Economy, jobs and prices in Västerås, Sweden: official figures
Västerås ranked 3rd of 13 large Swedish cities on the median net income of residents aged 20 and over in 2024, at SEK 314,200 against a national figure of SEK 311,000.
What is the median salary in Västerås?
The median earned income of residents aged 20-64 in Västerås came to SEK 399,500 in 2024, 2nd highest among the large Swedish cities (Sweden: SEK 401,400), up from SEK 338,100 in 2019.
Source: RKA (Rådet för främjande av kommunala analyser), Kolada · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Västerås?
The share of residents aged 18-65 registered as openly unemployed in Västerås stood at 3.5% in 2025, down from 4.6% in 2020; the figure for Sweden was 3.1%.
Source: RKA (Rådet för främjande av kommunala analyser), Kolada · saved copyWhat is the unemployment rate in Västerås?
The unemployment rate in Västerås was 6.2% in 2024 (6.5% for women, 6.0% for men).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyWhat are the main jobs in Västerås?
72,617 jobs were based in Västerås in 2018; the biggest employers were public administration, education and health (33% of jobs) and trade, transport, hotels and restaurants (21%).
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many people commute to Västerås?
12,669 people commuted into Västerås for work in 2018 and 13,065 commuted out.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many tourists visit Västerås?
Tourist accommodation in Västerås recorded 489,964 nights in 2018.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyHow many cars are there in Västerås?
There were 398 registered cars per 1,000 residents in 2018.
Source: Eurostat · saved copyMore figures
- In 2025, new companies started per 1,000 residents aged 16-64 in Västerås was 11.1, compared with 11.5 for Sweden as a whole; that was 5th most among the large Swedish cities. Source: RKA (Rådet för främjande av kommunala analyser), Kolada · saved copy
- At 70.7% in 2024, Västerås was above the Swedish level of 70.4% on the employment rate of foreign-born residents aged 20-64, putting it 3rd highest among the large Swedish cities. Source: RKA (Rådet för främjande av kommunala analyser), Kolada · saved copy
- Västerås ranked 5th of 13 large Swedish cities on the share of residents aged 25-65 who are long-term unemployed in 2025, at 5.0% against a national figure of 3.8%. Source: RKA (Rådet för främjande av kommunala analyser), Kolada · saved copy
How Västerås compares with other cities in Sweden
The median net income of residents aged 20 and over (2024)
Västerås ranks 3 of 13, highest first. Among the 13 largest municipalities
| Rank | City | The median net income of residents aged 20 and over |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stockholm | SEK 361,000 |
| 2 | Göteborg | SEK 314,800 |
| 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 |
The share of residents aged 18-65 registered as openly unemployed (2025)
Västerås ranks 6 of 13, highest first. Among the 13 largest municipalities
| Rank | City | The share of residents aged 18-65 registered as openly unemployed |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Helsingborg | 4.9% |
| 4 | Göteborg | 3.8% |
| 5 | Stockholm | 3.6% |
| 6 | Västerås | 3.5% |
| 7 | Norrköping | 3.5% |
| 8 | Borås | 3.2% |
| 9 | Orebro | 3.0% |
New companies started per 1,000 residents aged 16-64 (2025)
Västerås ranks 5 of 13, highest first. Among the 13 largest municipalities
| Rank | City | New companies started per 1,000 residents aged 16-64 |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Malmö | 13.5 |
| 3 | Helsingborg | 13.1 |
| 4 | Göteborg | 12.7 |
| 5 | Västerås | 11.1 |
| 6 | Borås | 11.0 |
| 7 | Södertälje | 11.0 |
| 8 | Lund | 10.5 |
Unemployment rate (2024)
Västerås ranks 5 of 13, highest first.
| Rank | City | Unemployment rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Helsingborg | 8.2% |
| 3 | Södertälje | 8.1% |
| 4 | Norrköping | 6.9% |
| 5 | Västerås | 6.2% |
| 6 | Orebro | 5.5% |
| 7 | Borås | 5.3% |
| 8 | Göteborg | 5.0% |
Cars per 1,000 residents (2018)
Västerås ranks 1 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | City | Cars per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Västerås | 398 |
| 2 | Borås | 396 |
| 3 | Norrköping | 381 |
| 4 | Orebro | 360 |
| 5 | Helsingborg | 357 |
| 6 | Linköping | 355 |
| 7 | Umeå | 350 |
Tourist nights (2018)
Västerås ranks 10 of 12, highest first.
| Rank | City | Tourist nights |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Umeå | 675,530 |
| 7 | Uppsala | 629,876 |
| 8 | Norrköping | 602,465 |
| 9 | Linköping | 539,991 |
| 10 | Västerås | 489,964 |
| 11 | Lund | 486,089 |
| 12 | Borås | 280,459 |
More on Västerås: 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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