Varkaus: population and statistics
Varkaus has a population of 19,433 (2025) across 385.6 km², or 50.4 people per km². It ranks 59 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −10.2% between 2015 and 2025.
- 19,433 residents
- 385.6 km²
- 50 people/km²
- 80 m
Varkaus in numbers
Key points
Among the 19 municipalities in North Savo, Varkaus ranks No. 4 by population.
Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants: 84.1 /1,000 inh. in Varkaus, compared with an average of 107.1 /1,000 inh. in North Savo and 106.4 /1,000 inh. nationally.
Unemployed as a share of the labour force: 16.9% in Varkaus, compared with an average of 12.5% in North Savo and 11.7% nationally.
Largest business sector: Manufacturing, with 24.8% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 44° generates about 852 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in North Savo for “Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas”.
- Number 1 in North Savo for “Unemployed as a share of the labour force”.
- “Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 95% of municipalities.
- “Unemployed as a share of the labour force”: higher than in 95% of municipalities.
- “Share of dwellings built after 2000”: lower than in 93% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 54,001 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.7 times the national average.
Population of Varkaus over time
Varkaus had 21,638 residents in 2015 and 19,433 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 20,278 |
| 2021 | 19,973 |
| 2022 | 19,759 |
| 2023 | 19,727 |
| 2024 | 19,669 |
| 2025 | 19,433 |
All indicators for Varkaus
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 | Varkaus | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 10.5% | 13.3% | 13.3% | ranked 247 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 35.0% | 27.8% | 31.2% | ranked 106 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 50.8 years | 46.1 | 48.5 | ranked 96 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.3% | ranked 154 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 5.4% | 4.3% | 3.4% | ranked 69 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Varkaus | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 13,171 no. | 149,584 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 45 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 5.6% | – | 8.2% | ranked 199 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 6.3% | – | 14.5% | ranked 280 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 36.2% | – | 64.5% | ranked 276 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 43.5% | – | 11.1% | ranked 33 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 17.0% | – | 16.9% | ranked 150 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 65.0 /1,000 inh. | 121.6 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 221 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Varkaus | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 20.5% | – | 3.9% | ranked 22 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 37.0% | – | 39.8% | ranked 200 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 5.1% | – | 5.5% | ranked 164 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 25.0% | – | 17.1% | ranked 48 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 12.3% | – | 29.1% | ranked 254 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Varkaus | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 1,655 no. | 26,710 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 78 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 84.1 /1,000 inh. | 107.1 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 288 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 28,047 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 209 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 636 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 196 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 779 per 1,000 inh. | 10,746 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 77 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 40.1 per 1,000 inh. | 43.2 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 275 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1.7 per 1,000 inh. | 2.6 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 242 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Varkaus | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 7,896 no. | 98,543 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 49 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 16.9% | 12.5% | 10.8% | ranked 17 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 67.3% | 72.1% | 75.4% | ranked 285 of 302 |
Transport
| Indicator | Varkaus | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 526 /1,000 inh. | 495 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 261 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Varkaus | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 18.2% | 15.4% | 14.3% | ranked 36 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Varkaus | North Savo | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 26.1% | 30.8% | 24.1% | ranked 115 of 302 |
Business sectors: Varkaus
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Manufacturing24.8% ×2.0
- Health and social work21.1% ×1.1
- Wholesale and retail trade10.1% ×1.0
- Administrative and support services7.7% ×1.1
- Construction6.1% ×0.9
- Education5.6% ×0.8
- Professional, scientific and technical4.4% ×0.7
- Transport and storage4.3% ×0.8
Sunshine and temperatures: Varkaus
Where is Varkaus?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Varkaus?
Varkaus has 19,433 residents (2025), ranking 59 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Varkaus?
Varkaus covers 385.6 km², with a density of 50 people per km².
Is the population of Varkaus growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Varkaus went from 21,638 to 19,433, a change of −10.2%.
Where is Varkaus?
Varkaus is in North Savo. Latitude 62.314, longitude 27.893.
Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Varkaus?
In Varkaus, “Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 84.1 /1,000 inh. (2024), ranking 288 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 141.7 /1,000 inh..
Unemployed as a share of the labour force: what is the figure for Varkaus?
In Varkaus, “Unemployed as a share of the labour force” stands at 16.9% (2024), ranking 17 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 10.8%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Varkaus?
In Varkaus, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 44° produces about 852 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Varkaus?
The nearest to Varkaus are Joroinen (15 km), Leppävirta (21 km), Rantasalmi (35 km), Pieksämäki (38 km), Heinävesi (40 km).
Coat of arms: 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.
