Audience at the Kipinä Festival in Oulunkylä, Helsinki, on 4 July 2025. Photo: Mikko Stig / Lehtikuva
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Helsinki’s population is growing at its fastest rate in decades, with the capital on track to surpass 700,000 residents in 2026 — three years earlier than previously forecast, according to preliminary data released by Statistics Finland.
From January to June this year, Helsinki’s population grew by 5,740 people. That marks the largest first-half increase since the 1960s and continues a multi-year trend of rapid growth. In 2023, the population increased by 10,427. In 2022, the growth was 9,518.
For comparison, annual growth figures of this scale were last recorded during the city’s post-war expansion more than 60 years ago.
What makes the current growth notable is its
Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi
