Põlva Rural Municipality: population and statistics
Põlva Rural Municipality has a population of 13,049 (2026) across 705.9 km², or 18.5 people per km². It ranks 22 of 78 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −2.6% between 2022 and 2026.
- 13,049 residents
- 705.9 km²
- 18 people/km²
- 64 m
Põlva Rural Municipality in numbers
Key points
Among the 3 municipalities in Põlva County, Põlva Rural Municipality ranks No. 1 by population.
Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants: −7.3 ‰ in Põlva Rural Municipality, compared with an average of −2.9 ‰ in Põlva County and −2.0 ‰ nationally.
Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants: 8.5 ‰ in Põlva Rural Municipality, compared with an average of 8.7 ‰ in Põlva County and 19.5 ‰ nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 18.1% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 42° generates about 946 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Its area is roughly equal to 98,867 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Kanepi Rural Municipality, 19.7 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Tartu City (99,900 residents), 42 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,784 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Population of Põlva Rural Municipality over time
Põlva Rural Municipality had 13,394 residents in 2022 and 13,049 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 13,394 |
| 2023 | 13,534 |
| 2024 | 13,450 |
| 2025 | 13,226 |
| 2026 | 13,049 |
All indicators for Põlva 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 | Põlva Rural Municipality | Põlva County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2026) | 25.4% | 26.9% | 24.9% | ranked 33 of 75 | |
| Share of people aged 17 and under (2026) | 17.7% | 16.9% | 18.1% | ranked 45 of 75 | |
| Natural increase per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −6.4 ‰ | −11.5 ‰ | −8.4 ‰ | ranked 28 of 75 | |
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −7.3 ‰ | −2.9 ‰ | −0.5 ‰ | ranked 62 of 75 |
Housing
| Indicator | Põlva Rural Municipality | Põlva County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings built before 1946 (2021) | 28.3% | 33.1% | 22.3% | ranked 24 of 75 | |
| Dwellings built after 2000 (2021) | 3.0% | 2.8% | 4.5% | ranked 45 of 75 | |
| Dwellings in detached houses (single-dwelling buildings) (2021) | 48.4% | 55.4% | 50.2% | ranked 43 of 75 | |
| Average floor area of dwellings (2021) | 77.9 m² | 79.3 m² | 78.4 m² | ranked 39 of 75 | |
| New dwellings permitted for use in 2021–2025 per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 4.9 ‰ | 5.0 ‰ | 8.8 ‰ | ranked 46 of 71 |
Energy
| Indicator | Põlva Rural Municipality | Põlva County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings with central heating (2021) | 50.5% | 39.6% | 45.2% | ranked 31 of 75 |
Economy
| Indicator | Põlva Rural Municipality | Põlva County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average monthly gross wage (2025) | 1,684 € | 1,629 € | 1,676 € | ranked 35 of 75 | |
| Median monthly gross wage (2025) | 1,470 € | – | 1,464 € | ranked 36 of 74 | |
| Number of enterprises (statistical profile enterprises) (2025) | 1,184 | 2,239 | 159,827 | ranked 23 of 78 | |
| Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 90.7 ‰ | 96.4 ‰ | 97.1 ‰ | ranked 48 of 75 | |
| Businesses entered in the Commercial Register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 156.5 ‰ | 163.5 ‰ | 174.5 ‰ | ranked 55 of 75 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 8.5 ‰ | 8.7 ‰ | 11.4 ‰ | ranked 62 of 75 |
Employment
| Indicator | Põlva Rural Municipality | Põlva County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered unemployed among people aged 16–64 (2025) | 5.3% | 5.1% | 4.7% | ranked 21 of 75 |
Business sectors: Põlva 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 fishing18.1% ×2.8
- Construction17.9% ×1.6
- Wholesale and retail trade12.3% ×0.8
- Professional, scientific and technical9.6% ×0.6
- Manufacturing8.6% ×1.4
- Other service activities7.3% ×1.3
- Transport and storage5.2% ×0.9
- Real estate4.1% ×0.6
Sunshine and temperatures: Põlva Rural Municipality
Where is Põlva Rural Municipality?
Neighbouring municipalities
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Põlva Rural Municipality?
Põlva Rural Municipality has 13,049 residents (2026), ranking 22 of 78 municipalities.
How big is Põlva Rural Municipality?
Põlva Rural Municipality covers 705.9 km², with a density of 18 people per km².
Is the population of Põlva Rural Municipality growing?
Between 2022 and 2026, the population of Põlva Rural Municipality went from 13,394 to 13,049, a change of −2.6%.
Where is Põlva Rural Municipality?
Põlva Rural Municipality is in Põlva County. Latitude 58.042, longitude 27.066.
Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Põlva Rural Municipality?
In Põlva Rural Municipality, “Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at −7.3 ‰ (2025), ranking 62 of 75 municipalities; the national median is −0.5 ‰.
Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Põlva Rural Municipality?
In Põlva Rural Municipality, “Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 8.5 ‰ (2026), ranking 62 of 75 municipalities; the national median is 11.4 ‰.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Põlva Rural Municipality?
In Põlva Rural Municipality, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 42° produces about 946 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Põlva Rural Municipality?
The nearest to Põlva Rural Municipality are Kanepi Rural Municipality (20 km), Võru Rural Municipality (21 km), Võru City (22 km), Räpina Rural Municipality (24 km), Kambja Rural Municipality (30 km).
Coat of arms: Põlva vald, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons · Flag: Aldis Toome, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons. Coats of arms and flags are shown for identification only; this site is not affiliated with any public authority.
