Alajärvi: population and statistics
Alajärvi has a population of 8,982 (2025) across 1,008.8 km², or 8.9 people per km². It ranks 106 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −10.2% between 2015 and 2025.
- 8,982 residents
- 1,008.8 km²
- 9 people/km²
- 113 m
Alajärvi in numbers
Key points
Among the 18 municipalities in South Ostrobothnia, Alajärvi ranks No. 8 by population.
Share of Swedish speakers: 0.1% in Alajärvi, compared with an average of 0.3% in South Ostrobothnia and 5.0% nationally.
Largest business sector: Health and social work, with 22.3% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 44° generates about 836 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in South Ostrobothnia for “At-risk-of-poverty rate”.
- “Share of Swedish speakers”: lower than in 93% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 141,289 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.1 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Vimpeli, 17.9 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Kauhava (14,909 residents), 40 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,344 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Population of Alajärvi over time
Alajärvi had 10,006 residents in 2015 and 8,982 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 9,419 |
| 2021 | 9,311 |
| 2022 | 9,183 |
| 2023 | 9,113 |
| 2024 | 9,078 |
| 2025 | 8,982 |
All indicators for Alajärvi
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 | Alajärvi | South Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 15.3% | 14.9% | 13.3% | ranked 85 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 32.5% | 27.7% | 31.2% | ranked 129 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 47.7 years | 45.7 | 48.5 | ranked 174 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.1% | 0.3% | 0.3% | ranked 222 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 4.3% | 3.9% | 3.4% | ranked 103 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Alajärvi | South Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 4,939 no. | 109,577 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 109 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 3.7% | – | 8.2% | ranked 240 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 15.5% | – | 14.5% | ranked 135 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 72.2% | – | 64.5% | ranked 66 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 6.3% | – | 11.1% | ranked 206 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 19.2% | – | 16.9% | ranked 115 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 141.1 /1,000 inh. | 67.9 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 177 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Alajärvi | South Ostrobothnia | 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) | 36.9% | – | 39.8% | ranked 204 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 4.7% | – | 5.5% | ranked 177 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 20.7% | – | 17.1% | ranked 90 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 35.4% | – | 29.1% | ranked 94 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Alajärvi | South Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 1,395 no. | 26,415 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 93 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 153.7 /1,000 inh. | 138.9 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 117 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 27,577 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 240 of 302 | |
| Price per m² of old dwellings in housing companies (2025) | 1,429 €/m² | – | 1,110 €/m² | ranked 70 of 220 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 533 per 1,000 inh. | 11,080 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 102 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 59.3 per 1,000 inh. | 58.5 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 109 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 2.0 per 1,000 inh. | 2.8 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 221 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Alajärvi | South Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 3,382 no. | 76,800 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 99 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 7.9% | 8.8% | 10.8% | ranked 240 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 75.1% | 77.3% | 75.4% | ranked 157 of 302 |
Transport
| Indicator | Alajärvi | South Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 584 /1,000 inh. | 596 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 141 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Alajärvi | South Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 16.7% | 13.7% | 14.3% | ranked 67 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Alajärvi | South Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 23.4% | 27.7% | 24.1% | ranked 174 of 302 |
Business sectors: Alajärvi
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Health and social work22.3% ×1.2
- Manufacturing21.7% ×1.7
- Education10.6% ×1.4
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing8.7% ×3.6
- Wholesale and retail trade7.9% ×0.7
- Construction5.2% ×0.8
- Transport and storage4.3% ×0.8
- Administrative and support services3.4% ×0.5
Sunshine and temperatures: Alajärvi
Where is Alajärvi?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Alajärvi?
Alajärvi has 8,982 residents (2025), ranking 106 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Alajärvi?
Alajärvi covers 1,008.8 km², with a density of 9 people per km².
Is the population of Alajärvi growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Alajärvi went from 10,006 to 8,982, a change of −10.2%.
Where is Alajärvi?
Alajärvi is in South Ostrobothnia. Latitude 63.000, longitude 23.817.
Share of Swedish speakers: what is the figure for Alajärvi?
In Alajärvi, “Share of Swedish speakers” stands at 0.1% (2025), ranking 222 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 0.3%.
Share of dwellings built before 1940: what is the figure for Alajärvi?
In Alajärvi, “Share of dwellings built before 1940” stands at 3.7% (2025), ranking 240 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 8.2%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Alajärvi?
In Alajärvi, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 44° produces about 836 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Alajärvi?
The nearest to Alajärvi are Vimpeli (18 km), Soini (24 km), Lappajärvi (26 km), Kuortane (27 km), Kyyjärvi (38 km).
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