Sysmä: population and statistics
Sysmä has a population of 3,367 (2025) across 666.7 km², or 5.1 people per km². It ranks 204 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −16.7% between 2015 and 2025.
- 3,367 residents
- 666.7 km²
- 5 people/km²
- 90 m
Sysmä in numbers
Key points
Among the 10 municipalities in Päijät-Häme, Sysmä ranks No. 8 by population.
Mean age of the population: 58.2 years in Sysmä, compared with an average of 47.2 years in Päijät-Häme and 44.1 years nationally.
Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants: 1,050 /1,000 inh. in Sysmä, compared with an average of 110.6 /1,000 inh. in Päijät-Häme and 85.9 /1,000 inh. nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 21.1% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 44° generates about 892 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Päijät-Häme for “Share of people aged 65 and over”.
- Number 1 in Päijät-Häme for “Mean age of the population”.
- “Mean age of the population”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants”: higher than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat”: higher than in 90% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 93,374 football pitches.
- Its population density is 3.6 times lower than the national average.
Population of Sysmä over time
Sysmä had 4,040 residents in 2015 and 3,367 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 3,631 |
| 2021 | 3,584 |
| 2022 | 3,504 |
| 2023 | 3,496 |
| 2024 | 3,428 |
| 2025 | 3,367 |
All indicators for Sysmä
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 | Sysmä | Päijät-Häme | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 7.2% | 12.9% | 13.3% | ranked 300 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 47.4% | 29.0% | 31.2% | ranked 4 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 58.2 years | 47.2 | 48.5 | ranked 2 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.3% | ranked 131 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 3.2% | 5.6% | 3.4% | ranked 157 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Sysmä | Päijät-Häme | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 2,541 no. | 124,266 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 185 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 11.9% | – | 8.2% | ranked 77 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 12.1% | – | 14.5% | ranked 186 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 57.6% | – | 64.5% | ranked 206 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 14.9% | – | 11.1% | ranked 125 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 22.8% | – | 16.9% | ranked 59 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 1,050 /1,000 inh. | 110.6 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 8 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Sysmä | Päijät-Häme | 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) | 34.2% | – | 39.8% | ranked 242 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 3.6% | – | 5.5% | ranked 215 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 12.1% | – | 17.1% | ranked 236 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 45.5% | – | 29.1% | ranked 31 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Sysmä | Päijät-Häme | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 666 no. | 20,245 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 177 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 194.3 /1,000 inh. | 98.8 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 34 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 28,114 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 203 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 857 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 149 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 217 per 1,000 inh. | 10,533 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 188 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 64.4 per 1,000 inh. | 51.5 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 77 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 3.3 per 1,000 inh. | 3.3 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 96 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Sysmä | Päijät-Häme | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 939 no. | 75,266 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 209 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 12.9% | 14.6% | 10.8% | ranked 68 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 71.7% | 71.2% | 75.4% | ranked 239 of 302 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Sysmä | Päijät-Häme | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 54.9 /1,000 inh. | 33.1 /1,000 inh. | 36.4 /1,000 inh. | ranked 54 of 136 |
Transport
| Indicator | Sysmä | Päijät-Häme | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 579 /1,000 inh. | 494 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 156 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Sysmä | Päijät-Häme | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 18.3% | 16.1% | 14.3% | ranked 35 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Sysmä | Päijät-Häme | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 22.3% | 29.0% | 24.1% | ranked 196 of 302 |
Business sectors: Sysmä
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing21.1% ×8.7
- Health and social work21.0% ×1.1
- Wholesale and retail trade12.2% ×1.1
- Construction9.3% ×1.4
- Administrative and support services5.0% ×0.7
- Transport and storage4.8% ×0.9
- Accommodation and food services4.3% ×1.2
- Other service activities4.3% ×1.7
Sunshine and temperatures: Sysmä
Where is Sysmä?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Sysmä?
Sysmä has 3,367 residents (2025), ranking 204 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Sysmä?
Sysmä covers 666.7 km², with a density of 5 people per km².
Is the population of Sysmä growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Sysmä went from 4,040 to 3,367, a change of −16.7%.
Where is Sysmä?
Sysmä is in Päijät-Häme. Latitude 61.503, longitude 25.685.
Mean age of the population: what is the figure for Sysmä?
In Sysmä, “Mean age of the population” stands at 58.2 years (2025), ranking 2 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 48.5 years.
Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Sysmä?
In Sysmä, “Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 1,050 /1,000 inh. (2025), ranking 8 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 186.3 /1,000 inh..
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Sysmä?
In Sysmä, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 44° produces about 892 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Sysmä?
The nearest to Sysmä are Hartola (19 km), Padasjoki (27 km), Kuhmoinen (28 km), Luhanka (33 km), Joutsa (35 km).
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