Poverty and living standards in Pohjanmaa (Länsi-Suomi, Finland): official figures
In 2024, 13.1% of people in the Ostrobothnia region had household incomes under 60% of the Finnish median, 4th lowest among Finland's 19 regions, up from 12.4% in 2019.
How many children live in poverty in Ostrobothnia?
Child poverty in Pohjanmaa (Ostrobothnia) stood at 12.2% in 2024 (2nd lowest among Finland's 19 regions; Finland 13.8%).
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow many people live on benefits in Ostrobothnia?
In 2024, 3.1% of the population of Pohjanmaa (Ostrobothnia) depended wholly on basic social security.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow many homeless people are there in Ostrobothnia?
Homelessness among single people in Pohjanmaa (Ostrobothnia) stood at 0.70 per 1,000 inhabitants in 2025 (7th highest of the 18 with data).
Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copyHow many people get housing allowance in Ostrobothnia?
5.4% of households in the Ostrobothnia region received the general housing allowance in 2025, below the national figure of 8.4%; that is 2nd lowest among Finland's 19 regions.
Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copyHow many people cannot afford food in Ostrobothnia?
21.9% of adults in Pohjanmaa (Ostrobothnia) 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 Ostrobothnia?
8.3% of households in Pohjanmaa (Ostrobothnia) lived in overcrowded homes in 2024, above the national figure of 7.6%; that is 3rd highest among Finland's 19 regions.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyWhat is the crime rate in Ostrobothnia?
Police and other authorities recorded 72.0 offences per 1,000 residents in Pohjanmaa (Ostrobothnia) in 2025, below the national figure of 101.1; that is 2nd lowest among Finland's 19 regions.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow much violent crime is there in Ostrobothnia?
Recorded assaults ran at 5.35 per 1,000 residents in the Ostrobothnia region in 2025, below the national figure of 8.00; that ranks the lowest among Finland's 19 regions.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow common are drug offences in Ostrobothnia?
Narcotics offences were recorded at a rate of 3.10 per 1,000 residents in Pohjanmaa (Ostrobothnia) in 2025, against 4.68 nationally.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyIs crime rising in Ostrobothnia?
Offences against the Criminal Code recorded in the Ostrobothnia region numbered 12,430 in 2025, down 5% from 13,055 in 2015.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow common are burglaries in Ostrobothnia?
Burglaries of homes and summer cottages ran at 0.71 per 1,000 residents in Pohjanmaa (Ostrobothnia) in 2025, compared with 0.76 across Finland.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow Pohjanmaa compares with other regions in Finland
At-risk-of-poverty rate, register-based (%) (2024)
Pohjanmaa ranks 16 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | At-risk-of-poverty rate, register-based (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Etelä-Pohjanmaa | 13.7% |
| 14 | Lappi | 13.6% |
| 15 | Kanta-Häme | 13.2% |
| 16 | Pohjanmaa | 13.1% |
| 17 | Helsinki-Uusimaa | 12.4% |
| 18 | Keski-Pohjanmaa | 12.2% |
| 19 | Åland | 9.2% |
Children at risk of poverty (%) (2024)
Pohjanmaa ranks 18 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Children at risk of poverty (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Helsinki-Uusimaa | 13.3% |
| 14 | Etelä-Pohjanmaa | 13.1% |
| 15 | Lappi | 12.8% |
| 16 | Keski-Pohjanmaa | 12.7% |
| 17 | Pirkanmaa | 12.6% |
| 18 | Pohjanmaa | 12.2% |
| 19 | Åland | 11.1% |
Social assistance recipients as a share of the population (%) (2025)
Pohjanmaa ranks 18 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Social assistance recipients as a share of the population (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| 19 | Åland | 2.0% |
Single homeless people per 1,000 residents (2025)
Pohjanmaa ranks 7 of 18, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Single homeless people per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 10 | Pohjois-Pohjanmaa | 0.50 |
Households receiving general housing allowance (%) (2025)
Pohjanmaa ranks 18 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)
Pohjanmaa ranks 3 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Overcrowded household-dwelling units (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Helsinki-Uusimaa | 9.3% |
| 2 | Keski-Pohjanmaa | 8.5% |
| 3 | Pohjanmaa | 8.3% |
| 4 | Pohjois-Pohjanmaa | 7.5% |
| 5 | Varsinais-Suomi | 7.4% |
| 6 | Kanta-Häme | 7.0% |
| 7 | Pirkanmaa | 7.0% |
Offences known to the authorities per 1,000 residents (2025)
Pohjanmaa ranks 18 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)
Pohjanmaa ranks 19 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Assault offences recorded per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Lappi | 7.06 |
| 14 | Etelä-Pohjanmaa | 6.48 |
| 15 | Päijät-Häme | 6.45 |
| 16 | Pohjois-Pohjanmaa | 6.43 |
| 17 | Keski-Pohjanmaa | 6.34 |
| 18 | Pohjois-Karjala | 6.11 |
| 19 | Pohjanmaa | 5.35 |
More on 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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