Nykarleby: population and statistics
Nykarleby has a population of 7,391 (2025) across 732.9 km², or 10.1 people per km². It ranks 126 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −2.3% between 2015 and 2025.
- 7,391 residents
- 732.9 km²
- 10 people/km²
- 24 m
Nykarleby in numbers
Key points
Among the 14 municipalities in Ostrobothnia, Nykarleby ranks No. 7 by population.
Share of Swedish speakers: 83.7% in Nykarleby, compared with an average of 49.1% in Ostrobothnia and 5.0% nationally.
Largest business sector: Manufacturing, with 34.4% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 46° generates about 916 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of Swedish speakers”: higher than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Unemployed as a share of the labour force”: lower than in 96% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 102,641 football pitches.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Pedersöre (11,289 residents), 16 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,664 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Population of Nykarleby over time
Nykarleby had 7,564 residents in 2015 and 7,391 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 7,479 |
| 2021 | 7,497 |
| 2022 | 7,434 |
| 2023 | 7,500 |
| 2024 | 7,439 |
| 2025 | 7,391 |
All indicators for Nykarleby
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 | Nykarleby | Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 17.1% | 15.8% | 13.3% | ranked 43 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 26.5% | 23.7% | 31.2% | ranked 225 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 44.6 years | 43.3 | 48.5 | ranked 236 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 83.7% | 49.1% | 0.3% | ranked 11 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 8.4% | 8.9% | 3.4% | ranked 24 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Nykarleby | Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 3,877 no. | 97,366 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 143 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 12.8% | – | 8.2% | ranked 66 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 16.8% | – | 14.5% | ranked 120 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 68.0% | – | 64.5% | ranked 115 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 18.1% | – | 11.1% | ranked 108 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 16.6% | – | 16.9% | ranked 155 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 291.0 /1,000 inh. | 116.2 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 109 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Nykarleby | Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 3.2% | – | 3.9% | ranked 166 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 28.9% | – | 39.8% | ranked 284 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 19.4% | – | 5.5% | ranked 5 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 26.1% | – | 17.1% | ranked 40 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 22.4% | – | 29.1% | ranked 195 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Nykarleby | Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 1,423 no. | 21,770 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 90 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 191.3 /1,000 inh. | 121.5 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 40 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 29,714 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 112 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 1,485 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 61 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 643 per 1,000 inh. | 10,317 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 87 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 87.0 per 1,000 inh. | 57.5 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 13 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | 3.4 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 143 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Nykarleby | Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 3,216 no. | 81,307 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 103 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 4.9% | 7.0% | 10.8% | ranked 289 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 82.4% | 79.2% | 75.4% | ranked 26 of 302 |
Transport
| Indicator | Nykarleby | Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 622 /1,000 inh. | 551 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 45 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Nykarleby | Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 10.7% | 13.1% | 14.3% | ranked 237 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Nykarleby | Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 26.9% | 32.7% | 24.1% | ranked 101 of 302 |
Business sectors: Nykarleby
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Manufacturing34.4% ×2.8
- Health and social work15.6% ×0.8
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing12.8% ×5.3
- Education7.6% ×1.0
- Wholesale and retail trade6.9% ×0.6
- Construction4.8% ×0.7
- Administrative and support services3.7% ×0.5
- Transport and storage3.6% ×0.7
Sunshine and temperatures: Nykarleby
Where is Nykarleby?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Nykarleby?
Nykarleby has 7,391 residents (2025), ranking 126 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Nykarleby?
Nykarleby covers 732.9 km², with a density of 10 people per km².
Is the population of Nykarleby growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Nykarleby went from 7,564 to 7,391, a change of −2.3%.
Where is Nykarleby?
Nykarleby is in Ostrobothnia. Latitude 63.517, longitude 22.533.
Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat: what is the figure for Nykarleby?
In Nykarleby, “Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat” stands at 19.4% (2025), ranking 5 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 5.5%.
Share of Swedish speakers: what is the figure for Nykarleby?
In Nykarleby, “Share of Swedish speakers” stands at 83.7% (2025), ranking 11 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 0.3%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Nykarleby?
In Nykarleby, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 46° produces about 916 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Nykarleby?
The nearest to Nykarleby are Pedersöre (16 km), Jakobstad (19 km), Larsmo (28 km), Kronoby (34 km), Vörå (45 km).
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