Kanepi Rural Municipality: population and statistics
Kanepi Rural Municipality has a population of 4,429 (2026) across 524.7 km², or 8.4 people per km². It ranks 67 of 78 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −1.1% between 2022 and 2026.
- 4,429 residents
- 524.7 km²
- 8 people/km²
- 125 m
Kanepi Rural Municipality in numbers
Key points
Among the 3 municipalities in Põlva County, Kanepi Rural Municipality ranks No. 3 by population.
Natural increase per 1,000 inhabitants: −20.6 ‰ in Kanepi Rural Municipality, compared with an average of −11.5 ‰ in Põlva County and −4.7 ‰ nationally.
Dwellings built before 1946: 45.9% in Kanepi Rural Municipality, compared with an average of 33.1% in Põlva County and 14.6% nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 27.7% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 42° generates about 942 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Natural increase per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Dwellings built before 1946”: higher than in 93% of municipalities.
- “Dwellings with central heating”: lower than in 92% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 73,482 football pitches.
- Its population density is 3.7 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Otepää Rural Municipality, 16.5 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Põlva Rural Municipality (13,049 residents), 20 km away.
Population of Kanepi Rural Municipality over time
Kanepi Rural Municipality had 4,480 residents in 2022 and 4,429 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 4,480 |
| 2023 | 4,453 |
| 2024 | 4,502 |
| 2025 | 4,494 |
| 2026 | 4,429 |
All indicators for Kanepi 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 | Kanepi Rural Municipality | Põlva County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2026) | 27.8% | 26.9% | 24.9% | ranked 19 of 75 | |
| Share of people aged 17 and under (2026) | 18.0% | 16.9% | 18.1% | ranked 40 of 75 | |
| Natural increase per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −20.6 ‰ | −11.5 ‰ | −8.4 ‰ | ranked 73 of 75 | |
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 6.1 ‰ | −2.9 ‰ | −0.5 ‰ | ranked 23 of 75 |
Housing
| Indicator | Kanepi Rural Municipality | Põlva County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings built before 1946 (2021) | 45.9% | 33.1% | 22.3% | ranked 6 of 75 | |
| Dwellings built after 2000 (2021) | 3.3% | 2.8% | 4.5% | ranked 42 of 75 | |
| Dwellings in detached houses (single-dwelling buildings) (2021) | 68.6% | 55.4% | 50.2% | ranked 8 of 75 | |
| Average floor area of dwellings (2021) | 85.8 m² | 79.3 m² | 78.4 m² | ranked 18 of 75 | |
| New dwellings permitted for use in 2021–2025 per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 7.4 ‰ | 5.0 ‰ | 8.8 ‰ | ranked 39 of 71 |
Energy
| Indicator | Kanepi Rural Municipality | Põlva County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings with central heating (2021) | 24.6% | 39.6% | 45.2% | ranked 69 of 75 |
Economy
| Indicator | Kanepi Rural Municipality | Põlva County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average monthly gross wage (2025) | 1,567 € | 1,629 € | 1,676 € | ranked 60 of 75 | |
| Median monthly gross wage (2025) | 1,384 € | – | 1,464 € | ranked 56 of 74 | |
| Number of enterprises (statistical profile enterprises) (2025) | 512 | 2,239 | 159,827 | ranked 60 of 78 | |
| Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 115.6 ‰ | 96.4 ‰ | 97.1 ‰ | ranked 20 of 75 | |
| Businesses entered in the Commercial Register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 190.8 ‰ | 163.5 ‰ | 174.5 ‰ | ranked 27 of 75 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 9.0 ‰ | 8.7 ‰ | 11.4 ‰ | ranked 57 of 75 |
Employment
| Indicator | Kanepi Rural Municipality | Põlva County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered unemployed among people aged 16–64 (2025) | 4.9% | 5.1% | 4.7% | ranked 29 of 75 |
Business sectors: Kanepi 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 fishing27.7% ×4.3
- Construction14.1% ×1.3
- Wholesale and retail trade10.4% ×0.7
- Professional, scientific and technical9.6% ×0.6
- Manufacturing8.6% ×1.4
- Transport and storage6.1% ×1.1
- Arts, entertainment and recreation4.7% ×1.3
- Administrative and support services4.5% ×0.8
Sunshine and temperatures: Kanepi Rural Municipality
Where is Kanepi Rural Municipality?
Neighbouring municipalities
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kanepi Rural Municipality?
Kanepi Rural Municipality has 4,429 residents (2026), ranking 67 of 78 municipalities.
How big is Kanepi Rural Municipality?
Kanepi Rural Municipality covers 524.7 km², with a density of 8 people per km².
Is the population of Kanepi Rural Municipality growing?
Between 2022 and 2026, the population of Kanepi Rural Municipality went from 4,480 to 4,429, a change of −1.1%.
Where is Kanepi Rural Municipality?
Kanepi Rural Municipality is in Põlva County. Latitude 57.983, longitude 26.750.
Natural increase per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Kanepi Rural Municipality?
In Kanepi Rural Municipality, “Natural increase per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at −20.6 ‰ (2025), ranking 73 of 75 municipalities; the national median is −8.4 ‰.
Dwellings built before 1946: what is the figure for Kanepi Rural Municipality?
In Kanepi Rural Municipality, “Dwellings built before 1946” stands at 45.9% (2021), ranking 6 of 75 municipalities; the national median is 22.3%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Kanepi Rural Municipality?
In Kanepi Rural Municipality, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 42° produces about 942 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Kanepi Rural Municipality?
The nearest to Kanepi Rural Municipality are Otepää Rural Municipality (16 km), Põlva Rural Municipality (20 km), Võru City (21 km), Antsla Rural Municipality (21 km), Võru Rural Municipality (22 km).
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