Economy, jobs and prices in Umeå, Sweden: official figures
In 2024, the median net income of residents aged 20 and over in Umeå was SEK 304,700, compared with SEK 311,000 for Sweden as a whole; that was 6th highest among the large Swedish cities.
What is the median salary in Umeå?
At SEK 390,300 in 2024, Umeå was below the Swedish level of SEK 401,400 on the median earned income of residents aged 20-64, putting it 5th highest among the large Swedish cities.
Source: RKA (Rådet för främjande av kommunala analyser), Kolada · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Umeå?
Umeå ranked 13th of 13 large Swedish cities on the share of residents aged 18-65 registered as openly unemployed in 2025, at 2.0% against a national figure of 3.1%.
Source: RKA (Rådet för främjande av kommunala analyser), Kolada · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Umeå?
The unemployment rate in Umeå was 2.8% in 2024 (2.5% for women, 3.0% for men).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat are the main jobs in Umeå?
65,981 jobs were based in Umeå in 2018; the biggest employers were public administration, education and health (43% of jobs) and trade, transport, hotels and restaurants (18%).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people commute to Umeå?
7,622 people commuted into Umeå for work in 2018 and 5,956 commuted out.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many tourists visit Umeå?
Tourist accommodation in Umeå recorded 675,530 nights in 2018.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many cars are there in Umeå?
There were 350 registered cars per 1,000 residents in 2018.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- New companies started per 1,000 residents aged 16-64 in Umeå came to 8.8 in 2025, the fewest among the large Swedish cities (Sweden: 11.5), about the same as in 2020. Source: RKA (Rådet för främjande av kommunala analyser), Kolada · saved copy
- The employment rate of foreign-born residents aged 20-64 in Umeå stood at 69.5% in 2024, up from 63.2% in 2020; the figure for Sweden was 70.4%. Source: RKA (Rådet för främjande av kommunala analyser), Kolada · saved copy
- In 2025, the share of residents aged 25-65 who are long-term unemployed in Umeå was 1.9%, compared with 3.8% for Sweden as a whole; that was the lowest among the large Swedish cities. Source: RKA (Rådet för främjande av kommunala analyser), Kolada · saved copy
How Umeå compares with other cities in Sweden
The median net income of residents aged 20 and over (2024)
Umeå ranks 6 of 13, highest first. Among the 13 largest municipalities
| Rank | City | The median net income of residents aged 20 and over |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Västerås | SEK 314,200 |
| 4 | Uppsala | SEK 308,600 |
| 5 | Linköping | SEK 308,300 |
| 6 | Umeå | SEK 304,700 |
| 7 | Helsingborg | SEK 303,300 |
| 8 | Lund | SEK 301,400 |
| 9 | Borås | SEK 297,300 |
The share of residents aged 18-65 registered as openly unemployed (2025)
Umeå ranks 13 of 13, highest first. Among the 13 largest municipalities
| Rank | City | The share of residents aged 18-65 registered as openly unemployed |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Norrköping | 3.5% |
| 8 | Borås | 3.2% |
| 9 | Orebro | 3.0% |
| 10 | Uppsala | 2.7% |
| 11 | Lund | 2.6% |
| 12 | Linköping | 2.5% |
| 13 | Umeå | 2.0% |
New companies started per 1,000 residents aged 16-64 (2025)
Umeå ranks 13 of 13, highest first. Among the 13 largest municipalities
| Rank | City | New companies started per 1,000 residents aged 16-64 |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Södertälje | 11.0 |
| 8 | Lund | 10.5 |
| 9 | Orebro | 10.0 |
| 10 | Norrköping | 9.9 |
| 11 | Uppsala | 9.8 |
| 12 | Linköping | 9.2 |
| 13 | Umeå | 8.8 |
Unemployment rate (2024)
Umeå ranks 13 of 13, highest first.
| Rank | City | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Borås | 5.3% |
| 8 | Göteborg | 5.0% |
| 9 | Lund | 4.7% |
| 10 | Stockholm | 4.5% |
| 11 | Linköping | 4.4% |
| 12 | Uppsala | 4.3% |
| 13 | Umeå | 2.8% |
Cars per 1,000 residents (2018)
Umeå ranks 7 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | City | Cars per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Orebro | 360 |
| 5 | Helsingborg | 357 |
| 6 | Linköping | 355 |
| 7 | Umeå | 350 |
| 8 | Uppsala | 314 |
| 9 | Lund | 299 |
| 10 | Malmö | 276 |
Tourist nights (2018)
Umeå ranks 6 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | City | Tourist nights |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Malmö | 1,878,472 |
| 4 | Helsingborg | 770,992 |
| 5 | Orebro | 710,184 |
| 6 | Umeå | 675,530 |
| 7 | Uppsala | 629,876 |
| 8 | Norrköping | 602,465 |
| 9 | Linköping | 539,991 |
More on Umeå: overview · education and schools · poverty and living standards · government budget · government and politics · all cities in Sweden
Sources
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset urb_ctour: Urban Audit: culture and tourism (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 235d13e6125c…)
- RKA (Rådet för främjande av kommunala analyser), Kolada: Kolada key figures for 13 large Swedish municipalities and Sweden (municipal finances, tax rates, schools, social assistance, reported crime, housing, income, jobs, elected representatives), 2015-2026, Kolada API v3, read 24 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 9dd73cdde6c8…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset urb_clma: Urban Audit: labour market (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 be050965f9c6…)
- Eurostat: Eurostat dataset urb_ctran: Urban Audit: transport (cities), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c4e74aa07496…)
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