Ruovesi: population and statistics
Ruovesi has a population of 3,995 (2025) across 776.9 km², or 5.1 people per km². It ranks 191 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −13.6% between 2015 and 2025.
- 3,995 residents
- 776.9 km²
- 5 people/km²
- 96 m
Ruovesi in numbers
Key points
Among the 23 municipalities in Pirkanmaa, Ruovesi ranks No. 19 by population.
Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants: 4.5 per 1,000 inh. in Ruovesi, compared with an average of 3.9 per 1,000 inh. in Pirkanmaa and 4.1 per 1,000 inh. nationally.
Largest business sector: Manufacturing, with 27.2% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 44° generates about 864 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Pirkanmaa for “Share of dwellings built before 1940”.
- “Share of dwellings built before 1940”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 108,814 football pitches.
- Its population density is 3.6 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Juupajoki, 25.6 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Mänttä-Vilppula (9,109 residents), 28 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,456 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Population of Ruovesi over time
Ruovesi had 4,623 residents in 2015 and 3,995 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 4,215 |
| 2021 | 4,155 |
| 2022 | 4,114 |
| 2023 | 4,124 |
| 2024 | 4,039 |
| 2025 | 3,995 |
All indicators for Ruovesi
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 | Ruovesi | Pirkanmaa | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 10.1% | 14.0% | 13.3% | ranked 261 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 40.8% | 22.6% | 31.2% | ranked 41 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 54.0 years | 43.3 | 48.5 | ranked 39 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.3% | 0.4% | 0.3% | ranked 131 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 3.4% | 5.2% | 3.4% | ranked 147 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Ruovesi | Pirkanmaa | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 2,794 no. | 315,673 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 174 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 25.9% | – | 8.2% | ranked 3 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 13.8% | – | 14.5% | ranked 163 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 58.9% | – | 64.5% | ranked 194 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 18.2% | – | 11.1% | ranked 107 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 24.0% | – | 16.9% | ranked 47 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 639.5 /1,000 inh. | 86.6 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 34 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Ruovesi | Pirkanmaa | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 2.3% | – | 3.9% | ranked 194 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 35.5% | – | 39.8% | ranked 226 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 3.4% | – | 5.5% | ranked 224 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 17.6% | – | 17.1% | ranked 145 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 41.0% | – | 29.1% | ranked 62 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Ruovesi | Pirkanmaa | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 681 no. | 54,499 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 173 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 168.6 /1,000 inh. | 99.7 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 77 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 27,633 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 232 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 720 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 180 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 253 per 1,000 inh. | 30,207 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 171 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 63.3 per 1,000 inh. | 55.0 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 83 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 4.5 per 1,000 inh. | 3.9 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 33 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Ruovesi | Pirkanmaa | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 1,352 no. | 230,746 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 172 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 11.6% | 11.5% | 10.8% | ranked 120 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 73.7% | 73.7% | 75.4% | ranked 191 of 302 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Ruovesi | Pirkanmaa | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 73.8 /1,000 inh. | 26.6 /1,000 inh. | 36.4 /1,000 inh. | ranked 44 of 136 |
Transport
| Indicator | Ruovesi | Pirkanmaa | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 580 /1,000 inh. | 467 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 152 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Ruovesi | Pirkanmaa | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 16.2% | 14.7% | 14.3% | ranked 85 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Ruovesi | Pirkanmaa | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 22.6% | 35.7% | 24.1% | ranked 191 of 302 |
Business sectors: Ruovesi
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Manufacturing27.2% ×2.2
- Health and social work19.5% ×1.0
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing10.5% ×4.3
- Wholesale and retail trade8.3% ×0.8
- Administrative and support services5.4% ×0.7
- Education5.4% ×0.7
- Construction4.6% ×0.7
- Transport and storage4.0% ×0.8
Sunshine and temperatures: Ruovesi
Where is Ruovesi?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Ruovesi?
Ruovesi has 3,995 residents (2025), ranking 191 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Ruovesi?
Ruovesi covers 776.9 km², with a density of 5 people per km².
Is the population of Ruovesi growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Ruovesi went from 4,623 to 3,995, a change of −13.6%.
Where is Ruovesi?
Ruovesi is in Pirkanmaa. Latitude 61.983, longitude 24.083.
Share of dwellings built before 1940: what is the figure for Ruovesi?
In Ruovesi, “Share of dwellings built before 1940” stands at 25.9% (2025), ranking 3 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 8.2%.
Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Ruovesi?
In Ruovesi, “Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 4.5 per 1,000 inh. (2026), ranking 33 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 2.7 per 1,000 inh..
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Ruovesi?
In Ruovesi, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 44° produces about 864 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Ruovesi?
The nearest to Ruovesi are Juupajoki (26 km), Mänttä-Vilppula (28 km), Virrat (33 km), Orivesi (37 km), Keuruu (45 km).
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