
- 3,521 residents
- 1,466.1 km²
- 2 people/km²
- 115 m
Sonkajärvi in numbers
Key points
Among the 19 municipalities in North Savo, Sonkajärvi ranks No. 11 by population.
Largest business sector: Health and social work, with 23.6% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 46° generates about 843 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat”: higher than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies”: lower than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Share of Swedish speakers”: lower than in 93% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 205,331 football pitches.
- Its population density is 7.8 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Iisalmi (20,205 residents), 21 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,372 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Population of Sonkajärvi over time
Sonkajärvi had 4,278 residents in 2015 and 3,521 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 3,841 |
| 2021 | 3,777 |
| 2022 | 3,672 |
| 2023 | 3,637 |
| 2024 | 3,570 |
| 2025 | 3,521 |
All indicators for Sonkajärvi
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 | Sonkajärvi | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 10.6% | 13.3% | 13.3% | ranked 244 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 39.6% | 27.8% | 31.2% | ranked 53 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 52.9 years | 46.1 | 48.5 | ranked 57 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.3% | ranked 222 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 1.8% | 4.3% | 3.4% | ranked 251 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Sonkajärvi | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 2,404 no. | 149,584 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 189 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 7.2% | – | 8.2% | ranked 164 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 7.2% | – | 14.5% | ranked 272 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 63.4% | – | 64.5% | ranked 163 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 6.8% | – | 11.1% | ranked 199 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 23.4% | – | 16.9% | ranked 52 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 241.7 /1,000 inh. | 121.6 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 122 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Sonkajärvi | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 4.4% | – | 3.9% | ranked 130 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 29.8% | – | 39.8% | ranked 280 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 3.8% | – | 5.5% | ranked 207 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 10.8% | – | 17.1% | ranked 251 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 51.2% | – | 29.1% | ranked 9 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Sonkajärvi | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 574 no. | 26,710 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 198 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 160.8 /1,000 inh. | 107.1 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 99 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 28,029 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 211 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 430 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 213 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 147 per 1,000 inh. | 10,746 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 230 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 41.7 per 1,000 inh. | 43.2 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 259 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 2.3 per 1,000 inh. | 2.6 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 186 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Sonkajärvi | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 1,067 no. | 98,543 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 195 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 13.4% | 12.5% | 10.8% | ranked 58 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 71.7% | 72.1% | 75.4% | ranked 239 of 302 |
Transport
| Indicator | Sonkajärvi | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 583 /1,000 inh. | 495 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 144 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Sonkajärvi | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 17.1% | 15.4% | 14.3% | ranked 59 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Sonkajärvi | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 18.2% | 30.8% | 24.1% | ranked 279 of 302 |
Business sectors: Sonkajärvi
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Health and social work23.6% ×1.2
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing19.0% ×7.8
- Public administration and defence14.4% ×2.9
- Construction11.9% ×1.8
- Wholesale and retail trade6.2% ×0.6
- Transport and storage5.1% ×1.0
- Education5.1% ×0.7
- Administrative and support services3.2% ×0.4
Sunshine and temperatures: Sonkajärvi
Where is Sonkajärvi?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Sonkajärvi?
Sonkajärvi has 3,521 residents (2025), ranking 201 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Sonkajärvi?
Sonkajärvi covers 1,466.1 km², with a density of 2 people per km².
Is the population of Sonkajärvi growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Sonkajärvi went from 4,278 to 3,521, a change of −17.7%.
Where is Sonkajärvi?
Sonkajärvi is in North Savo. Latitude 63.669, longitude 27.522.
Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat: what is the figure for Sonkajärvi?
In Sonkajärvi, “Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat” stands at 51.2% (2025), ranking 9 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 29.1%.
Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies: what is the figure for Sonkajärvi?
In Sonkajärvi, “Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies” stands at 430 €/m² (2025), ranking 213 of 220 municipalities; the national median is 1,110 €/m².
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Sonkajärvi?
In Sonkajärvi, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 46° produces about 843 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Sonkajärvi?
The nearest to Sonkajärvi are Iisalmi (21 km), Vieremä (27 km), Lapinlahti (34 km), Rautavaara (43 km), Kiuruvesi (45 km).
Coat of arms: User: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.
