Lappajärvi: population and statistics
Lappajärvi has a population of 2,704 (2025) across 420.9 km², or 6.4 people per km². It ranks 224 of 308 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −15.9% between 2015 and 2025.
- 2,704 residents
- 420.9 km²
- 6 people/km²
- 72 m
Lappajärvi in numbers
Key points
Among the 18 municipalities in South Ostrobothnia, Lappajärvi ranks No. 13 by population.
Largest business sector: Health and social work, with 22.8% of the area's jobs.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 45° generates about 847 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in South Ostrobothnia for “Share of people aged 65 and over”.
- Number 1 in South Ostrobothnia for “Share of foreign nationals”.
- “Share of residential buildings heated with electricity”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of dwellings not permanently occupied”: higher than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 97% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 58,945 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.9 times lower than the national average.
Population of Lappajärvi over time
Lappajärvi had 3,215 residents in 2015 and 2,704 in 2025.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 2,925 |
| 2021 | 2,866 |
| 2022 | 2,820 |
| 2023 | 2,789 |
| 2024 | 2,758 |
| 2025 | 2,704 |
All indicators for Lappajärvi
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 | Lappajärvi | South Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged under 15 (2025) | 13.0% | 14.9% | 13.3% | ranked 161 of 302 | |
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2025) | 39.9% | 27.7% | 31.2% | ranked 51 of 302 | |
| Mean age of the population (2025) | 51.8 years | 45.7 | 48.5 | ranked 78 of 302 | |
| Share of Swedish speakers (2025) | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.3% | ranked 90 of 302 | |
| Share of foreign nationals (2025) | 6.0% | 3.9% | 3.4% | ranked 55 of 302 |
Housing
| Indicator | Lappajärvi | South Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (2025) | 1,817 no. | 109,577 no. | 3,258,449 no. | ranked 220 of 308 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1940 (2025) | 7.0% | – | 8.2% | ranked 169 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2025) | 16.1% | – | 14.5% | ranked 127 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached and semi-detached houses (2025) | 72.0% | – | 64.5% | ranked 70 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2025) | 10.1% | – | 11.1% | ranked 159 of 302 | |
| Share of dwellings not permanently occupied (2025) | 28.4% | – | 16.9% | ranked 9 of 302 | |
| Free-time residential buildings per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 431.6 /1,000 inh. | 67.9 /1,000 inh. | 186.3 /1,000 inh. | ranked 69 of 302 |
Energy
| Indicator | Lappajärvi | South Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of residential buildings heated with district heating (2025) | 1.6% | – | 3.9% | ranked 226 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with electricity (2025) | 70.4% | – | 39.8% | ranked 2 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with geothermal heat (2025) | 9.0% | – | 5.5% | ranked 66 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with oil or gas (2025) | 10.8% | – | 17.1% | ranked 251 of 302 | |
| Share of residential buildings heated with wood or peat (2025) | 8.2% | – | 29.1% | ranked 278 of 302 |
Economy
| Indicator | Lappajärvi | South Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business establishments (2024) | 481 no. | 26,415 no. | 600,547 no. | ranked 217 of 308 | |
| Business establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2024) | 174.4 /1,000 inh. | 138.9 /1,000 inh. | 141.7 /1,000 inh. | ranked 73 of 302 | |
| Median disposable cash income per consumption unit (2024) | 27,096 €/year | – | 29,044 €/year | ranked 269 of 302 | |
| Active companies in the business register (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 156 per 1,000 inh. | 11,080 per 1,000 inh. | 335,854 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 221 of 308 | |
| Active companies in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (excluding sole traders) (2026) | 57.7 per 1,000 inh. | 58.5 per 1,000 inh. | 53.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 122 of 302 | |
| Companies registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 0.7 per 1,000 inh. | 2.8 per 1,000 inh. | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 293 of 302 |
Employment
| Indicator | Lappajärvi | South Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons employed in the area (jobs) (2024) | 738 no. | 76,800 no. | 2,423,433 no. | ranked 235 of 308 | |
| Unemployed as a share of the labour force (2024) | 8.0% | 8.8% | 10.8% | ranked 238 of 302 | |
| Employment rate (aged 20–64) (2024) | 73.8% | 77.3% | 75.4% | ranked 187 of 302 |
Transport
| Indicator | Lappajärvi | South Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 580 /1,000 inh. | 596 /1,000 inh. | 580 /1,000 inh. | ranked 152 of 302 |
Society
| Indicator | Lappajärvi | South Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| At-risk-of-poverty rate (2024) | 16.5% | 13.7% | 14.3% | ranked 76 of 302 |
Education
| Indicator | Lappajärvi | South Ostrobothnia | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 15 and over with a tertiary-level qualification (2024) | 23.7% | 27.7% | 24.1% | ranked 160 of 302 |
Business sectors: Lappajärvi
Share of each sector in total jobs; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Health and social work22.8% ×1.2
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing13.8% ×5.7
- Education11.9% ×1.6
- Manufacturing10.9% ×0.9
- Construction8.3% ×1.3
- Public administration and defence6.0% ×1.2
- Wholesale and retail trade5.7% ×0.5
- Administrative and support services5.2% ×0.7
Sunshine and temperatures: Lappajärvi
Where is Lappajärvi?
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Lappajärvi?
Lappajärvi has 2,704 residents (2025), ranking 224 of 308 municipalities.
How big is Lappajärvi?
Lappajärvi covers 420.9 km², with a density of 6 people per km².
Is the population of Lappajärvi growing?
Between 2015 and 2025, the population of Lappajärvi went from 3,215 to 2,704, a change of −15.9%.
Where is Lappajärvi?
Lappajärvi is in South Ostrobothnia. Latitude 63.218, longitude 23.629.
Share of residential buildings heated with electricity: what is the figure for Lappajärvi?
In Lappajärvi, “Share of residential buildings heated with electricity” stands at 70.4% (2025), ranking 2 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 39.8%.
Share of dwellings not permanently occupied: what is the figure for Lappajärvi?
In Lappajärvi, “Share of dwellings not permanently occupied” stands at 28.4% (2025), ranking 9 of 302 municipalities; the national median is 16.9%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Lappajärvi?
In Lappajärvi, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 45° produces about 847 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Lappajärvi?
The nearest to Lappajärvi are Vimpeli (12 km), Evijärvi (18 km), Alajärvi (26 km), Veteli (30 km), Kauhava (31 km).
Coat of arms: User:Tomia; Original design by Ahti Hammar., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons. Coats of arms and flags are shown for identification only; this site is not affiliated with any public authority.
