Kihnu Rural Municipality: population and statistics
Kihnu Rural Municipality has a population of 490 (2026) across 17.2 km², or 28.4 people per km². It ranks 76 of 78 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −11.1% between 2022 and 2026.
- 490 residents
- 17.2 km²
- 28 people/km²
- 6 m
Kihnu Rural Municipality in numbers
Key points
Among the 7 municipalities in Pärnu County, Kihnu Rural Municipality ranks No. 7 by population.
Share of people aged 65 and over: 27.8% in Kihnu Rural Municipality, compared with an average of 23.5% in Pärnu County and 21.4% nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 39.5% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 42° generates about 1,000 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Pärnu County for “Dwellings built before 1946”.
- Number 1 in Pärnu County for “Dwellings in detached houses (single-dwelling buildings)”.
- “Number of enterprises (statistical profile enterprises)”: lower than in 96% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 2,416 football pitches.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Häädemeeste Rural Municipality (4,733 residents), 31 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,000 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Population of Kihnu Rural Municipality over time
Kihnu Rural Municipality had 551 residents in 2022 and 490 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 551 |
| 2023 | 529 |
| 2024 | 520 |
| 2025 | 498 |
| 2026 | 490 |
All indicators for Kihnu 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 | Kihnu Rural Municipality | Pärnu County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2026) | 27.8% | 23.5% | 24.9% | ||
| Share of people aged 17 and under (2026) | 13.7% | 18.7% | 18.1% | ||
| Natural increase per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −8.1 ‰ | −5.7 ‰ | −8.4 ‰ | ||
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −12.1 ‰ | −2.9 ‰ | −0.5 ‰ |
Housing
| Indicator | Kihnu Rural Municipality | Pärnu County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings built before 1946 (2021) | 37.5% | 19.7% | 22.3% | ||
| Dwellings built after 2000 (2021) | 7.4% | 12.4% | 4.5% | ||
| Dwellings in detached houses (single-dwelling buildings) (2021) | 91.6% | 39.1% | 50.2% | ||
| Average floor area of dwellings (2021) | 78.2 m² | 73.9 m² | 78.4 m² | ||
| New dwellings permitted for use in 2021–2025 per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 2.0 ‰ | 21.7 ‰ | 8.8 ‰ |
Energy
| Indicator | Kihnu Rural Municipality | Pärnu County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings with central heating (2021) | 4.6% | 50.9% | 45.2% |
Economy
| Indicator | Kihnu Rural Municipality | Pärnu County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average monthly gross wage (2025) | 1,649 € | 1,665 € | 1,676 € | ||
| Median monthly gross wage (2025) | 1,445 € | – | 1,464 € | ||
| Number of enterprises (statistical profile enterprises) (2025) | 129 | 9,126 | 159,827 | ranked 75 of 78 | |
| Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 263.3 ‰ | 104.9 ‰ | 97.1 ‰ | ||
| Businesses entered in the Commercial Register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 410.2 ‰ | 189.1 ‰ | 174.5 ‰ | ||
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 26.5 ‰ | 12.6 ‰ | 11.4 ‰ |
Employment
| Indicator | Kihnu Rural Municipality | Pärnu County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered unemployed among people aged 16–64 (2025) | 5.2% | 4.3% | 4.7% |
Business sectors: Kihnu 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 fishing39.5% ×6.1
- Accommodation and food services12.4% ×4.0
- Wholesale and retail trade11.6% ×0.8
- Professional, scientific and technical7.0% ×0.5
- Construction6.2% ×0.6
- Manufacturing4.7% ×0.8
- Arts, entertainment and recreation4.7% ×1.3
- Real estate3.1% ×0.5
Sunshine and temperatures: Kihnu Rural Municipality
Where is Kihnu Rural Municipality?
Neighbouring municipalities
- Häädemeeste Rural Municipality31 km · 4,733
- Pärnu City42 km · 52,198
- Lääneranna Rural Municipality52 km · 4,951
- Ruhnu Rural Municipality57 km · 91
- Saarde Rural Municipality57 km · 4,192
- Tori Rural Municipality62 km · 12,574
- Muhu Rural Municipality68 km · 1,561
- Põhja-Pärnumaa Rural Municipality77 km · 7,877
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kihnu Rural Municipality?
Kihnu Rural Municipality has 490 residents (2026), ranking 76 of 78 municipalities.
How big is Kihnu Rural Municipality?
Kihnu Rural Municipality covers 17.2 km², with a density of 28 people per km².
Is the population of Kihnu Rural Municipality growing?
Between 2022 and 2026, the population of Kihnu Rural Municipality went from 551 to 490, a change of −11.1%.
Where is Kihnu Rural Municipality?
Kihnu Rural Municipality is in Pärnu County. Latitude 58.130, longitude 23.990.
Number of enterprises (statistical profile enterprises): what is the figure for Kihnu Rural Municipality?
In Kihnu Rural Municipality, “Number of enterprises (statistical profile enterprises)” stands at 129 (2025), ranking 75 of 78 municipalities; the national median is 799.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Kihnu Rural Municipality?
In Kihnu Rural Municipality, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 42° produces about 1,000 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Kihnu Rural Municipality?
The nearest to Kihnu Rural Municipality are Häädemeeste Rural Municipality (31 km), Pärnu City (42 km), Lääneranna Rural Municipality (52 km), Ruhnu Rural Municipality (57 km), Saarde Rural Municipality (57 km).
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