Pärnu City: population and statistics
Pärnu City has a population of 52,198 (2026) across 857.6 km², or 60.9 people per km². It ranks 3 of 78 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +1.9% between 2022 and 2026.
- 52,198 residents
- 857.6 km²
- 61 people/km²
- 9 m
Pärnu City in numbers
Key points
Among the 7 municipalities in Pärnu County, Pärnu City ranks No. 1 by population.
Dwellings in detached houses (single-dwelling buildings): 27.5% in Pärnu City, compared with an average of 39.1% in Pärnu County and 27.4% nationally.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 15.4% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 43° generates about 977 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Pärnu County for “Population”.
- Number 1 in Pärnu County for “Population density”.
- “Number of enterprises (statistical profile enterprises)”: higher than in 97% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 120,118 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Tori Rural Municipality, 20.5 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Tallinn (452,563 residents), 118 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,908 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Population of Pärnu City over time
Pärnu City had 51,209 residents in 2022 and 52,198 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 51,209 |
| 2023 | 52,362 |
| 2024 | 52,703 |
| 2025 | 52,812 |
| 2026 | 52,198 |
All indicators for Pärnu 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 | Pärnu City | Pärnu County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2026) | 23.1% | 23.5% | 24.9% | ranked 46 of 75 | |
| Share of people aged 17 and under (2026) | 18.7% | 18.7% | 18.1% | ranked 32 of 75 | |
| Natural increase per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −4.4 ‰ | −5.7 ‰ | −8.4 ‰ | ranked 21 of 75 | |
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −7.9 ‰ | −2.9 ‰ | −0.5 ‰ | ranked 63 of 75 |
Housing
| Indicator | Pärnu City | Pärnu County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings built before 1946 (2021) | 15.9% | 19.7% | 22.3% | ranked 44 of 75 | |
| Dwellings built after 2000 (2021) | 13.9% | 12.4% | 4.5% | ranked 17 of 75 | |
| Dwellings in detached houses (single-dwelling buildings) (2021) | 27.5% | 39.1% | 50.2% | ranked 64 of 75 | |
| Average floor area of dwellings (2021) | 68.0 m² | 73.9 m² | 78.4 m² | ranked 59 of 75 | |
| New dwellings permitted for use in 2021–2025 per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 25.4 ‰ | 21.7 ‰ | 8.8 ‰ | ranked 19 of 71 |
Energy
| Indicator | Pärnu City | Pärnu County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings with central heating (2021) | 60.2% | 50.9% | 45.2% | ranked 23 of 75 |
Economy
| Indicator | Pärnu City | Pärnu County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average monthly gross wage (2025) | 1,710 € | 1,665 € | 1,676 € | ranked 31 of 75 | |
| Median monthly gross wage (2025) | 1,450 € | – | 1,464 € | ranked 43 of 74 | |
| Number of enterprises (statistical profile enterprises) (2025) | 5,646 | 9,126 | 159,827 | ranked 3 of 78 | |
| Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 108.2 ‰ | 104.9 ‰ | 97.1 ‰ | ranked 23 of 75 | |
| Businesses entered in the Commercial Register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 197.9 ‰ | 189.1 ‰ | 174.5 ‰ | ranked 24 of 75 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 13.4 ‰ | 12.6 ‰ | 11.4 ‰ | ranked 17 of 75 |
Employment
| Indicator | Pärnu City | Pärnu County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered unemployed among people aged 16–64 (2025) | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.7% | ranked 51 of 75 |
Business sectors: Pärnu City
Share of each sector in total businesses; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Wholesale and retail trade15.4% ×1.0
- Construction15.0% ×1.4
- Professional, scientific and technical11.4% ×0.7
- Real estate7.9% ×1.2
- Other service activities7.7% ×1.4
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing7.0% ×1.1
- Manufacturing6.7% ×1.1
- Transport and storage5.7% ×1.0
Sunshine and temperatures: Pärnu City
Where is Pärnu City?
Neighbouring municipalities
- Tori Rural Municipality21 km · 12,574
- Häädemeeste Rural Municipality33 km · 4,733
- Saarde Rural Municipality36 km · 4,192
- Põhja-Pärnumaa Rural Municipality37 km · 7,877
- Lääneranna Rural Municipality42 km · 4,951
- Kihnu Rural Municipality42 km · 490
- Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality52 km · 7,407
- Mulgi Rural Municipality57 km · 6,896
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Pärnu City?
Pärnu City has 52,198 residents (2026), ranking 3 of 78 municipalities.
How big is Pärnu City?
Pärnu City covers 857.6 km², with a density of 61 people per km².
Is the population of Pärnu City growing?
Between 2022 and 2026, the population of Pärnu City went from 51,209 to 52,198, a change of +1.9%.
Where is Pärnu City?
Pärnu City is in Pärnu County. Latitude 58.379, longitude 24.528.
Number of enterprises (statistical profile enterprises): what is the figure for Pärnu City?
In Pärnu City, “Number of enterprises (statistical profile enterprises)” stands at 5,646 (2025), ranking 3 of 78 municipalities; the national median is 799.
Dwellings in detached houses (single-dwelling buildings): what is the figure for Pärnu City?
In Pärnu City, “Dwellings in detached houses (single-dwelling buildings)” stands at 27.5% (2021), ranking 64 of 75 municipalities; the national median is 50.2%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Pärnu City?
In Pärnu City, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 43° produces about 977 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Pärnu City?
The nearest to Pärnu City are Tori Rural Municipality (21 km), Häädemeeste Rural Municipality (33 km), Saarde Rural Municipality (36 km), Põhja-Pärnumaa Rural Municipality (37 km), Lääneranna Rural Municipality (42 km).
Coat of arms: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons · Flag: No machine-readable author provided. Wkentaur assumed (based on copyright claims)., Public domain, Wikimedia Commons. Coats of arms and flags are shown for identification only; this site is not affiliated with any public authority.
