Economy, jobs and prices in Pohjois-Karjala (Pohjois- ja Itä-Suomi, Finland): official figures
GDP per person was 32,300 purchasing power standards (PPS) in 2024, 81% of the EU average (102% for Finland); 17th highest of 19 regions in Finland.
How big is the economy of Pohjois-Karjala?
The local economy produced €6.3 billion of output (GDP) in 2024.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people work in Pohjois-Karjala?
About 66,290 people worked in Pohjois-Karjala in 2024 (employment by place of work).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat is the median income in North Karelia?
In 2024 the median household in the North Karelia region had €27,558 a year per consumption unit to spend after taxes and benefits, the lowest among Finland's 19 regions, about the same as in 2019.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow much do people earn in North Karelia?
Adults in North Karelia had a median personal disposable income of €23,560 in 2024, below the national figure of €26,605.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow many entrepreneurs are there in North Karelia?
In 2024, 10.5% of working people in North Karelia were self-employed, 7th highest among Finland's 19 regions (Finland 10.1%).
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyAre there enough jobs in North Karelia?
North Karelia had a workplace self-sufficiency of 98.7% in 2023, meaning jobs located there equalled 98.7% of its employed residents; that is 10th highest among Finland's 19 regions.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyWhat is the dependency ratio in North Karelia?
North Karelia had an economic dependency ratio of 167 in 2024: 167 people outside employment for every 100 in work, above the national figure of 133; that is the highest among Finland's 19 regions, down from 169 in 2019.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyAre jobs growing in North Karelia?
Between 2018 and 2023, jobs in North Karelia changed by -1.6%, below the national figure of +1.8%; that ranks 8th lowest among Finland's 19 regions.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow many tech jobs are there in North Karelia?
The information sector provided 4.4% of jobs in North Karelia in 2023, below the national figure of 7.5%; that is 8th highest among Finland's 19 regions.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyWhat are the main industries in North Karelia?
Factories and other manufacturing employers provided 14.5% of jobs in North Karelia in 2023 (10th highest among Finland's 19 regions).
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow many people work in tourism in North Karelia?
Hotels, restaurants and other accommodation and food services employed 3.6% of the workforce in the North Karelia region in 2023, level with the national figure of 3.6%.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in North Karelia?
At the end of 2024, 15.7% of the labour force of North Karelia was unemployed according to Statistics Finland's employment register, up from 14.3% in 2019.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow many people commute in North Karelia?
In 2023, 29.4% of working people living in Pohjois-Karjala (North Karelia) commuted to a job in another municipality.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyWhat is the main industry in Pohjois-Karjala?
The largest part of the economy of Pohjois-Karjala in 2024 was public administration, education, health and other services, at 28.5% of gross value added, followed by finance, property and business services (23.8%).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow industrial is Pohjois-Karjala?
Factories, mines and energy produced 20.6% of the value added in Pohjois-Karjala in 2024, against 20.4% for Finland.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow fast is the economy of Pohjois-Karjala growing?
Gross value added rose from €4.2 billion in 2015 to €5.5 billion in 2024 in current prices, an increase of 30% before inflation.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat jobs do people do in Pohjois-Karjala?
Of the 66,290 jobs located in Pohjois-Karjala in 2024, 42% in public services, education, health and other services, 17% in industry and 6.6% in farming, forestry and fishing.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyAre jobs growing in Pohjois-Karjala?
