Jakobstad: population and statistics
Jakobstad has a population of 19,657 (2025) across 88.4 km², or 222 people per km². It ranks 57 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +1.1% between 2015 and 2025.
- 19,657 residents
- 88.4 km²
- 222 people/km²
- 17 m
Jakobstad in numbers
Key points
Among the 14 municipalities in Ostrobothnia, Jakobstad ranks No. 3 by population.
Share of foreign nationals: 13.7% in Jakobstad, compared with an average of 8.9% in Ostrobothnia and 7.7% nationally.
Largest business sector: Manufacturing, with 31.7% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 45° generates about 899 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Ostrobothnia for “Population density”.
- “Share of foreign nationals”: higher than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat”: lower than in 96% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 12,378 football pitches.
- Its population density is 12.0 times the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Pedersöre, 8.7 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Kokkola (48,338 residents), 29 km away.
Population of Jakobstad over time
Jakobstad had 19,436 residents in 2015 and 19,657 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 19,066 |
| 2021 | 19,097 |
| 2022 | 19,207 |
| 2023 | 19,475 |
| 2024 | 19,576 |
| 2025 | 19,657 |
All indicators for Jakobstad
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 | Jakobstad | Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 14.4% | 15.8% | 13.3% | ranked 110 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 25.9% | 23.7% | 31.2% | ranked 229 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 45.3 years | 43.3 | 48.5 | ranked 223 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 53.1% | 49.1% | 0.3% | ranked 23 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 13.7% | 8.9% | 3.4% | ranked 9 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Jakobstad | Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 10,641 no. | 97,366 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 60 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 10.4% | – | 8.2% | ranked 98 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 13.9% | – | 14.5% | ranked 161 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 44.6% | – | 64.5% | ranked 260 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 41.5% | – | 11.1% | ranked 38 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 12.0% | – | 16.9% | ranked 234 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 45.0 /1,000 inh. | 116.2 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 248 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Jakobstad | Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 15.7% | – | 3.9% | ranked 29 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 33.6% | – | 39.8% | ranked 254 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 16.8% | – | 5.5% | ranked 14 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 29.2% | – | 17.1% | ranked 23 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 4.5% | – | 29.1% | ranked 289 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Jakobstad | Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 1,931 no. | 21,770 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 60 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 98.6 /1,000 inh. | 121.5 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 252 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 29,281 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 133 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 1,230 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 93 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 1,319 per 1,000 inh. | 10,317 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 46 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 67.1 per 1,000 inh. | 57.5 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 62 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 4.4 per 1,000 inh. | 3.4 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 38 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Jakobstad | Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 11,289 no. | 81,307 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 35 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 10.6% | 7.0% | 10.8% | ranked 157 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 75.3% | 79.2% | 75.4% | ranked 153 of 302 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Jakobstad | Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 16.4 /1,000 inh. | 23.6 /1,000 inh. | 36.4 /1,000 inh. | ranked 105 of 136 |
Transport
| Indicator | Jakobstad | Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 531 /1,000 inh. | 551 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 249 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Jakobstad | Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 13.5% | 13.1% | 14.3% | ranked 175 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Jakobstad | Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 30.4% | 32.7% | 24.1% | ranked 62 of 302 |
Business sectors: Jakobstad
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Manufacturing31.7% ×2.6
- Health and social work18.1% ×0.9
- Wholesale and retail trade8.0% ×0.8
- Administrative and support services7.1% ×1.0
- Construction6.4% ×1.0
- Education6.4% ×0.9
- Professional, scientific and technical4.3% ×0.7
- Other service activities3.4% ×1.3
Sunshine and temperatures: Jakobstad
Where is Jakobstad?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Jakobstad?
Jakobstad has 19,657 residents (2025), ranking 57 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Jakobstad?
Jakobstad covers 88.4 km², with a density of 222 people per km².
Is the population of Jakobstad growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Jakobstad went from 19,436 to 19,657, a change of +1.1%.
Where is Jakobstad?
Jakobstad is in Ostrobothnia. Latitude 63.667, longitude 22.700.
Share of foreign nationals: what is the figure for Jakobstad?
In Jakobstad, “Share of foreign nationals” stands at 13.7% (2025), ranking 9 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 3.4%.
Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat: what is the figure for Jakobstad?
In Jakobstad, “Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat” stands at 4.5% (2025), ranking 289 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 29.1%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Jakobstad?
In Jakobstad, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 45° produces about 899 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Jakobstad?
The nearest to Jakobstad are Pedersöre (8.7 km), Larsmo (9.6 km), Kronoby (18 km), Nykarleby (19 km), Kokkola (29 km).
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