Virrat: population and statistics
Virrat has a population of 6,126 (2025) across 1,162.5 km², or 5.3 people per km². It ranks 152 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −12.5% between 2015 and 2025.
- 6,126 residents
- 1,162.5 km²
- 5 people/km²
- 122 m
Virrat in numbers
Key points
Among the 23 municipalities in Pirkanmaa, Virrat ranks No. 15 by population.
Share of Swedish speakers: 0.1% in Virrat, compared with an average of 0.4% in Pirkanmaa and 5.0% nationally.
Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants: 1.5 per 1,000 inh. in Virrat, compared with an average of 3.9 per 1,000 inh. in Pirkanmaa and 4.1 per 1,000 inh. nationally.
Largest business sector: Health and social work, with 21.8% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 44° generates about 847 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Share of Swedish speakers”: lower than in 93% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 162,821 football pitches.
- Its population density is 3.5 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Kihniö, 30.9 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Alavus (10,634 residents), 39 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,388 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Population of Virrat over time
Virrat had 7,002 residents in 2015 and 6,126 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 6,510 |
| 2021 | 6,465 |
| 2022 | 6,395 |
| 2023 | 6,275 |
| 2024 | 6,190 |
| 2025 | 6,126 |
All indicators for Virrat
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 | Virrat | Pirkanmaa | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 11.0% | 14.0% | 13.3% | ranked 232 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 38.8% | 22.6% | 31.2% | ranked 62 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 52.8 years | 43.3 | 48.5 | ranked 58 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.1% | 0.4% | 0.3% | ranked 222 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 4.1% | 5.2% | 3.4% | ranked 113 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Virrat | Pirkanmaa | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 4,055 no. | 315,673 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 136 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 12.8% | – | 8.2% | ranked 66 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 9.8% | – | 14.5% | ranked 236 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 55.7% | – | 64.5% | ranked 221 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 22.6% | – | 11.1% | ranked 87 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 20.6% | – | 16.9% | ranked 94 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 448.4 /1,000 inh. | 86.6 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 63 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Virrat | Pirkanmaa | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 6.8% | – | 3.9% | ranked 86 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 41.3% | – | 39.8% | ranked 130 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 3.3% | – | 5.5% | ranked 231 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 17.0% | – | 17.1% | ranked 153 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 31.7% | – | 29.1% | ranked 119 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Virrat | Pirkanmaa | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 1,033 no. | 54,499 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 124 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 166.9 /1,000 inh. | 99.7 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 82 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 27,660 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 228 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 803 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 161 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 337 per 1,000 inh. | 30,207 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 147 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 55.0 per 1,000 inh. | 55.0 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 146 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 1.5 per 1,000 inh. | 3.9 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 258 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Virrat | Pirkanmaa | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 2,287 no. | 230,746 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 134 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 10.5% | 11.5% | 10.8% | ranked 161 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 75.3% | 73.7% | 75.4% | ranked 153 of 302 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Virrat | Pirkanmaa | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 39.8 /1,000 inh. | 26.6 /1,000 inh. | 36.4 /1,000 inh. | ranked 65 of 136 |
Transport
| Indicator | Virrat | Pirkanmaa | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 586 /1,000 inh. | 467 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 132 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Virrat | Pirkanmaa | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 16.0% | 14.7% | 14.3% | ranked 95 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Virrat | Pirkanmaa | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 23.2% | 35.7% | 24.1% | ranked 177 of 302 |
Business sectors: Virrat
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Health and social work21.8% ×1.1
- Manufacturing18.9% ×1.5
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing11.0% ×4.5
- Wholesale and retail trade9.0% ×0.8
- Education7.1% ×1.0
- Construction6.3% ×1.0
- Administrative and support services4.0% ×0.5
- Public administration and defence3.9% ×0.8
Sunshine and temperatures: Virrat
Where is Virrat?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Virrat?
Virrat has 6,126 residents (2025), ranking 152 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Virrat?
Virrat covers 1,162.5 km², with a density of 5 people per km².
Is the population of Virrat growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Virrat went from 7,002 to 6,126, a change of −12.5%.
Where is Virrat?
Virrat is in Pirkanmaa. Latitude 62.240, longitude 23.771.
Share of Swedish speakers: what is the figure for Virrat?
In Virrat, “Share of Swedish speakers” stands at 0.1% (2025), ranking 222 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 0.3%.
Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Virrat?
In Virrat, “Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 1.5 per 1,000 inh. (2026), ranking 258 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 2.7 per 1,000 inh..
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Virrat?
In Virrat, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 44° produces about 847 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Virrat?
The nearest to Virrat are Kihniö (31 km), Ruovesi (33 km), Ähtäri (38 km), Alavus (39 km), Parkano (46 km).
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