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North Ostrobothnia

North Ostrobothnia had 418,331 residents at the end of 2024, in 30 municipalities. Median disposable income of adults was €25,680 in 2024, in line with the national level. The population has grown by 2.0% since 2015.

Region · Code 17 · in Swedish Norra Österbotten · Statistics Finland · Updated 24 October 2026
418,331residents31 December 2024
€25,680median incomeadults, 2024
35%of households rentingtenure
23%green within 500 maverage
North Ostrobothnia by postcode area
Map of North 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 30 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
Alavieska2,410€24,21620%79%27%459.2%14%12
Haapajärvi6,492€23,91923%75%29%4612.3%8%35
Haapavesi6,365€24,50521%77%27%4410.7%10%38
Hailuoto927€25,16614%83%42%5512.1%4%14
Ii9,806€25,97518%80%23%4214.6%10%27
Kalajoki12,271€24,94017%81%28%468.9%6%42
Kempele19,657€29,02621%78%17%399.8%25%40
Kuusamo14,876€24,74926%72%31%4812.3%14%51
Kärsämäki2,373€23,02623%75%31%4711.2%23%45
Liminka10,190€29,70613%86%11%347.7%17%38
Lumijoki2,008€25,55319%80%20%398.7%9%10
Merijärvi1,059€22,80521%78%26%427.4%4%10
Muhos8,749€26,29420%79%21%4110.8%13%56
Nivala10,378€25,04122%77%24%429.7%18%72
Oulainen6,912€23,92924%75%30%4710.4%9%75
Oulu216,152€25,99645%54%18%4013.5%30%138
Pudasjärvi7,304€21,88724%73%36%5019.0%17%24
Pyhäjoki2,976€25,40119%79%30%4711.8%11%14
Pyhäjärvi4,702€22,93523%75%38%5213.9%27%29
Pyhäntä1,641€23,63026%72%25%428.4%19%14
Raahe23,571€26,09827%72%28%4613.1%16%69
Reisjärvi2,556€23,99219%79%30%467.9%7%14
Sievi4,603€24,15620%79%21%4110.5%6%8
Siikajoki4,804€25,20615%83%28%4410.5%13%12
Siikalatva4,938€23,09818%80%34%4910.3%16%16
Taivalkoski3,657€22,74224%75%35%5018.5%35%24
Tyrnävä6,501€27,49013%85%16%369.6%16%35
Utajärvi2,466€23,19518%79%34%4913.7%19%24
Vaala2,581€22,48721%77%41%5417.0%31%16
Ylivieska15,406€25,64728%71%23%4110.3%16%66

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
12%
aged 16–24
25%
aged 25–44
23%
aged 45–64
22%
aged 65 and over
42
years, average age

Main activity

Employed41%
Unemployed6%
Students9%
Pensioners24%
Children aged 0–1417%
Others3%

Population at the end of each year

2015410,054
2016411,150
2017411,856
2018412,161
2019412,830
2020413,830
2021415,603
2022416,543
2023418,205
2024418,331

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.

€25,680
median income, adults
€28,457
mean income, adults
12.5%
unemployment rate

Education of adults

No qualification after basic education19%
Matriculation examination7%
Vocational qualification41%
Lower university or polytechnic degree22%
Higher university degree12%

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.

202,082 households and 228,264 homes at the end of 2024.

2.0
people per household
41.8 m²
floor area per person
83.0 m²
average home size
36%
of homes in blocks of flats

Households by tenure

Owner-occupied64%
Rented35%
Other tenure1%

Households

One-person households45%
Young one-person households14%
Households with children21%
Pensioner households31%

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

170,344jobs located hereworkplaces
32,103summer cottages and other leisure homesleisure homes
62%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.

92 everyday shops and services within a 15-minute walk; 23% green space within 500 metres.

317schoolsOpenStreetMap
212day-care centresOpenStreetMap
11residents per km²39,122.0 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 North Ostrobothnia, shared on Wikimedia Commons under free licences.

Marimekko Shop Kirkkokatu Oulu 20091129
i
Marimekko Shop Kirkkokatu Oulu 20091129
Photo: Estormiz · Public domain
View on Wikimedia Commons
Oulu Central Square 20091129
i
Oulu Central Square 20091129
Photo: Estormiz · Public domain
View on Wikimedia Commons
Pakkahuoneenkatu 15 Oulu 20110213
i
Pakkahuoneenkatu 15 Oulu 20110213
Photo: Estormiz · Public domain
View on Wikimedia Commons

Municipalities.