In 2024, the population density of Finland was 18.5 inhabitants per square kilometer. The most densely populated region was Uusimaa with approximately 195.7 inhabitants per square kilometer. Lapland was the most scarcely populated region with roughly two inhabitants per square kilometer.

Related article: Bergroth, C., Järv, O., Tenkanen, H., Manninen, M., Toivonen, T., 2022. A 24-hour population distribution dataset based on mobile phone data from Helsinki Metropolitan Area, Finland. Scientific Data 9, 39.

In this dataset:

We present temporally dynamic population distribution data from the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, Finland, at the level of 250 m by 250 m statistical grid cells. Three hourly population distribution datasets are provided for regular workdays (Mon – Thu), Saturdays and Sundays. The data are based on aggregated mobile phone data collected by the biggest mobile network operator in Finland. Mobile phone data are assigned to statistical grid cells using an advanced dasymetric interpolation method based on ancillary data about land cover, buildings and a time use survey. The data were validated by comparing population register data from Statistics Finland for night-time hours and a daytime workplace registry. The resulting 24-hour population data can be used to reveal the temporal dynamics of the city and examine population variations relevant to for instance spatial accessibility analyses, crisis management and planning.

Please cite this dataset as:

Bergroth, C., Järv, O., Tenkanen, H., Manninen, M., Toivonen, T., 2022. A 24-hour population distribution dataset based on mobile phone data from Helsinki Metropolitan Area, Finland. Scientific Data 9, 39. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-021-01113-4

Organization of data

The dataset is packaged into a single Zipfile Helsinki_dynpop_matrix.zip which contains following files:

HMA_Dynamic_population_24H_workdays.csv represents the dynamic population for average workday in the study area.

HMA_Dynamic_population_24H_sat.csv represents the dynamic population for average saturday in the study area.

HMA_Dynamic_population_24H_sun.csv represents the dynamic population for average sunday in the study area.

target_zones_grid250m_EPSG3067.geojson represents the statistical grid in ETRS89/ETRS-TM35FIN projection that can be used to visualize the data on a map using e.g. QGIS.

Column names

YKR_ID : a unique identifier for each statistical grid cell (n=13,231). The identifier is compatible with the statistical YKR grid cell data by Statistics Finland and Finnish Environment Institute.

H0, H1 ... H23 : Each field represents the proportional distribution of the total population in the study area between grid cells during a one-hour period. In total, 24 fields are formatted as “Hx”, where x stands for the hour of the day (values ranging from 0-23). For example, H0 stands for the first hour of the day: 00:00 - 00:59. The sum of all cell values for each field equals to 100 (i.e. 100% of total population for each one-hour period)

In order to visualize the data on a map, the result tables can be joined with the target_zones_grid250m_EPSG3067.geojson data. The data can be joined by using the field YKR_ID as a common key between the datasets.

License Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International.

Related datasets

Järv, Olle; Tenkanen, Henrikki & Toivonen, Tuuli. (2017). Multi-temporal function-based dasymetric interpolation tool for mobile phone data. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.252612

Tenkanen, Henrikki, & Toivonen, Tuuli. (2019). Helsinki Region Travel Time Matrix [Data set]. Zenodo. http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3247564

Historical chart and dataset showing Finland population density by year from 1961 to 2022.

In 2024, the total population of Finland amounted to roughly 5.6 million. The largest age groups were 20 to 39 year-olds (1.41 million), and 40 to 59 year-olds (1.40 million), which made up over half of the population. While the number of individuals belonging to the younger age groups declined over the period from 2020 to 2024, the age group of 60 years and older continued to increase. By the end of 2024, number of people aged 60 or older was almost 1.7 million. The growing number of individuals aged 60 or older reflects the change towards an older population structure of the country.

Finland: Population density, people per square km: The latest value from 2021 is 18 people per square km, unchanged from 18 people per square km in 2020. In comparison, the world average is 456 people per square km, based on data from 196 countries. Historically, the average for Finland from 1961 to 2021 is 16 people per square km. The minimum value, 15 people per square km, was reached in 1961 while the maximum of 18 people per square km was recorded in 2009.

Population density (people per sq. km of land area) in Finland was reported at 18.28 sq. Km in 2022, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. Finland - Population density (people per sq. km) - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on June of 2025.

Demographics data Finland 2022 at municipality level - 40+ attributes, including main language, country of birth, and more

The most populous area in Finland is the capital region of Uusimaa, with almost 1.8 million inhabitants as of 2024. Almost one third of the 5.64 million population lived in the capital city and the surrounding Greater Helsinki area. The second-largest region in terms of population was Pirkanmaa, inhabited by 545,406 people. Three out of the ten largest cities located in Uusimaa The Uusimaa region also has Finland's highest population density with roughly 195.7 inhabitants per square kilometer. Pirkanmaa's population density is only 41.2 inhabitants per square meter. Out of the 10 largest cities in the country, three are located in the Uusimaa region, including the capital city Helsinki. Changing population structure The population of Finland is expected to grow in the following decade, reaching 6.18 million in 2050. However, the population is aging rapidly, as the number of inhabitants aged 75 years and older continues to increase in the future. At the same time, the population aged 14 and younger is estimated to constantly decline.

