Poverty and living standards in Pohjois-Karjala (Pohjois- ja Itä-Suomi, Finland): official figures
19.0% of the dwelling population of Pohjois-Karjala (North Karelia) 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 the highest among Finland's 19 regions, up from 18.8% in 2019.
How many children live in poverty in North Karelia?
16.8% of children in North Karelia lived in households at risk of poverty in 2024, above the national figure of 13.8%; that ranks the highest among Finland's 19 regions.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow many people live on benefits in North Karelia?
5.0% of residents of North Karelia 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 North Karelia?
North Karelia counted 0.70 single homeless people per 1,000 residents in 2025, below the national figure of 0.80; that is 8th highest of the 18 with data.
Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copyHow many people get housing allowance in North Karelia?
In 2025, the general housing allowance went to 8.3% of households in Pohjois-Karjala (North Karelia), 5th highest among Finland's 19 regions.
Source: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Sotkanet · saved copyHow many people cannot afford food in North Karelia?
In 2024, 21.2% of adults in North Karelia 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 North Karelia?
Overcrowding affected 6.8% of household-dwelling units in North Karelia in 2024 (10th highest among Finland's 19 regions; Finland 7.6%).
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyWhat is the crime rate in North Karelia?
North Karelia had 90.0 recorded offences and infractions per 1,000 inhabitants in 2025 (9th highest among Finland's 19 regions; Finland 101.1).
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow much violent crime is there in North Karelia?
In 2025 the authorities in Pohjois-Karjala (North Karelia) recorded 6.11 assault offences per 1,000 inhabitants, 2nd lowest among Finland's 19 regions.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow common are drug offences in North Karelia?
In 2025, North Karelia recorded 2.45 drug offences per 1,000 people.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyIs crime rising in North Karelia?
Offences against the Criminal Code recorded in Pohjois-Karjala (North Karelia) numbered 13,867 in 2025, up 11% from 12,448 in 2015.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow common are burglaries in North Karelia?
Burglaries of homes and summer cottages ran at 1.00 per 1,000 residents in North Karelia in 2025, compared with 0.76 across Finland.
Source: Statistics Finland (Tilastokeskus) · saved copyHow Pohjois-Karjala compares with other regions in Finland
At-risk-of-poverty rate, register-based (%) (2024)
Pohjois-Karjala ranks 1 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)
Pohjois-Karjala ranks 1 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)
Pohjois-Karjala ranks 7 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Social assistance recipients as a share of the population (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Pirkanmaa | 7.1% |
| 5 | Pohjois-Savo | 7.1% |
| 6 | Kymenlaakso | 7.0% |
| 7 | Pohjois-Karjala | 6.9% |
| 8 | Kanta-Häme | 6.8% |
| 9 | Etelä-Savo | 6.7% |
| 10 | Varsinais-Suomi | 6.4% |
Single homeless people per 1,000 residents (2025)
Pohjois-Karjala ranks 8 of 18, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Single homeless people per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 11 | Pohjois-Savo | 0.50 |
Households receiving general housing allowance (%) (2025)
Pohjois-Karjala ranks 5 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Households receiving general housing allowance (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| 8 | Pohjois-Savo | 7.6% |
Overcrowded household-dwelling units (%) (2024)
Pohjois-Karjala ranks 10 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Overcrowded household-dwelling units (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Pirkanmaa | 7.0% |
| 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% |
Offences known to the authorities per 1,000 residents (2025)
Pohjois-Karjala ranks 9 of 19, highest first.
| Rank | Area | Offences known to the authorities per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Satakunta | 99.9 |
| 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 |
Assault offences recorded per 1,000 residents (2025)
Pohjois-Karjala ranks 18 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 Pohjois-Karjala: 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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