At the end of 2024, Helsinki had 684,018 inhabitants. Based on the projection, the population will exceed 700,000 people in 2026, 819,000 in 2040 and more than a million by the end of the projection period in 2070.
Between 2025 and 2027, the number of residents in Helsinki will grow by around 9,000 people per year. Thereafter, growth will gradually slow down, so that the annual growth will be just over 7,600 people in 2040, slightly above the average for the 2000s.
“According to preliminary data, the population growth in 2025 could even exceed 11,000 people, which was not expected when the forecast was prepared in the summer. At the end of October 2025, the population was already at 694,000 people, based on preliminary data, and the increase was a record high,” says Harri Sinkko, Senior Researcher at the City of Helsinki.
The population of the 14 municipalities in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area will grow from the 1.61 million of today to 1.93 million by the end of the 2030s. At the end of the projection period in 2070, 2.46 million people are estimated to live in the region's municipalities.
Growth from migration
As in previous years, most of Helsinki's population growth will be due to positive net migration, most of which is estimated to come from abroad. Helsinki also benefits from migration from Finland outside the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, but suffers a migration loss to the rest of the region.
The number of births will increase moderately over the projection period, while the number of deaths will increase more sharply as the population ages. As a result, natural population growth, i.e. the difference between births and deaths, will decrease during the projection period, and becomes negative at the end of the projection period.
Highest relative growth in the oldest age groups
The largest increase in the number of people by the end of 2040 is projected to be in the working-age population above the median age, but in relative terms the largest increase will be in the oldest group, aged 85 and over. By 2040, the size of this group will increase by more than 13,000 people from the current 15,000 people.
The number of children under school age is projected to increase by 5,600 by the end of 2040. The number of children of comprehensive school age (7–15) will fall over the next few years, so that by the end of 2030 there will be 600 fewer children than today. However, the number will increase later, with 1,900 more school-age children by the end of 2040 compared to the current number.
Growth in new housing production areas – including Kalasatama, Pasila and Kruunuvuorenranta
According to Helsinki's regional population projection (2025–2039), the largest growth will take place in the Central major district. Naturally, the highest population growth is in areas where a lot of new housing construction is taking place. These areas include the Kalasatama area, including Hanasaari and Hermanninranta, Pohjois-Pasila and Keski-Pasila in Pasila, Kruunuvuorenranta and Yliskylä in Laajasalo, and Jätkäsaari. Significant growth is also forecast for the areas of Malminkenttä, Hernesaari, Lauttasaari and Vuosaari.
Some of the new housing production areas will be completed in the late 2020s, which is early during the projection period, while others will start construction and thus be completed in the late 2030s, towards the end of the projection period. Despite the strong projected growth in Helsinki, some areas will also see their population decline.
Moderate growth in Swedish-speaking population, but proportion of total population to decrease
At the end of 2024, Helsinki was home to 36,845 native Swedish speakers. The number of Swedish speakers is projected to increase by 2,100 by the end of 2040, and by the end of the projection period, the group will include about 10,000 more people than today. The proportion of Swedish speakers in the population will fall from the current 5.5% to just under 5% over the projection period.
Forecast data can be found in the City of Helsinki's new publication ‘Helsingin ja Helsingin seudun väestöennuste 2024–2070’ (Helsinki and Helsinki Metropolitan Area Population Forecast 2024–2070) and in ‘Helsingin alueittainen väestöennuste vuoteen 2039’ (Helsinki Regional Population Projection to 2039).
