Poverty and living standards in Kainuu (Pohjois- ja Itä-Suomi, Finland): official figures
In 2024, 15.4% of people in Kainuu had household incomes under 60% of the Finnish median, 7th highest among Finland's 19 regions, up from 15.0% in 2019.
How many children live in poverty in Kainuu Finland?
Child poverty in Kainuu stood at 14.2% in 2024 (8th highest among Finland's 19 regions; Finland 13.8%).
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow many people live on benefits in Kainuu Finland?
In 2024, 3.9% of the population of Kainuu depended wholly on basic social security.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow many homeless people are there in Kainuu Finland?
Homelessness among single people in Kainuu stood at 0.40 per 1,000 inhabitants in 2025 (5th lowest of the 18 with data).
Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copyHow many people get housing allowance in Kainuu Finland?
5.9% of households in Kainuu received the general housing allowance in 2025, below the national figure of 8.4%; that is 6th lowest among Finland's 19 regions.
Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copyHow many people cannot afford food in Kainuu Finland?
22.0% of adults in Kainuu 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 Kainuu Finland?
6.0% of households in Kainuu lived in overcrowded homes in 2024, below the national figure of 7.6%; that is 3rd lowest among Finland's 19 regions.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyWhat is the crime rate in Kainuu Finland?
Police and other authorities recorded 85.6 offences per 1,000 residents in Kainuu in 2025, below the national figure of 101.1; that is 8th lowest among Finland's 19 regions.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow much violent crime is there in Kainuu Finland?
Recorded assaults ran at 7.76 per 1,000 residents in Kainuu in 2025, below the national figure of 8.00; that ranks 6th highest among Finland's 19 regions.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow common are drug offences in Kainuu Finland?
Narcotics offences were recorded at a rate of 2.33 per 1,000 residents in Kainuu in 2025, against 4.68 nationally.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyIs crime rising in Kainuu Finland?
Offences against the Criminal Code recorded in Kainuu numbered 5,749 in 2025, up 6% from 5,410 in 2015.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow common are burglaries in Kainuu Finland?
Burglaries of homes and summer cottages ran at 0.56 per 1,000 residents in Kainuu in 2025, compared with 0.76 across Finland.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow Kainuu compares with other regions in Finland
At-risk-of-poverty rate, register-based (%) (2024)
Kainuu ranks 7 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | At-risk-of-poverty rate, register-based (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Päijät-Häme | 16.1% |
| 5 | Etelä-Savo | 16.0% |
| 6 | Kymenlaakso | 15.5% |
| 7 | Kainuu | 15.4% |
| 8 | Pohjois-Savo | 15.4% |
| 9 | Pohjois-Pohjanmaa | 14.8% |
| 10 | Varsinais-Suomi | 14.7% |
Children at risk of poverty (%) (2024)
Kainuu ranks 8 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Children at risk of poverty (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Kymenlaakso | 15.0% |
| 6 | Etelä-Savo | 14.9% |
| 7 | Pohjois-Pohjanmaa | 14.6% |
| 8 | Kainuu | 14.2% |
| 9 | Satakunta | 13.9% |
| 10 | Varsinais-Suomi | 13.9% |
| 11 | Pohjois-Savo | 13.8% |
Social assistance recipients as a share of the population (%) (2025)
Kainuu ranks 12 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Social assistance recipients as a share of the population (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| 15 | Etelä-Pohjanmaa | 5.2% |
Single homeless people per 1,000 residents (2025)
Kainuu ranks 14 of 18, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Single homeless people per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 17 | Etelä-Karjala | 0.10 |
Households receiving general housing allowance (%) (2025)
Kainuu ranks 14 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Households receiving general housing allowance (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Kanta-Häme | 7.0% |
| 12 | Satakunta | 6.5% |
| 13 | Etelä-Savo | 6.3% |
| 14 | Kainuu | 5.9% |
| 15 | Lappi | 5.7% |
| 16 | Etelä-Pohjanmaa | 5.6% |
| 17 | Keski-Pohjanmaa | 5.6% |
Overcrowded household-dwelling units (%) (2024)
Kainuu ranks 17 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)
Kainuu ranks 12 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Offences known to the authorities per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Pohjois-Karjala | 90.0 |
| 10 | Keski-Suomi | 89.9 |
| 11 | Pirkanmaa | 89.6 |
| 12 | Kainuu | 85.6 |
| 13 | Pohjois-Savo | 85.4 |
| 14 | Pohjois-Pohjanmaa | 83.9 |
| 15 | Etelä-Savo | 82.9 |
Assault offences recorded per 1,000 residents (2025)
Kainuu ranks 6 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Assault offences recorded per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Etelä-Karjala | 8.67 |
| 4 | Keski-Suomi | 8.37 |
| 5 | Varsinais-Suomi | 7.79 |
| 6 | Kainuu | 7.76 |
| 7 | Pohjois-Savo | 7.53 |
| 8 | Kanta-Häme | 7.29 |
| 9 | Satakunta | 7.27 |
More on Kainuu: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · government and politics · Pohjois- ja Itä-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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