Localities 2017:
Population in localities continues to increase
Statistical news from Statistics Sweden 2018-03-28 9.30
In 2017, the population in localities increased by nearly 100 000 persons. This is a weaker increase than last year, when the population in localities increased by more than 120 000 persons. Sweden’s largest localities, led by Stockholm, Göteborg and Malmö, accounted for the largest increases.
At the end of 2017, nearly 8.8 million people in Sweden lived in a locality. This corresponds to 87 percent of the country’s population. The population in the nine localities with at least 100 000 inhabitants increased by more than 50 000 persons in total. In the 100 localities with between 10 000 and 50 000 inhabitants, the total population growth was nearly 40 000 persons, which corresponds to an increase of almost 2 percent.
The population decreased in nearly 700 of the 1 979 localities in Sweden. The largest decrease was registered in Karlskoga locality, followed by both parts of Malmberget. The decrease was largest among localities in the size class 1 000–10 000 inhabitants.
| Size class, based on population | Number of localities, 2017 | Number of inhabitants | Difference in percent | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 2017 | Difference | ||||
|
Total in Sweden
|
1 979
|
8 696 023 | 8 795 471 | 99 448 | 1,1 | |
|
At least 100 000 inhabitants
|
9
|
3 174 309 | 3 224 628 | 50 319 | 1,6 | |
|
50 000 -
99 999 inhabitants |
13
|
956 385 | 968 442 | 12 057 | 1,3 | |
|
10 000 -
49 999 inhabitants |
104
|
2 122 800 | 2 162 045 | 39 245 | 1,8 | |
|
1 000 -
9 999 inhabitants |
616
|
1 876 146 | 1 868 585 | ‑7 561 | ‑0,4 | |
|
Less than
1 000 inhabitants |
1 237
|
566 383 | 571 771 | 5 388 | 1 | |
Increased population density
Statistics on the 2017 population in localities was calculated using 2015 locality boundaries. The statistics are a measure of population density development in localities over the past year. Where there has been an increase in the population, there has also been an increase in population density. In 2016–2017, the average population density in Sweden’s localities increased by 16 persons per square kilometre. At the end of 2017, population density was, on average, 1 425 persons per square kilometre in localities, compared with 25 persons per square kilometre in the whole country.
Statistics Sweden’s definition of localities
The localities included in the statistics are defined in brief as continuous settlement with at least 200 inhabitants. Localities thus include everything from the largest cities to small areas with only 200 inhabitants.
Statistics on the 2017 population in localities was calculated using 2015 locality boundaries. This means that the statistics do not include people living in settlements that arose immediately outside the 2015 locality boundaries and that would be included in localities if their area distribution were updated. Small locality groups that were not classified as localities in 2015 because the population was too small, but where the population has since increased to 200 inhabitants or more, are not included. The statistics also contain localities in which the population has decreased since 2015 and thereby have a population of fewer than 200 inhabitants.
The next update of localities’ area distribution will be in 2019, with 31 December 2018 as a reference point. Until that time, yearly population updates will be carried out using the 2015 localities.
Next publishing will be
The next statistical news in this series will be published in 2019.
Feel free to use the facts from this statistical news but remember to state Source: Statistics Sweden.