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Poverty and living standards in Etelä-Savo (Pohjois- ja Itä-Suomi, Finland): official figures

In 2024, 16.0% of people in South Savo had household incomes under 60% of the Finnish median, 5th highest among Finland's 19 regions, down from 16.4% in 2019.

At-risk-of-poverty rate, register-based (%)
16.0%
2024
Children at risk of poverty (%)
14.9%
2024
People entirely dependent on basic social security (%)
4.4%
2024
Social assistance recipients as a share of the population (%)
6.7%
2025
Single homeless people per 1,000 residents
0.10
2025
Households receiving general housing allowance (%)
6.3%
2025
Adults who went short of food, medicine or doctor visits for lack of money (%)
17.6%
2024
Overcrowded household-dwelling units (%)
5.4%
2024

How many children live in poverty in South Savo?

Child poverty in the South Savo region stood at 14.9% in 2024 (6th highest among Finland's 19 regions; Finland 13.8%).

Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copy

How many people live on benefits in South Savo?

In 2024, 4.4% of the population of the South Savo region depended wholly on basic social security.

Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copy

How many people receive social assistance in South Savo?

Social assistance, the minimum-income benefit, reached 6.7% of the population of Etelä-Savo (South Savo) in 2025 (9th highest among Finland's 19 regions), down from 7.7% in 2020.

Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copy

How many homeless people are there in South Savo?

Homelessness among single people in the South Savo region stood at 0.10 per 1,000 inhabitants in 2025 (the lowest of the 18 with data).

Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copy

How many people get housing allowance in South Savo?

6.3% of households in South Savo received the general housing allowance in 2025, below the national figure of 8.4%; that is 7th lowest among Finland's 19 regions.

Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copy

How many people cannot afford food in South Savo?

17.6% of adults in the South Savo region 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 copy

How crowded is housing in South Savo?

5.4% of households in the South Savo region lived in overcrowded homes in 2024, below the national figure of 7.6%; that is 2nd lowest among Finland's 19 regions.

Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copy

What is the crime rate in South Savo?

Police and other authorities recorded 82.9 offences per 1,000 residents in the South Savo region in 2025, below the national figure of 101.1; that is 5th lowest among Finland's 19 regions.

Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copy

How much violent crime is there in South Savo?

Recorded assaults ran at 7.16 per 1,000 residents in South Savo in 2025, below the national figure of 8.00; that ranks 9th lowest among Finland's 19 regions.

Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copy

How common are drug offences in South Savo?

Narcotics offences were recorded at a rate of 3.07 per 1,000 residents in the South Savo region in 2025, against 4.68 nationally.

Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copy

Is crime rising in South Savo?

Offences against the Criminal Code recorded in South Savo numbered 10,166 in 2025, down 7% from 10,947 in 2015.

Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copy

How common are burglaries in South Savo?

Burglaries of homes and summer cottages ran at 1.44 per 1,000 residents in the South Savo region in 2025, compared with 0.76 across Finland.

Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copy

How Etelä-Savo compares with other regions in Finland

At-risk-of-poverty rate, register-based (%) (2024)

Etelä-Savo ranks 5 of 19, highest first.

RankAreaAt-risk-of-poverty rate, register-based (%)
2Etelä-Karjala17.6%
3Keski-Suomi17.3%
4Päijät-Häme16.1%
5Etelä-Savo16.0%
6Kymenlaakso15.5%
7Kainuu15.4%
8Pohjois-Savo15.4%
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copy

Children at risk of poverty (%) (2024)

Etelä-Savo ranks 6 of 19, highest first.

RankAreaChildren at risk of poverty (%)
3Etelä-Karjala15.8%
4Keski-Suomi15.0%
5Kymenlaakso15.0%
6Etelä-Savo14.9%
7Pohjois-Pohjanmaa14.6%
8Kainuu14.2%
9Satakunta13.9%
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copy

Social assistance recipients as a share of the population (%) (2025)

Etelä-Savo ranks 9 of 19, highest first.

RankAreaSocial assistance recipients as a share of the population (%)
6Kymenlaakso7.0%
7Pohjois-Karjala6.9%
8Kanta-Häme6.8%
9Etelä-Savo6.7%
10Varsinais-Suomi6.4%
11Etelä-Karjala5.8%
12Kainuu5.8%
Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copy

Single homeless people per 1,000 residents (2025)

Etelä-Savo ranks 18 of 18, highest first.

RankAreaSingle homeless people per 1,000 residents
12Satakunta0.50
13Etelä-Pohjanmaa0.40
14Kainuu0.40
15Kanta-Häme0.30
16Keski-Pohjanmaa0.30
17Etelä-Karjala0.10
18Etelä-Savo0.10
Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copy

Households receiving general housing allowance (%) (2025)

Etelä-Savo ranks 13 of 19, highest first.

RankAreaHouseholds receiving general housing allowance (%)
10Etelä-Karjala7.0%
11Kanta-Häme7.0%
12Satakunta6.5%
13Etelä-Savo6.3%
14Kainuu5.9%
15Lappi5.7%
16Etelä-Pohjanmaa5.6%
Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copy

Overcrowded household-dwelling units (%) (2024)

Etelä-Savo ranks 18 of 19, highest first.

RankAreaOvercrowded household-dwelling units (%)
13Satakunta6.3%
14Päijät-Häme6.1%
15Pohjois-Savo6.1%
16Etelä-Karjala6.0%
17Kainuu6.0%
18Etelä-Savo5.4%
19Kymenlaakso5.3%
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copy

Offences known to the authorities per 1,000 residents (2025)

Etelä-Savo ranks 15 of 19, highest first.

RankAreaOffences known to the authorities per 1,000 residents
12Kainuu85.6
13Pohjois-Savo85.4
14Pohjois-Pohjanmaa83.9
15Etelä-Savo82.9
16Keski-Pohjanmaa82.2
17Etelä-Pohjanmaa77.5
18Pohjanmaa72.0
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copy

Assault offences recorded per 1,000 residents (2025)

Etelä-Savo ranks 11 of 19, highest first.

RankAreaAssault offences recorded per 1,000 residents
8Kanta-Häme7.29
9Satakunta7.27
10Pirkanmaa7.19
11Etelä-Savo7.16
12Åland7.07
13Lappi7.06
14Etelä-Pohjanmaa6.48
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copy

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Sources

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