Poverty and living standards in Keski-Suomi (Länsi-Suomi, Finland): official figures
17.3% of the dwelling population of Keski-Suomi (Central Finland) lived below the at-risk-of-poverty line (60% of the national median income) in 2024, above the national figure of 14.2%; that is 3rd highest among Finland's 19 regions, up from 16.5% in 2019.
How many children live in poverty in Central Finland?
15.0% of children in Central Finland lived in households at risk of poverty in 2024, above the national figure of 13.8%; that ranks 4th highest among Finland's 19 regions.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow many people live on benefits in Central Finland?
5.5% of residents of Central Finland 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 Central Finland?
Central Finland counted 0.70 single homeless people per 1,000 residents in 2025, below the national figure of 0.80; that is 6th highest of the 18 with data.
Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copyHow many people get housing allowance in Central Finland?
In 2025, the general housing allowance went to 9.9% of households in Keski-Suomi (Central Finland), 2nd highest among Finland's 19 regions.
Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copyHow many people cannot afford food in Central Finland?
In 2024, 22.5% of adults in Central Finland 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 Central Finland?
Overcrowding affected 6.6% of household-dwelling units in Central Finland in 2024 (9th lowest among Finland's 19 regions; Finland 7.6%).
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyWhat is the crime rate in Central Finland?
Central Finland had 89.9 recorded offences and infractions per 1,000 inhabitants in 2025 (10th highest among Finland's 19 regions; Finland 101.1).
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow much violent crime is there in Central Finland?
In 2025 the authorities in Keski-Suomi (Central Finland) recorded 8.37 assault offences per 1,000 inhabitants, 4th highest among Finland's 19 regions.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow common are drug offences in Central Finland?
In 2025, Central Finland recorded 4.61 drug offences per 1,000 people.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyIs crime rising in Central Finland?
Offences against the Criminal Code recorded in Keski-Suomi (Central Finland) numbered 23,840 in 2025, down 0% from 23,891 in 2015.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow common are burglaries in Central Finland?
Burglaries of homes and summer cottages ran at 0.61 per 1,000 residents in Central Finland in 2025, compared with 0.76 across Finland.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow Keski-Suomi compares with other regions in Finland
At-risk-of-poverty rate, register-based (%) (2024)
Keski-Suomi ranks 3 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)
Keski-Suomi ranks 4 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)
Keski-Suomi ranks 3 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Social assistance recipients as a share of the population (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Helsinki-Uusimaa | 9.0% |
| 2 | Päijät-Häme | 8.1% |
| 3 | Keski-Suomi | 7.7% |
| 4 | Pirkanmaa | 7.1% |
| 5 | Pohjois-Savo | 7.1% |
| 6 | Kymenlaakso | 7.0% |
| 7 | Pohjois-Karjala | 6.9% |
Single homeless people per 1,000 residents (2025)
Keski-Suomi ranks 6 of 18, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Single homeless people per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Pirkanmaa | 1.00 |
| 4 | Kymenlaakso | 0.80 |
| 5 | Päijät-Häme | 0.80 |
| 6 | Keski-Suomi | 0.70 |
| 7 | Pohjanmaa | 0.70 |
| 8 | Pohjois-Karjala | 0.70 |
| 9 | Lappi | 0.60 |
Households receiving general housing allowance (%) (2025)
Keski-Suomi ranks 2 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Households receiving general housing allowance (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Helsinki-Uusimaa | 10.2% |
| 2 | Keski-Suomi | 9.9% |
| 3 | Pirkanmaa | 8.9% |
| 4 | Päijät-Häme | 8.8% |
| 5 | Pohjois-Karjala | 8.3% |
| 6 | Pohjois-Pohjanmaa | 7.8% |
| 7 | Varsinais-Suomi | 7.7% |
Overcrowded household-dwelling units (%) (2024)
Keski-Suomi ranks 11 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Overcrowded household-dwelling units (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | Åland | 6.9% |
| 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% |
Offences known to the authorities per 1,000 residents (2025)
Keski-Suomi ranks 10 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Offences known to the authorities per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Varsinais-Suomi | 97.5 |
| 8 | Etelä-Karjala | 93.4 |
| 9 | Pohjois-Karjala | 90.0 |
| 10 | Keski-Suomi | 89.9 |
| 11 | Pirkanmaa | 89.6 |
| 12 | Kainuu | 85.6 |
| 13 | Pohjois-Savo | 85.4 |
Assault offences recorded per 1,000 residents (2025)
Keski-Suomi ranks 4 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 Keski-Suomi: 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…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.