Region
South Ostrobothnia: municipalities in numbers
South Ostrobothnia (region) has 18 municipalities and 189,474 residents across 13,798 km², or 14 people per km². Population: −4.0% between 2015 and 2025.
- 189,474 residents
- 18 municipalities
- 13,798 km²
- 14 people/km²
Map and records: South Ostrobothnia
Population change over 10 years
All municipalities in South Ostrobothnia
Click a column heading to sort the table.
| Municipality | Population | Population change over 10 years | Population density | Area | Share of people aged under 15 | Share of people aged 65 and over |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seinäjoki | 67,283 | +9.3% | 47.0 people/km² | 1,432 km² | 16.0% | 21.2% |
| Kurikka | 19,441 | −10.6% | 11.3 people/km² | 1,725 km² | 13.4% | 32.9% |
| Kauhava | 14,909 | −11.2% | 11.3 people/km² | 1,314 km² | 13.2% | 31.7% |
| Lapua | 13,927 | −4.7% | 18.9 people/km² | 737.2 km² | 15.8% | 26.7% |
| Kauhajoki | 12,429 | −10.4% | 9.6 people/km² | 1,299 km² | 13.4% | 31.4% |
| Ilmajoki | 12,405 | +2.0% | 21.5 people/km² | 576.7 km² | 18.5% | 23.1% |
| Alavus | 10,634 | −11.7% | 9.8 people/km² | 1,087 km² | 15.1% | 31.1% |
| Alajärvi | 8,982 | −10.2% | 8.9 people/km² | 1,009 km² | 15.3% | 32.5% |
| Ähtäri | 5,121 | −15.6% | 6.4 people/km² | 805.7 km² | 11.8% | 36.9% |
| Teuva | 4,574 | −16.6% | 8.2 people/km² | 554.7 km² | 12.7% | 36.6% |
| Isokyrö | 4,261 | −11.0% | 12.0 people/km² | 354.1 km² | 14.0% | 30.8% |
| Kuortane | 3,306 | −11.0% | 7.2 people/km² | 462.4 km² | 11.4% | 33.7% |
| Lappajärvi | 2,704 | −15.9% | 6.4 people/km² | 420.9 km² | 13.0% | 39.9% |
| Vimpeli | 2,554 | −16.9% | 8.9 people/km² | 287.2 km² | 11.5% | 35.8% |
| Evijärvi | 2,267 | −12.0% | 6.4 people/km² | 354.2 km² | 14.2% | 31.3% |
| Soini | 1,772 | −20.3% | 3.2 people/km² | 552.0 km² | 14.6% | 36.1% |
| Isojoki | 1,771 | −16.6% | 2.8 people/km² | 642.4 km² | 11.1% | 37.1% |
| Karijoki | 1,134 | −17.2% | 6.1 people/km² | 185.6 km² | 10.5% | 37.9% |
South Ostrobothnia compared with the national figures
Population-weighted averages for rates; totals for counts.
| Indicator | South Ostrobothnia | Finland |
|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 | 14.9% | 14.3% |
| Share of people aged 65 and over | 27.7% | 23.8% |
| Mean age of the population | 45.7 years | 44.1 years |
| Share of Swedish speakers | 0.3% | 5.0% |
| Share of foreign nationals | 3.9% | 7.7% |
| Total dwellings | 109,577 no. | 3,258,449 no. |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants | 67.9 /1,000 inh. | 85.9 /1,000 inh. |
| Business establishments | 26,415 no. | 600,547 no. |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants | 138.9 /1,000 inh. | 106.4 /1,000 inh. |
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) | 76,800 no. | 2,423,433 no. |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force | 8.8% | 11.7% |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) | 77.3% | 73.7% |
| At-risk-of-poverty rate | 13.7% | 14.2% |
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification | 27.7% | 34.2% |
| Beds in accommodation establishments per 1,000 inhabitants | 27.5 /1,000 inh. | 38.9 /1,000 inh. |
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants | 596 /1,000 inh. | 480 /1,000 inh. |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) | 11,080 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) | 58.5 per 1,000 inh. | 59.4 per 1,000 inh. |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants | 2.8 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. |
Frequently asked questions
How many municipalities are there in South Ostrobothnia?
South Ostrobothnia has 18 municipalities. The most populous is Seinäjoki, with 67,283 residents.
What is the population of South Ostrobothnia?
South Ostrobothnia has 189,474 residents (2025), or 14 people per km².
Which municipality in South Ostrobothnia is growing fastest?
Seinäjoki has the fastest growth in South Ostrobothnia over 10 years: +9.3%.
Other regions
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