Vaasa: population and statistics
Vaasa has a population of 71,209 (2025) across 364.9 km², or 195 people per km². It ranks 14 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +5.3% between 2015 and 2025.
- 71,209 residents
- 364.9 km²
- 195 people/km²
- 2 m
Vaasa in numbers
Key points
Among the 14 municipalities in Ostrobothnia, Vaasa ranks No. 1 by population.
Largest business sector: Manufacturing, with 22.2% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 46° generates about 931 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Ostrobothnia for “Population”.
- Number 1 in Ostrobothnia for “Total dwellings”.
- “Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses”: lower than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Persons employed in the area (jobs)”: higher than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Share of residential buildings heated with district heating”: higher than in 96% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 51,104 football pitches.
- Its population density is 10.5 times the national average.
Population of Vaasa over time
Vaasa had 67,619 residents in 2015 and 71,209 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 67,551 |
| 2021 | 67,615 |
| 2022 | 67,988 |
| 2023 | 68,956 |
| 2024 | 70,361 |
| 2025 | 71,209 |
All indicators for Vaasa
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 | Vaasa | Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 13.7% | 15.8% | 13.3% | ranked 131 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 20.5% | 23.7% | 31.2% | ranked 278 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 41.6 years | 43.3 | 48.5 | ranked 282 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 22.8% | 49.1% | 0.3% | ranked 34 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 11.2% | 8.9% | 3.4% | ranked 16 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Vaasa | Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 41,786 no. | 97,366 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 14 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 8.5% | – | 8.2% | ranked 143 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 22.1% | – | 14.5% | ranked 86 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 25.2% | – | 64.5% | ranked 294 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 63.5% | – | 11.1% | ranked 9 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 11.6% | – | 16.9% | ranked 241 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 24.7 /1,000 inh. | 116.2 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 268 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Vaasa | Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 26.8% | – | 3.9% | ranked 12 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 36.4% | – | 39.8% | ranked 210 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 14.2% | – | 5.5% | ranked 23 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 14.6% | – | 17.1% | ranked 192 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 7.4% | – | 29.1% | ranked 280 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Vaasa | Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 6,017 no. | 21,770 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 18 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 85.5 /1,000 inh. | 121.5 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 287 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 29,532 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 119 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 2,028 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 30 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 3,391 per 1,000 inh. | 10,317 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 16 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 47.6 per 1,000 inh. | 57.5 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 212 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 3.5 per 1,000 inh. | 3.4 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 72 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Vaasa | Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 39,893 no. | 81,307 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 10 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 8.6% | 7.0% | 10.8% | ranked 221 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 73.1% | 79.2% | 75.4% | ranked 207 of 302 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Vaasa | Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 25.9 /1,000 inh. | 23.6 /1,000 inh. | 36.4 /1,000 inh. | ranked 81 of 136 |
Transport
| Indicator | Vaasa | Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 478 /1,000 inh. | 551 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 289 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Vaasa | Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 18.1% | 13.1% | 14.3% | ranked 37 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Vaasa | Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 36.8% | 32.7% | 24.1% | ranked 20 of 302 |
Business sectors: Vaasa
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Manufacturing22.2% ×1.8
- Health and social work19.3% ×1.0
- Wholesale and retail trade8.1% ×0.8
- Education7.9% ×1.1
- Administrative and support services7.4% ×1.0
- Public administration and defence6.1% ×1.2
- Professional, scientific and technical5.2% ×0.8
- Construction4.6% ×0.7
Sunshine and temperatures: Vaasa
Where is Vaasa?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Vaasa?
Vaasa has 71,209 residents (2025), ranking 14 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Vaasa?
Vaasa covers 364.9 km², with a density of 195 people per km².
Is the population of Vaasa growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Vaasa went from 67,619 to 71,209, a change of +5.3%.
Where is Vaasa?
Vaasa is in Ostrobothnia. Latitude 63.096, longitude 21.615.
Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses: what is the figure for Vaasa?
In Vaasa, “Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses” stands at 25.2% (2025), ranking 294 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 64.5%.
Persons employed in the area (jobs): what is the figure for Vaasa?
In Vaasa, “Persons employed in the area (jobs)” stands at 39,893 no. (2024), ranking 10 of 308 municipalities; the national median is 1,778 no..
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Vaasa?
In Vaasa, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 46° produces about 931 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Vaasa?
The nearest to Vaasa are Korsholm (3.6 km), Malax (17 km), Laihia (24 km), Vörå (32 km), Isokyrö (37 km).
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