Rakvere City: population and statistics
Rakvere City has a population of 15,345 (2026) across 10.8 km², or 1,427 people per km². It ranks 14 of 78 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +1.3% between 2022 and 2026.
- 15,345 residents
- 10.8 km²
- 1,427 people/km²
- 80 m
Rakvere City in numbers
Key points
Among the 8 municipalities in Lääne-Viru County, Rakvere City ranks No. 1 by population.
Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants: −14.6 ‰ in Rakvere City, compared with an average of −4.3 ‰ in Lääne-Viru County and −2.0 ‰ nationally.
Dwellings in detached houses (single-dwelling buildings): 24.7% in Rakvere City, compared with an average of 39.1% in Lääne-Viru County and 27.4% nationally.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 16.5% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 42° generates about 944 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Lääne-Viru County for “Population”.
- Number 1 in Lääne-Viru County for “Population density”.
- “Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 1,506 football pitches.
- Its population density is 45.6 times the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Rakvere Rural Municipality, 0.6 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Kohtla-Järve City (32,368 residents), 53 km away.
Population of Rakvere City over time
Rakvere City had 15,141 residents in 2022 and 15,345 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 15,141 |
| 2023 | 15,614 |
| 2024 | 15,695 |
| 2025 | 15,668 |
| 2026 | 15,345 |
All indicators for Rakvere City
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 | Rakvere City | Lääne-Viru County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2026) | 22.6% | 24.4% | 24.9% | ranked 50 of 75 | |
| Share of people aged 17 and under (2026) | 18.8% | 18.4% | 18.1% | ranked 28 of 75 | |
| Natural increase per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −6.3 ‰ | −8.7 ‰ | −8.4 ‰ | ranked 26 of 75 | |
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −14.6 ‰ | −4.3 ‰ | −0.5 ‰ | ranked 74 of 75 |
Housing
| Indicator | Rakvere City | Lääne-Viru County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings built before 1946 (2021) | 7.8% | 10.8% | 22.3% | ranked 64 of 75 | |
| Dwellings built after 2000 (2021) | 2.8% | 3.1% | 4.5% | ranked 47 of 75 | |
| Dwellings in detached houses (single-dwelling buildings) (2021) | 24.7% | 39.1% | 50.2% | ranked 66 of 75 | |
| Average floor area of dwellings (2021) | 63.0 m² | 69.8 m² | 78.4 m² | ranked 65 of 75 | |
| New dwellings permitted for use in 2021–2025 per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 11.7 ‰ | 7.1 ‰ | 8.8 ‰ | ranked 30 of 71 |
Energy
| Indicator | Rakvere City | Lääne-Viru County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings with central heating (2021) | 58.8% | 47.5% | 45.2% | ranked 25 of 75 |
Economy
| Indicator | Rakvere City | Lääne-Viru County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average monthly gross wage (2025) | 1,678 € | 1,654 € | 1,676 € | ranked 37 of 75 | |
| Median monthly gross wage (2025) | 1,460 € | – | 1,464 € | ranked 38 of 74 | |
| Number of enterprises (statistical profile enterprises) (2025) | 1,354 | 5,082 | 159,827 | ranked 16 of 78 | |
| Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 88.2 ‰ | 87.1 ‰ | 97.1 ‰ | ranked 53 of 75 | |
| Businesses entered in the Commercial Register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 161.4 ‰ | 156.0 ‰ | 174.5 ‰ | ranked 51 of 75 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 10.6 ‰ | 10.2 ‰ | 11.4 ‰ | ranked 49 of 75 |
Employment
| Indicator | Rakvere City | Lääne-Viru County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered unemployed among people aged 16–64 (2025) | 4.2% | 4.6% | 4.7% | ranked 54 of 75 |
Business sectors: Rakvere City
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Wholesale and retail trade16.5% ×1.1
- Construction15.8% ×1.5
- Professional, scientific and technical12.2% ×0.8
- Other service activities8.9% ×1.6
- Real estate6.9% ×1.0
- Manufacturing6.6% ×1.1
- Transport and storage6.0% ×1.0
- Health and social work4.9% ×2.8
Sunshine and temperatures: Rakvere City
Where is Rakvere City?
Neighbouring municipalities
- Rakvere Rural Municipality0.6 km · 5,844
- Vinni Rural Municipality7.3 km · 6,689
- Haljala Rural Municipality11 km · 3,909
- Kadrina Rural Municipality13 km · 4,629
- Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality21 km · 5,533
- Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality26 km · 5,573
- Tapa Rural Municipality32 km · 10,787
- Lüganuse Rural Municipality38 km · 8,008
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Rakvere City?
Rakvere City has 15,345 residents (2026), ranking 14 of 78 municipalities.
How big is Rakvere City?
Rakvere City covers 10.8 km², with a density of 1,427 people per km².
Is the population of Rakvere City growing?
Between 2022 and 2026, the population of Rakvere City went from 15,141 to 15,345, a change of +1.3%.
Where is Rakvere City?
Rakvere City is in Lääne-Viru County. Latitude 59.351, longitude 26.361.
Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Rakvere City?
In Rakvere City, “Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at −14.6 ‰ (2025), ranking 74 of 75 municipalities; the national median is −0.5 ‰.
Dwellings in detached houses (single-dwelling buildings): what is the figure for Rakvere City?
In Rakvere City, “Dwellings in detached houses (single-dwelling buildings)” stands at 24.7% (2021), ranking 66 of 75 municipalities; the national median is 50.2%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Rakvere City?
In Rakvere City, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 42° produces about 944 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Rakvere City?
The nearest to Rakvere City are Rakvere Rural Municipality (0.6 km), Vinni Rural Municipality (7.3 km), Haljala Rural Municipality (11 km), Kadrina Rural Municipality (13 km), Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality (21 km).