Hiiumaa Rural Municipality: population and statistics
Hiiumaa Rural Municipality has a population of 8,330 (2026) across 1,032.6 km², or 8.1 people per km². It ranks 36 of 78 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −2.0% between 2022 and 2026.
- 8,330 residents
- 1,032.6 km²
- 8 people/km²
- 16 m
Hiiumaa Rural Municipality in numbers
Key points
Registered unemployed among people aged 16–64: 2.8% in Hiiumaa Rural Municipality, compared with an average of 2.8% in Hiiu County and 5.4% nationally.
Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants: 147.4 ‰ in Hiiumaa Rural Municipality, compared with an average of 147.4 ‰ in Hiiu County and 117.5 ‰ nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 19.8% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 43° generates about 990 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Registered unemployed among people aged 16–64”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants”: higher than in 97% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 144,618 football pitches.
- Its population density is 3.9 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Vormsi Rural Municipality, 26.8 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Haapsalu City (13,033 residents), 45 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,960 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Population of Hiiumaa Rural Municipality over time
Hiiumaa Rural Municipality had 8,497 residents in 2022 and 8,330 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 8,497 |
| 2023 | 8,474 |
| 2024 | 8,418 |
| 2025 | 8,346 |
| 2026 | 8,330 |
All indicators for Hiiumaa Rural Municipality
Value for the municipality, then the regional average and the national median (for counts: regional and national totals). The gauge places the municipality between the lowest and highest value in the country.
Population
| Indicator | Hiiumaa Rural Municipality | Hiiu County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2026) | 27.8% | 27.8% | 24.9% | ranked 19 of 75 | |
| Share of people aged 17 and under (2026) | 14.9% | 14.9% | 18.1% | ranked 64 of 75 | |
| Natural increase per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −7.0 ‰ | −7.0 ‰ | −8.4 ‰ | ranked 31 of 75 | |
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 5.2 ‰ | 5.2 ‰ | −0.5 ‰ | ranked 25 of 75 |
Housing
| Indicator | Hiiumaa Rural Municipality | Hiiu County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings built before 1946 (2021) | 40.6% | 40.6% | 22.3% | ranked 9 of 75 | |
| Dwellings built after 2000 (2021) | 5.6% | 5.6% | 4.5% | ranked 34 of 75 | |
| Dwellings in detached houses (single-dwelling buildings) (2021) | 66.3% | 66.3% | 50.2% | ranked 14 of 75 | |
| Average floor area of dwellings (2021) | 81.9 m² | 81.9 m² | 78.4 m² | ranked 26 of 75 | |
| New dwellings permitted for use in 2021–2025 per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 8.8 ‰ | 8.8 ‰ | 8.8 ‰ | ranked 36 of 71 |
Energy
| Indicator | Hiiumaa Rural Municipality | Hiiu County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings with central heating (2021) | 28.5% | 28.5% | 45.2% | ranked 61 of 75 |
Economy
| Indicator | Hiiumaa Rural Municipality | Hiiu County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average monthly gross wage (2025) | 1,613 € | 1,613 € | 1,676 € | ranked 49 of 75 | |
| Median monthly gross wage (2025) | 1,438 € | – | 1,464 € | ranked 46 of 74 | |
| Number of enterprises (statistical profile enterprises) (2025) | 1,228 | 1,228 | 159,827 | ranked 21 of 78 | |
| Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 147.4 ‰ | 147.4 ‰ | 97.1 ‰ | ranked 3 of 75 | |
| Businesses entered in the Commercial Register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 252.8 ‰ | 252.8 ‰ | 174.5 ‰ | ranked 7 of 75 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 13.0 ‰ | 13.0 ‰ | 11.4 ‰ | ranked 22 of 75 |
Employment
| Indicator | Hiiumaa Rural Municipality | Hiiu County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered unemployed among people aged 16–64 (2025) | 2.8% | 2.8% | 4.7% | ranked 75 of 75 |
Business sectors: Hiiumaa Rural Municipality
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing19.8% ×3.1
- Professional, scientific and technical12.3% ×0.8
- Construction11.5% ×1.1
- Wholesale and retail trade9.0% ×0.6
- Accommodation and food services7.9% ×2.6
- Manufacturing6.8% ×1.1
- Administrative and support services5.1% ×1.0
- Real estate4.8% ×0.7
Sunshine and temperatures: Hiiumaa Rural Municipality
Where is Hiiumaa Rural Municipality?
Neighbouring municipalities
- Vormsi Rural Municipality27 km · 260
- Haapsalu City45 km · 13,033
- Muhu Rural Municipality51 km · 1,561
- Lääne-Nigula Rural Municipality57 km · 6,907
- Saaremaa Rural Municipality63 km · 29,869
- Lääneranna Rural Municipality81 km · 4,951
- Lääne-Harju Rural Municipality91 km · 13,754
- Märjamaa Rural Municipality97 km · 7,188
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Hiiumaa Rural Municipality?
Hiiumaa Rural Municipality has 8,330 residents (2026), ranking 36 of 78 municipalities.
How big is Hiiumaa Rural Municipality?
Hiiumaa Rural Municipality covers 1,032.6 km², with a density of 8 people per km².
Is the population of Hiiumaa Rural Municipality growing?
Between 2022 and 2026, the population of Hiiumaa Rural Municipality went from 8,497 to 8,330, a change of −2.0%.
Where is Hiiumaa Rural Municipality?
Hiiumaa Rural Municipality is in Hiiu County. Latitude 58.983, longitude 22.750.
Registered unemployed among people aged 16–64: what is the figure for Hiiumaa Rural Municipality?
In Hiiumaa Rural Municipality, “Registered unemployed among people aged 16–64” stands at 2.8% (2025), ranking 75 of 75 municipalities; the national median is 4.7%.
Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Hiiumaa Rural Municipality?
In Hiiumaa Rural Municipality, “Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 147.4 ‰ (2025), ranking 3 of 75 municipalities; the national median is 97.1 ‰.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Hiiumaa Rural Municipality?
In Hiiumaa Rural Municipality, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 43° produces about 990 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Hiiumaa Rural Municipality?
The nearest to Hiiumaa Rural Municipality are Vormsi Rural Municipality (27 km), Haapsalu City (45 km), Muhu Rural Municipality (51 km), Lääne-Nigula Rural Municipality (57 km), Saaremaa Rural Municipality (63 km).
Coat of arms: Flying Saucer, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons · Flag: Flying Saucer, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons. Coats of arms and flags are shown for identification only; this site is not affiliated with any public authority.