The number of people working in Pohjois-Karjala fell by 0.7% between 2015 and 2024, to 66,290.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow Pohjois-Karjala compares with other regions in Finland
Median disposable income per consumption unit (€ a year) (2024)
Pohjois-Karjala ranks 19 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Median disposable income per consumption unit (€ a year) |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Etelä-Pohjanmaa | €29,061 |
| 14 | Päijät-Häme | €28,892 |
| 15 | Etelä-Karjala | €28,853 |
| 16 | Kainuu | €28,747 |
| 17 | Keski-Suomi | €28,643 |
| 18 | Etelä-Savo | €28,534 |
| 19 | Pohjois-Karjala | €27,558 |
Median personal disposable income of adults (€ a year) (2024)
Pohjois-Karjala ranks 19 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Median personal disposable income of adults (€ a year) |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Pohjois-Savo | €25,016 |
| 14 | Päijät-Häme | €24,953 |
| 15 | Keski-Suomi | €24,818 |
| 16 | Etelä-Karjala | €24,704 |
| 17 | Kainuu | €24,576 |
| 18 | Etelä-Savo | €24,230 |
| 19 | Pohjois-Karjala | €23,560 |
Entrepreneurs as a share of employed people (%) (2024)
Pohjois-Karjala ranks 7 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Entrepreneurs as a share of employed people (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Päijät-Häme | 11.1% |
| 5 | Varsinais-Suomi | 10.9% |
| 6 | Åland | 10.7% |
| 7 | Pohjois-Karjala | 10.5% |
| 8 | Kanta-Häme | 10.4% |
| 9 | Lappi | 10.4% |
| 10 | Pohjois-Savo | 10.4% |
Workplace self-sufficiency (jobs per employed resident, %) (2023)
Pohjois-Karjala ranks 10 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Workplace self-sufficiency (jobs per employed resident, %) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Satakunta | 99.7% |
| 8 | Etelä-Savo | 98.9% |
| 9 | Pohjois-Pohjanmaa | 98.8% |
| 10 | Pohjois-Karjala | 98.7% |
| 11 | Pohjois-Savo | 98.3% |
| 12 | Etelä-Pohjanmaa | 97.7% |
| 13 | Keski-Suomi | 97.5% |
Economic dependency ratio (non-employed per 100 employed) (2024)
Pohjois-Karjala ranks 1 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Economic dependency ratio (non-employed per 100 employed) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pohjois-Karjala | 167 |
| 2 | Etelä-Savo | 165 |
| 3 | Etelä-Karjala | 163 |
| 4 | Kymenlaakso | 161 |
| 5 | Kainuu | 160 |
| 6 | Päijät-Häme | 157 |
| 7 | Keski-Suomi | 151 |
Change in the number of jobs over five years (%) (2023)
Pohjois-Karjala ranks 12 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Change in the number of jobs over five years (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Kanta-Häme | -1.0% |
| 10 | Keski-Pohjanmaa | -1.3% |
| 11 | Etelä-Pohjanmaa | -1.6% |
| 12 | Pohjois-Karjala | -1.6% |
| 13 | Kainuu | -2.1% |
| 14 | Päijät-Häme | -2.3% |
| 15 | Satakunta | -2.4% |
Share of jobs in the information sector (%) (2023)
Pohjois-Karjala ranks 8 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of jobs in the information sector (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Varsinais-Suomi | 5.5% |
| 6 | Åland | 5.2% |
| 7 | Pohjois-Savo | 4.9% |
| 8 | Pohjois-Karjala | 4.4% |
| 9 | Kainuu | 4.3% |
| 10 | Pohjanmaa | 3.9% |
| 11 | Kanta-Häme | 3.8% |
Share of jobs in manufacturing (%) (2023)
Pohjois-Karjala ranks 10 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of jobs in manufacturing (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Kanta-Häme | 15.5% |
| 8 | Varsinais-Suomi | 15.0% |
| 9 | Pirkanmaa | 14.5% |
| 10 | Pohjois-Karjala | 14.5% |
| 11 | Etelä-Savo | 13.9% |
| 12 | Keski-Suomi | 13.3% |
| 13 | Pohjois-Pohjanmaa | 13.1% |
Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) (2024)
Pohjois-Karjala ranks 13 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from industry (manufacturing, mining and energy) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Pirkanmaa | 22.0% |
| 11 | Kainuu | 21.4% |
| 12 | Etelä-Pohjanmaa | 21.3% |
| 13 | Pohjois-Karjala | 20.6% |
| 14 | Kymenlaakso | 19.6% |
| 15 | Keski-Suomi | 19.5% |
| 16 | Pohjois-Savo | 18.4% |
Share of output from finance, property and business services (2024)
Pohjois-Karjala ranks 9 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from finance, property and business services |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Åland | 25.2% |
| 7 | Päijät-Häme | 25.0% |
| 8 | Etelä-Savo | 24.0% |
| 9 | Pohjois-Karjala | 23.8% |
| 10 | Kymenlaakso | 23.6% |
| 11 | Etelä-Karjala | 23.6% |
| 12 | Etelä-Pohjanmaa | 23.5% |
Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services (2024)
Pohjois-Karjala ranks 1 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Share of output from public administration, education, health and other services |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pohjois-Karjala | 28.5% |
| 2 | Keski-Suomi | 28.4% |
| 3 | Etelä-Savo | 28.3% |
| 4 | Pohjois-Savo | 27.8% |
| 5 | Lappi | 27.6% |
| 6 | Etelä-Karjala | 27.3% |
| 7 | Kainuu | 26.9% |
More on Pohjois-Karjala: overview · health · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · government and politics · Pohjois- ja Itä-Suomi · Finland
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3gdp: GDP per person, PPS (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3bf0fc662f56…)
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- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset nama_10r_3empers: Employment, thousand people (NUTS 3), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 664e4e3a6dc0…)
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- 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…)
- 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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