Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality: population and statistics
Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality has a population of 5,573 (2026) across 682.5 km², or 8.2 people per km². It ranks 56 of 78 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −1.6% between 2022 and 2026.
- 5,573 residents
- 682.5 km²
- 8 people/km²
- 119 m
Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality in numbers
Key points
Among the 8 municipalities in Lääne-Viru County, Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality ranks No. 5 by population.
Dwellings built after 2000: 0.9% in Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality, compared with an average of 3.1% in Lääne-Viru County and 15.0% nationally.
Natural increase per 1,000 inhabitants: −12.5 ‰ in Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality, compared with an average of −8.7 ‰ in Lääne-Viru County and −4.7 ‰ nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 32.9% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 42° generates about 933 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Lääne-Viru County for “Elevation”.
- Number 1 in Lääne-Viru County for “Dwellings built before 1946”.
- “Dwellings built after 2000”: lower than in 96% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 95,581 football pitches.
- Its population density is 3.8 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Vinni Rural Municipality, 21.5 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Järva Rural Municipality (8,751 residents), 23 km away.
Population of Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality over time
Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality had 5,664 residents in 2022 and 5,573 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 5,664 |
| 2023 | 5,653 |
| 2024 | 5,624 |
| 2025 | 5,615 |
| 2026 | 5,573 |
All indicators for Väike-Maarja 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 | Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality | Lääne-Viru County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2026) | 26.9% | 24.4% | 24.9% | ranked 25 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) | −12.5 ‰ | −8.7 ‰ | −8.4 ‰ | ranked 61 of 75 | |
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 3.8 ‰ | −4.3 ‰ | −0.5 ‰ | ranked 27 of 75 |
Housing
| Indicator | Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality | Lääne-Viru County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings built before 1946 (2021) | 24.2% | 10.8% | 22.3% | ranked 35 of 75 | |
| Dwellings built after 2000 (2021) | 0.9% | 3.1% | 4.5% | ranked 72 of 75 | |
| Dwellings in detached houses (single-dwelling buildings) (2021) | 46.5% | 39.1% | 50.2% | ranked 46 of 75 | |
| Average floor area of dwellings (2021) | 74.9 m² | 69.8 m² | 78.4 m² | ranked 51 of 75 | |
| New dwellings permitted for use in 2021–2025 per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 0.9 ‰ | 7.1 ‰ | 8.8 ‰ | ranked 67 of 71 |
Energy
| Indicator | Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality | Lääne-Viru County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings with central heating (2021) | 33.4% | 47.5% | 45.2% | ranked 54 of 75 |
Economy
| Indicator | Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality | Lääne-Viru County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average monthly gross wage (2025) | 1,592 € | 1,654 € | 1,676 € | ranked 54 of 75 | |
| Median monthly gross wage (2025) | 1,399 € | – | 1,464 € | ranked 51 of 74 | |
| Number of enterprises (statistical profile enterprises) (2025) | 490 | 5,082 | 159,827 | ranked 61 of 78 | |
| Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 87.9 ‰ | 87.1 ‰ | 97.1 ‰ | ranked 54 of 75 | |
| Businesses entered in the Commercial Register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 153.2 ‰ | 156.0 ‰ | 174.5 ‰ | ranked 59 of 75 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 10.8 ‰ | 10.2 ‰ | 11.4 ‰ | ranked 46 of 75 |
Employment
| Indicator | Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality | 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: Väike-Maarja 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 fishing32.9% ×5.1
- Construction14.1% ×1.3
- Wholesale and retail trade11.2% ×0.8
- Professional, scientific and technical8.4% ×0.5
- Manufacturing5.5% ×0.9
- Transport and storage4.7% ×0.8
- Administrative and support services4.7% ×0.9
- Other service activities4.5% ×0.8
Sunshine and temperatures: Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality
Where is Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality?
Neighbouring municipalities
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality?
Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality has 5,573 residents (2026), ranking 56 of 78 municipalities.
How big is Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality?
Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality covers 682.5 km², with a density of 8 people per km².
Is the population of Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality growing?
Between 2022 and 2026, the population of Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality went from 5,664 to 5,573, a change of −1.6%.
Where is Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality?
Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality is in Lääne-Viru County. Latitude 59.126, longitude 26.250.
Dwellings built after 2000: what is the figure for Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality?
In Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality, “Dwellings built after 2000” stands at 0.9% (2021), ranking 72 of 75 municipalities; the national median is 4.5%.
Natural increase per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality?
In Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality, “Natural increase per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at −12.5 ‰ (2025), ranking 61 of 75 municipalities; the national median is −8.4 ‰.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality?
In Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 42° produces about 933 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality?
The nearest to Väike-Maarja Rural Municipality are Vinni Rural Municipality (22 km), Järva Rural Municipality (23 km), Rakvere Rural Municipality (26 km), Rakvere City (26 km), Kadrina Rural Municipality (26 km).
Coat of arms: Väike-Maarja Parish, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons · Flag: Ch1902, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons. Coats of arms and flags are shown for identification only; this site is not affiliated with any public authority.