This dataset contains key characteristics about the data described in the Data Descriptor A 24-hour population distribution dataset based on mobile phone data from Helsinki Metropolitan Area, Finland. Contents:

    1. human readable metadata summary table in CSV format


    2. machine readable metadata file in JSON format

Finland FI: Population Density: People per Square Km data was reported at 18.136 Person/sq km in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 18.083 Person/sq km for 2016. Finland FI: Population Density: People per Square Km data is updated yearly, averaging 16.299 Person/sq km from Dec 1961 (Median) to 2017, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 18.136 Person/sq km in 2017 and a record low of 14.646 Person/sq km in 1961. Finland FI: Population Density: People per Square Km data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Finland – Table FI.World Bank: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Population density is midyear population divided by land area in square kilometers. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship--except for refugees not permanently settled in the country of asylum, who are generally considered part of the population of their country of origin. Land area is a country's total area, excluding area under inland water bodies, national claims to continental shelf, and exclusive economic zones. In most cases the definition of inland water bodies includes major rivers and lakes.; ; Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates.; Weighted Average;

Finland - Distribution of population by tenure status, type of household and income group - EU-SILC survey was 68.10% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Finland - Distribution of population by tenure status, type of household and income group - EU-SILC survey - last updated from the EUROSTAT on June of 2025. Historically, Finland - Distribution of population by tenure status, type of household and income group - EU-SILC survey reached a record high of 74.30% in December of 2010 and a record low of 68.10% in December of 2024.

Finland - Distribution of population by household types: Single person was 25.80% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Finland - Distribution of population by household types: Single person - last updated from the EUROSTAT on July of 2025. Historically, Finland - Distribution of population by household types: Single person reached a record high of 25.80% in December of 2024 and a record low of 19.00% in December of 2010.

Finland FI: Population: Male: Ages 20-24: % of Male Population data was reported at 6.337 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 6.482 % for 2016. Finland FI: Population: Male: Ages 20-24: % of Male Population data is updated yearly, averaging 7.451 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10.462 % in 1971 and a record low of 6.215 % in 1996. Finland FI: Population: Male: Ages 20-24: % of Male Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Finland – Table FI.World Bank: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Male population between the ages 20 to 24 as a percentage of the total male population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; ;

Finland - Distribution of population by household types: Three or more adults was 2.50% in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Finland - Distribution of population by household types: Three or more adults - last updated from the EUROSTAT on June of 2025. Historically, Finland - Distribution of population by household types: Three or more adults reached a record high of 3.80% in December of 2009 and a record low of 1.80% in December of 2022.

Constrained estimates, total number of people per grid-cell. The dataset is available to download in Geotiff format at a resolution of 3 arc (approximately 100m at the equator). The projection is Geographic Coordinate System, WGS84. The units are number of people per pixel. The mapping approach is Random Forest-based dasymetric redistribution.

More information can be found in the Release Statement

The difference between constrained and unconstrained is explained on this page: https://www.worldpop.org/methods/top_down_constrained_vs_unconstrained

This bar chart displays population (people) by region using the aggregation sum in Finland. The data is filtered where the date is 2021. The data is about countries per year.

The total population of Finland amounted to approximately 5.60 million inhabitants in 2023. Slightly more than half of the population in Finland, roughly 2.8 million, were women, compared to around 2.77 million men. The population of Finland has been steadily increasing, but showed a slowing trend in recent years. Fertility rate dropped to an all-time low in Finland The slowing increase in the Finnish population can be seen in the country’s decreasing fertility rate, which dropped to an all-time low in 2019. The estimated number of children born to a woman amounted to 1.35 in 2019, whereas in 2010 this was 1.87. The number of elders in Finland exceeded the number of 0-to-19-year-olds Another factor slowing down the population growth is the aging population of the country. The number of people aged 60 years and older has been increasing in recent years, amounting to over 1.6 million in 2023. In 2018, the elderly population in Finland exceeded that of children and teenagers.

FI: Population: Male: Ages 60-64: % of Male Population data was reported at 6.500 % in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 6.607 % for 2016. FI: Population: Male: Ages 60-64: % of Male Population data is updated yearly, averaging 4.630 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 7.560 % in 2011 and a record low of 3.490 % in 1960. FI: Population: Male: Ages 60-64: % of Male Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Finland – Table FI.World Bank: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Male population between the ages 60 to 64 as a percentage of the total male population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; ;

Finland FI: Population: as % of Total: Aged 0-14 data was reported at 16.407 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 16.370 % for 2016. Finland FI: Population: as % of Total: Aged 0-14 data is updated yearly, averaging 19.284 % from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 30.407 % in 1960 and a record low of 16.370 % in 2016. Finland FI: Population: as % of Total: Aged 0-14 data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Finland – Table FI.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Population between the ages 0 to 14 as a percentage of the total population. Population is based on the de facto definition of population.; ; World Bank staff estimates based on age/sex distributions of United Nations Population Division's World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Weighted average;

This bar chart displays rural population (people) by demonym using the aggregation sum in Finland. The data is filtered where the date is 2021. The data is about countries per year.