Poverty and living standards in Etelä-Karjala (Etelä-Suomi, Finland): official figures
In 2024, 17.6% of people in the South Karelia region had household incomes under 60% of the Finnish median, 2nd highest among Finland's 19 regions, up from 16.1% in 2019.
How many children live in poverty in South Karelia?
Child poverty in Etelä-Karjala (South Karelia) stood at 15.8% in 2024 (3rd highest among Finland's 19 regions; Finland 13.8%).
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow many people live on benefits in South Karelia?
In 2024, 4.8% of the population of Etelä-Karjala (South Karelia) depended wholly on basic social security.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow many homeless people are there in South Karelia?
Homelessness among single people in Etelä-Karjala (South Karelia) stood at 0.10 per 1,000 inhabitants in 2025 (2nd lowest of the 18 with data).
Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copyHow many people get housing allowance in South Karelia?
7.0% of households in the South Karelia region received the general housing allowance in 2025, below the national figure of 8.4%; that is 10th highest among Finland's 19 regions.
Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copyHow many people cannot afford food in South Karelia?
19.3% of adults in Etelä-Karjala (South Karelia) reported going without food, medicine or a doctor visit because they could not afford it in 2024, against 22.9% nationally.
Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copyHow crowded is housing in South Karelia?
6.0% of households in Etelä-Karjala (South Karelia) lived in overcrowded homes in 2024, below the national figure of 7.6%; that is 4th lowest among Finland's 19 regions.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyWhat is the crime rate in South Karelia?
Police and other authorities recorded 93.4 offences per 1,000 residents in Etelä-Karjala (South Karelia) in 2025, below the national figure of 101.1; that is 8th highest among Finland's 19 regions.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow much violent crime is there in South Karelia?
Recorded assaults ran at 8.67 per 1,000 residents in the South Karelia region in 2025, above the national figure of 8.00; that ranks 3rd highest among Finland's 19 regions.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow common are drug offences in South Karelia?
Narcotics offences were recorded at a rate of 3.53 per 1,000 residents in Etelä-Karjala (South Karelia) in 2025, against 4.68 nationally.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyIs crime rising in South Karelia?
Offences against the Criminal Code recorded in the South Karelia region numbered 11,220 in 2025, up 12% from 9,974 in 2015.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow common are burglaries in South Karelia?
Burglaries of homes and summer cottages ran at 0.85 per 1,000 residents in Etelä-Karjala (South Karelia) in 2025, compared with 0.76 across Finland.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow Etelä-Karjala compares with other regions in Finland
At-risk-of-poverty rate, register-based (%) (2024)
Etelä-Karjala ranks 2 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | At-risk-of-poverty rate, register-based (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pohjois-Karjala | 18.9% |
| 2 | Etelä-Karjala | 17.6% |
| 3 | Keski-Suomi | 17.3% |
| 4 | Päijät-Häme | 16.1% |
| 5 | Etelä-Savo | 16.0% |
| 6 | Kymenlaakso | 15.5% |
| 7 | Kainuu | 15.4% |
Children at risk of poverty (%) (2024)
Etelä-Karjala ranks 3 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Children at risk of poverty (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pohjois-Karjala | 16.8% |
| 2 | Päijät-Häme | 16.5% |
| 3 | Etelä-Karjala | 15.8% |
| 4 | Keski-Suomi | 15.0% |
| 5 | Kymenlaakso | 15.0% |
| 6 | Etelä-Savo | 14.9% |
| 7 | Pohjois-Pohjanmaa | 14.6% |
Social assistance recipients as a share of the population (%) (2025)
Etelä-Karjala ranks 11 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Social assistance recipients as a share of the population (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Kanta-Häme | 6.8% |
| 9 | Etelä-Savo | 6.7% |
| 10 | Varsinais-Suomi | 6.4% |
| 11 | Etelä-Karjala | 5.8% |
| 12 | Kainuu | 5.8% |
| 13 | Pohjois-Pohjanmaa | 5.5% |
| 14 | Satakunta | 5.4% |
Single homeless people per 1,000 residents (2025)
Etelä-Karjala ranks 17 of 18, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Single homeless people per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | Satakunta | 0.50 |
| 13 | Etelä-Pohjanmaa | 0.40 |
| 14 | Kainuu | 0.40 |
| 15 | Kanta-Häme | 0.30 |
| 16 | Keski-Pohjanmaa | 0.30 |
| 17 | Etelä-Karjala | 0.10 |
| 18 | Etelä-Savo | 0.10 |
Households receiving general housing allowance (%) (2025)
Etelä-Karjala ranks 10 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Households receiving general housing allowance (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Varsinais-Suomi | 7.7% |
| 8 | Pohjois-Savo | 7.6% |
| 9 | Kymenlaakso | 7.1% |
| 10 | Etelä-Karjala | 7.0% |
| 11 | Kanta-Häme | 7.0% |
| 12 | Satakunta | 6.5% |
| 13 | Etelä-Savo | 6.3% |
Overcrowded household-dwelling units (%) (2024)
Etelä-Karjala ranks 16 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Overcrowded household-dwelling units (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Satakunta | 6.3% |
| 14 | Päijät-Häme | 6.1% |
| 15 | Pohjois-Savo | 6.1% |
| 16 | Etelä-Karjala | 6.0% |
| 17 | Kainuu | 6.0% |
| 18 | Etelä-Savo | 5.4% |
| 19 | Kymenlaakso | 5.3% |
Offences known to the authorities per 1,000 residents (2025)
Etelä-Karjala ranks 8 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Offences known to the authorities per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Kanta-Häme | 100.7 |
| 6 | Satakunta | 99.9 |
| 7 | Varsinais-Suomi | 97.5 |
| 8 | Etelä-Karjala | 93.4 |
| 9 | Pohjois-Karjala | 90.0 |
| 10 | Keski-Suomi | 89.9 |
| 11 | Pirkanmaa | 89.6 |
Assault offences recorded per 1,000 residents (2025)
Etelä-Karjala ranks 3 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Assault offences recorded per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Helsinki-Uusimaa | 9.56 |
| 2 | Kymenlaakso | 9.24 |
| 3 | Etelä-Karjala | 8.67 |
| 4 | Keski-Suomi | 8.37 |
| 5 | Varsinais-Suomi | 7.79 |
| 6 | Kainuu | 7.76 |
| 7 | Pohjois-Savo | 7.53 |
More on Etelä-Karjala: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · government and politics · Etelä-Suomi · Finland
Sources
- Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus): Regional time series 1987-2025 (table 142h, Municipal key figures database): population, housing, education, employment and jobs by NUTS region, region and municipality (PxWeb API POST query, json-stat2, years 2015-2025), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 18a97e220312…)
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet: Sotkanet indicator bank, REST API 1.1: 32 indicators (one exact JSON response per indicator, e.g. indicator=5761, plus the region list) on morbidity, primary care, lifestyle, social assistance, homelessness, county election turnout and the net operating costs of wellbeing services counties, 2015-2025, bundled in one zip, read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 e5b01db4f1e9…)
- Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus): Offences recorded by year of reporting, figures relative to the population in the area of the offence (table 13h4, Statistics on offences and coercive measures), 2015-2025 (PxWeb API POST query, json-stat2), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 491eb3d6cd9b…)
- Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus): Income level, income inequality, population at risk of poverty or dependent on basic social security by region (table 14ww, Income distribution statistics), 2015-2024 (PxWeb API POST query, json-stat2), read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 4dd1f64e4da5…)
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