Helsinki Population Crosses 700,000, 21% Have Foreign Mother Tongue

The population of Helsinki has officially crossed the 700,000 mark as a sharp increase in international migration accelerates the capital’s growth.

Figures released by the City of Helsinki on Friday indicate the milestone was reached in mid-August, exactly 14 years after the city recorded 600,000 residents.

Population growth in the Finnish capital has accelerated rapidly over the past two years.

While the city gained an average of 5,500 residents annually during the 2000s, new forecasts predict annual growth of up to 9,000 people in the coming years.

Migration now accounts for the vast majority of this increase. In 2025, net migration represented 90 percent of Helsinki’s overall population growth.

International arrivals have become the primary source of new residents. The city expects international net migration to settle at a permanent level of about 5,000 people a year.

City researcher Hertta Sydänlammi noted that migration from abroad has increased in recent years. She says it will remain the main driver of the city’s future population growth.

This influx is significantly altering the city’s demographics compared to the rest of Finland. The median age in Helsinki is 39, which is notably younger than the national median age of 44.

Declining birth rate and aging rural population

Finland as a whole faces severe economic and social challenges due to declining birth rates and a rapidly aging rural population. Helsinki stands as an exception to this national trend, with about two-thirds of its residents currently of working age.

The capital is also becoming far more linguistically diverse. By the end of 2025, 21 percent of Helsinki residents had a registered mother tongue other than Finnish, Swedish, or Sámi.

The number of foreign-born residents has more than tripled since the turn of the century. Currently, 19 percent of the city’s residents were born abroad, and 13 percent are foreign citizens.

Despite the youthful trend, the number of older residents in the capital is still rising. The city expects its population aged 75 or older to grow from 62,000 to 82,000 by 2040.

Births currently exceed deaths in the capital, aided by the arrival of migrating women of childbearing age. However, mortality is forecast to rise faster as the population eventually ages, with deaths expected to exceed births around 2060.