Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality: population and statistics
Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality has a population of 5,533 (2026) across 312.3 km², or 17.7 people per km². It ranks 57 of 78 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −2.0% between 2022 and 2026.
- 5,533 residents
- 312.3 km²
- 18 people/km²
- 55 m
Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality in numbers
Key points
Among the 8 municipalities in Lääne-Viru County, Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality ranks No. 6 by population.
Share of people aged 65 and over: 30.1% in Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality, compared with an average of 24.4% in Lääne-Viru County and 21.4% nationally.
Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants: 61.4 ‰ in Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality, compared with an average of 87.1 ‰ in Lääne-Viru County and 117.5 ‰ nationally.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 16.5% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 42° generates about 934 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Lääne-Viru County for “Share of people aged 65 and over”.
- Number 1 in Lääne-Viru County for “Dwellings with central heating”.
- “Share of people aged 65 and over”: higher than in 93% of municipalities.
- “Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 93% of municipalities.
- “Average floor area of dwellings”: lower than in 92% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 43,734 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Lüganuse Rural Municipality, 21.1 km away.
Population of Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality over time
Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality had 5,647 residents in 2022 and 5,533 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 5,647 |
| 2023 | 5,813 |
| 2024 | 5,768 |
| 2025 | 5,640 |
| 2026 | 5,533 |
All indicators for Viru-Nigula 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 | Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality | Lääne-Viru County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2026) | 30.1% | 24.4% | 24.9% | ranked 6 of 75 | |
| Share of people aged 17 and under (2026) | 14.8% | 18.4% | 18.1% | ranked 65 of 75 | |
| Natural increase per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −17.4 ‰ | −8.7 ‰ | −8.4 ‰ | ranked 68 of 75 | |
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −2.0 ‰ | −4.3 ‰ | −0.5 ‰ | ranked 45 of 75 |
Housing
| Indicator | Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality | Lääne-Viru County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings built before 1946 (2021) | 11.4% | 10.8% | 22.3% | ranked 54 of 75 | |
| Dwellings built after 2000 (2021) | 1.3% | 3.1% | 4.5% | ranked 67 of 75 | |
| Dwellings in detached houses (single-dwelling buildings) (2021) | 26.3% | 39.1% | 50.2% | ranked 65 of 75 | |
| Average floor area of dwellings (2021) | 59.3 m² | 69.8 m² | 78.4 m² | ranked 69 of 75 | |
| New dwellings permitted for use in 2021–2025 per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 2.3 ‰ | 7.1 ‰ | 8.8 ‰ | ranked 60 of 71 |
Energy
| Indicator | Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality | Lääne-Viru County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings with central heating (2021) | 67.3% | 47.5% | 45.2% | ranked 12 of 75 |
Economy
| Indicator | Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality | Lääne-Viru County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average monthly gross wage (2025) | 1,784 € | 1,654 € | 1,676 € | ranked 20 of 75 | |
| Median monthly gross wage (2025) | 1,507 € | – | 1,464 € | ranked 29 of 74 | |
| Number of enterprises (statistical profile enterprises) (2025) | 340 | 5,082 | 159,827 | ranked 71 of 78 | |
| Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 61.4 ‰ | 87.1 ‰ | 97.1 ‰ | ranked 70 of 75 | |
| Businesses entered in the Commercial Register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 122.2 ‰ | 156.0 ‰ | 174.5 ‰ | ranked 68 of 75 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 9.6 ‰ | 10.2 ‰ | 11.4 ‰ | ranked 53 of 75 |
Employment
| Indicator | Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality | Lääne-Viru County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered unemployed among people aged 16–64 (2025) | 5.7% | 4.6% | 4.7% | ranked 15 of 75 |
Business sectors: Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Construction16.5% ×1.5
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing15.0% ×2.3
- Wholesale and retail trade11.5% ×0.8
- Manufacturing10.6% ×1.7
- Transport and storage8.8% ×1.5
- Administrative and support services6.8% ×1.3
- Other service activities6.2% ×1.1
- Professional, scientific and technical5.3% ×0.3
Sunshine and temperatures: Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality
Where is Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality?
Neighbouring municipalities
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality?
Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality has 5,533 residents (2026), ranking 57 of 78 municipalities.
How big is Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality?
Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality covers 312.3 km², with a density of 18 people per km².
Is the population of Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality growing?
Between 2022 and 2026, the population of Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality went from 5,647 to 5,533, a change of −2.0%.
Where is Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality?
Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality is in Lääne-Viru County. Latitude 59.450, longitude 26.683.
Share of people aged 65 and over: what is the figure for Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality?
In Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality, “Share of people aged 65 and over” stands at 30.1% (2026), ranking 6 of 75 municipalities; the national median is 24.9%.
Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality?
In Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality, “Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 61.4 ‰ (2025), ranking 70 of 75 municipalities; the national median is 97.1 ‰.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality?
In Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 42° produces about 934 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality?
The nearest to Viru-Nigula Rural Municipality are Lüganuse Rural Municipality (21 km), Rakvere City (21 km), Rakvere Rural Municipality (22 km), Vinni Rural Municipality (22 km), Haljala Rural Municipality (24 km).
Coat of arms: Viru-Nigula 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.
