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Central Ostrobothnia

Central Ostrobothnia had 67,723 residents at the end of 2024, in 8 municipalities. Median disposable income of adults was €25,484 in 2024, 3% below the national level. The population has fallen by 1.9% since 2015.

Region · Code 16 · in Swedish Mellersta Österbotten · Statistics Finland · Updated 24 October 2026
67,723residents31 December 2024
€25,484median incomeadults, 2024
27%of households rentingtenure
16%green within 500 maverage
Central Ostrobothnia by postcode area
Map of Central Ostrobothnia: Share of land within 500 m that is green space
0%30%+
Share of land within 500 m that is green space

Sources: Statistics Finland, Paavo open data by postal code area 2026 (CC BY 4.0) · Statistics Finland, municipal and regional boundaries 2026 (CC BY 4.0) · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)

All 8 municipalities.

Colour shows where each one sits among the others in the table, from lowest to highest.

MunicipalityResidentsMedian incomeRentingOwning65+Avg. ageUnemploymentGreen 500 mServices 15 min
Halsua985€22,33819%79%38%529.0%7%6
Kannus5,264€25,17521%77%27%459.4%13%38
Kaustinen4,118€25,69423%76%26%457.9%6%33
Kokkola48,367€25,87230%69%23%439.4%19%100
Lestijärvi665€23,41021%77%36%506.0%10%5
Perho2,594€23,27817%80%26%4111.2%5%14
Toholampi2,799€24,37517%81%31%478.8%8%18
Veteli2,931€23,60218%80%34%496.8%7%8

Sources: Statistics Finland, Paavo open data by postal code area 2026 (CC BY 4.0) · © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)

People.

Age at the end of 2024, next to the figure for Finland.

19%
aged under 16
10%
aged 16–24
23%
aged 25–44
23%
aged 45–64
25%
aged 65 and over
44
years, average age

Main activity

Employed41%
Unemployed4%
Students7%
Pensioners27%
Children aged 0–1418%
Others3%

Population at the end of each year

201569,032
201669,027
201768,780
201868,437
201968,158
202067,988
202167,915
202267,805
202367,736
202467,723

Source: Statistics Finland, Paavo open data by postal code area 2026 (CC BY 4.0)

Income and education.

Disposable income in 2024 and education at the end of 2024.

€25,484
median income, adults
€27,944
mean income, adults
9.2%
unemployment rate

Education of adults

No qualification after basic education22%
Matriculation examination4%
Vocational qualification45%
Lower university or polytechnic degree21%
Higher university degree8%

Income is the disposable money income of residents aged 18 and over in 2024: taxable and tax-free income minus taxes and contributions. The median is the middle value, so a few high earners do not pull it up.

Source: Statistics Finland, Paavo open data by postal code area 2026 (CC BY 4.0)

Homes.

31,040 households and 35,983 homes at the end of 2024.

2.1
people per household
44.2 m²
floor area per person
91.6 m²
average home size
25%
of homes in blocks of flats

Households by tenure

Owner-occupied72%
Rented27%
Other tenure1%

Households

One-person households40%
Young one-person households9%
Households with children23%
Pensioner households38%

Household groups overlap: young one-person households, for example, are also counted as one-person households.

28,357jobs located hereworkplaces
4,296summer cottages and other leisure homesleisure homes
72%of homes in housesdetached, semi-detached, terraced

Statistics Finland withholds a figure when fewer than 30 people are behind it (fewer than 10 for workplaces). Missing figures are shown as a dash and never estimated.

Source: Statistics Finland, Paavo open data by postal code area 2026 (CC BY 4.0)

Everyday life.

78 everyday shops and services within a 15-minute walk; 16% green space within 500 metres.

71schoolsOpenStreetMap
29day-care centresOpenStreetMap
13residents per km²5,206.0 km²

Services and green space are measured from each postcode area’s service centre: the point inside the area with the most shops and services within 500 metres. Municipal and regional figures are averages weighted by population.

Source: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)

Around here.

Photographs taken near Central Ostrobothnia, shared on Wikimedia Commons under free licences.

Kokkola town hall
i
Kokkola town hall
Photo: Tomisti · CC BY-SA 3.0
View on Wikimedia Commons
Kokkola old town 1
i
Kokkola old town 1
Photo: Tomisti · CC BY-SA 3.0
View on Wikimedia Commons
Kokkola marketplace
i
Kokkola marketplace
Photo: Tomisti · CC BY-SA 3.0
View on Wikimedia Commons

Municipalities.