Poverty and living standards in Etelä-Pohjanmaa (Länsi-Suomi, Finland): official figures
13.7% of the dwelling population of Etelä-Pohjanmaa (South Ostrobothnia) lived below the at-risk-of-poverty line (60% of the national median income) in 2024, below the national figure of 14.2%; that is 7th lowest among Finland's 19 regions, down from 14.1% in 2019.
How many children live in poverty in South Ostrobothnia?
13.1% of children in South Ostrobothnia lived in households at risk of poverty in 2024, below the national figure of 13.8%; that ranks 6th lowest among Finland's 19 regions.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow many people live on benefits in South Ostrobothnia?
3.1% of residents of South Ostrobothnia lived entirely on basic social security benefits in 2024, against 4.5% nationally.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow many homeless people are there in South Ostrobothnia?
South Ostrobothnia counted 0.40 single homeless people per 1,000 residents in 2025, below the national figure of 0.80; that is 6th lowest of the 18 with data.
Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copyHow many people get housing allowance in South Ostrobothnia?
In 2025, the general housing allowance went to 5.6% of households in Etelä-Pohjanmaa (South Ostrobothnia), 4th lowest among Finland's 19 regions.
Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copyHow many people cannot afford food in South Ostrobothnia?
In 2024, 21.4% of adults in South Ostrobothnia said a lack of money had left them short of food, medicine or medical care.
Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copyHow crowded is housing in South Ostrobothnia?
Overcrowding affected 6.5% of household-dwelling units in South Ostrobothnia in 2024 (8th lowest among Finland's 19 regions; Finland 7.6%).
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyWhat is the crime rate in South Ostrobothnia?
South Ostrobothnia had 77.5 recorded offences and infractions per 1,000 inhabitants in 2025 (3rd lowest among Finland's 19 regions; Finland 101.1).
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow much violent crime is there in South Ostrobothnia?
In 2025 the authorities in Etelä-Pohjanmaa (South Ostrobothnia) recorded 6.48 assault offences per 1,000 inhabitants, 6th lowest among Finland's 19 regions.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow common are drug offences in South Ostrobothnia?
In 2025, South Ostrobothnia recorded 4.12 drug offences per 1,000 people.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyIs crime rising in South Ostrobothnia?
Offences against the Criminal Code recorded in Etelä-Pohjanmaa (South Ostrobothnia) numbered 14,124 in 2025, up 22% from 11,564 in 2015.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow common are burglaries in South Ostrobothnia?
Burglaries of homes and summer cottages ran at 0.90 per 1,000 residents in South Ostrobothnia in 2025, compared with 0.76 across Finland.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow Etelä-Pohjanmaa compares with other regions in Finland
At-risk-of-poverty rate, register-based (%) (2024)
Etelä-Pohjanmaa ranks 13 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | At-risk-of-poverty rate, register-based (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Varsinais-Suomi | 14.7% |
| 11 | Pirkanmaa | 14.6% |
| 12 | Satakunta | 14.6% |
| 13 | Etelä-Pohjanmaa | 13.7% |
| 14 | Lappi | 13.6% |
| 15 | Kanta-Häme | 13.2% |
| 16 | Pohjanmaa | 13.1% |
Children at risk of poverty (%) (2024)
Etelä-Pohjanmaa ranks 14 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Children at risk of poverty (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Pohjois-Savo | 13.8% |
| 12 | Kanta-Häme | 13.6% |
| 13 | Helsinki-Uusimaa | 13.3% |
| 14 | Etelä-Pohjanmaa | 13.1% |
| 15 | Lappi | 12.8% |
| 16 | Keski-Pohjanmaa | 12.7% |
| 17 | Pirkanmaa | 12.6% |
Social assistance recipients as a share of the population (%) (2025)
Etelä-Pohjanmaa ranks 15 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Social assistance recipients as a share of the population (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | Kainuu | 5.8% |
| 13 | Pohjois-Pohjanmaa | 5.5% |
| 14 | Satakunta | 5.4% |
| 15 | Etelä-Pohjanmaa | 5.2% |
| 16 | Lappi | 5.2% |
| 17 | Keski-Pohjanmaa | 4.8% |
| 18 | Pohjanmaa | 4.7% |
Single homeless people per 1,000 residents (2025)
Etelä-Pohjanmaa ranks 13 of 18, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Single homeless people per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Pohjois-Pohjanmaa | 0.50 |
| 11 | Pohjois-Savo | 0.50 |
| 12 | Satakunta | 0.50 |
| 13 | Etelä-Pohjanmaa | 0.40 |
| 14 | Kainuu | 0.40 |
| 15 | Kanta-Häme | 0.30 |
| 16 | Keski-Pohjanmaa | 0.30 |
Households receiving general housing allowance (%) (2025)
Etelä-Pohjanmaa ranks 16 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Households receiving general housing allowance (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Etelä-Savo | 6.3% |
| 14 | Kainuu | 5.9% |
| 15 | Lappi | 5.7% |
| 16 | Etelä-Pohjanmaa | 5.6% |
| 17 | Keski-Pohjanmaa | 5.6% |
| 18 | Pohjanmaa | 5.4% |
| 19 | Åland | 3.6% |
Overcrowded household-dwelling units (%) (2024)
Etelä-Pohjanmaa ranks 12 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Overcrowded household-dwelling units (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Lappi | 6.9% |
| 10 | Pohjois-Karjala | 6.8% |
| 11 | Keski-Suomi | 6.6% |
| 12 | Etelä-Pohjanmaa | 6.5% |
| 13 | Satakunta | 6.3% |
| 14 | Päijät-Häme | 6.1% |
| 15 | Pohjois-Savo | 6.1% |
Offences known to the authorities per 1,000 residents (2025)
Etelä-Pohjanmaa ranks 17 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Offences known to the authorities per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Pohjois-Savo | 85.4 |
| 14 | Pohjois-Pohjanmaa | 83.9 |
| 15 | Etelä-Savo | 82.9 |
| 16 | Keski-Pohjanmaa | 82.2 |
| 17 | Etelä-Pohjanmaa | 77.5 |
| 18 | Pohjanmaa | 72.0 |
| 19 | Åland | 70.0 |
Assault offences recorded per 1,000 residents (2025)
Etelä-Pohjanmaa ranks 14 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Assault offences recorded per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Etelä-Savo | 7.16 |
| 12 | Åland | 7.07 |
| 13 | Lappi | 7.06 |
| 14 | Etelä-Pohjanmaa | 6.48 |
| 15 | Päijät-Häme | 6.45 |
| 16 | Pohjois-Pohjanmaa | 6.43 |
| 17 | Keski-Pohjanmaa | 6.34 |
More on Etelä-Pohjanmaa: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · government and politics · Länsi-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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