Lemi: population and statistics
Lemi has a population of 2,878 (2025) across 218.0 km², or 13.2 people per km². It ranks 218 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −6.3% between 2015 and 2025.
- 2,878 residents
- 218.0 km²
- 13 people/km²
- 102 m
Lemi in numbers
Key points
Among the 9 municipalities in South Karelia, Lemi ranks No. 9 by population.
Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders): 33.4 per 1,000 inh. in Lemi, compared with an average of 42.3 per 1,000 inh. in South Karelia and 59.4 per 1,000 inh. nationally.
Share of foreign nationals: 1.2% in Lemi, compared with an average of 6.7% in South Karelia and 7.7% nationally.
Largest business sector: Health and social work, with 32.3% 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 South Karelia for “Share of people aged under 15”.
- Number 1 in South Karelia for “Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses”.
- “Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders)”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of foreign nationals”: lower than in 96% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 30,534 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Savitaipale, 16.8 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Taipalsaari (4,574 residents), 18 km away.
Population of Lemi over time
Lemi had 3,073 residents in 2015 and 2,878 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 2,964 |
| 2021 | 2,917 |
| 2022 | 2,886 |
| 2023 | 2,862 |
| 2024 | 2,849 |
| 2025 | 2,878 |
All indicators for Lemi
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 | Lemi | South Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 15.7% | 11.8% | 13.3% | ranked 69 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 27.4% | 29.9% | 31.2% | ranked 210 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 47.0 years | 47.8 | 48.5 | ranked 188 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.3% | ranked 222 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 1.2% | 6.7% | 3.4% | ranked 284 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Lemi | South Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 1,565 no. | 77,224 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 235 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 8.1% | – | 8.2% | ranked 152 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 20.9% | – | 14.5% | ranked 92 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 74.1% | – | 64.5% | ranked 53 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 2.6% | – | 11.1% | ranked 257 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 12.3% | – | 16.9% | ranked 223 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 476.4 /1,000 inh. | 161.6 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 55 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Lemi | South Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 2.8% | – | 3.9% | ranked 176 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 38.9% | – | 39.8% | ranked 174 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 5.8% | – | 5.5% | ranked 141 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 18.6% | – | 17.1% | ranked 126 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 33.5% | – | 29.1% | ranked 106 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Lemi | South Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 378 no. | 12,571 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 247 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 132.7 /1,000 inh. | 100.4 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 172 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 29,327 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 130 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 805 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 159 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 96 per 1,000 inh. | 5,249 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 268 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 33.4 per 1,000 inh. | 42.3 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 299 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 2.4 per 1,000 inh. | 2.4 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 171 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Lemi | South Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 508 no. | 46,362 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 263 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 10.3% | 14.5% | 10.8% | ranked 167 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 78.2% | 69.0% | 75.4% | ranked 91 of 302 |
Transport
| Indicator | Lemi | South Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 622 /1,000 inh. | 538 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 45 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Lemi | South Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 11.4% | 17.6% | 14.3% | ranked 224 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Lemi | South Karelia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 27.4% | 29.4% | 24.1% | ranked 93 of 302 |
Business sectors: Lemi
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Health and social work32.3% ×1.7
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing13.1% ×5.4
- Education9.1% ×1.2
- Administrative and support services8.1% ×1.1
- Manufacturing7.1% ×0.6
- Construction6.3% ×1.0
- Wholesale and retail trade5.5% ×0.5
- Accommodation and food services4.0% ×1.1
Sunshine and temperatures: Lemi
Where is Lemi?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Lemi?
Lemi has 2,878 residents (2025), ranking 218 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Lemi?
Lemi covers 218.0 km², with a density of 13 people per km².
Is the population of Lemi growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Lemi went from 3,073 to 2,878, a change of −6.3%.
Where is Lemi?
Lemi is in South Karelia. Latitude 61.061, longitude 27.804.
Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders): what is the figure for Lemi?
In Lemi, “Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders)” stands at 33.4 per 1,000 inh. (2026), ranking 299 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 53.9 per 1,000 inh..
Share of foreign nationals: what is the figure for Lemi?
In Lemi, “Share of foreign nationals” stands at 1.2% (2025), ranking 284 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 3.4%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Lemi?
In Lemi, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 44° produces about 892 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Lemi?
The nearest to Lemi are Savitaipale (17 km), Taipalsaari (18 km), Luumäki (21 km), Lappeenranta (21 km), Miehikkälä (44 km).
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