Saaremaa Rural Municipality: population and statistics
Saaremaa Rural Municipality has a population of 29,869 (2026) across 2,718.5 km², or 11.0 people per km². It ranks 6 of 78 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +1.1% between 2022 and 2026.
- 29,869 residents
- 2,718.5 km²
- 11 people/km²
- 23 m
Saaremaa Rural Municipality in numbers
Key points
Among the 3 municipalities in Saare County, Saaremaa Rural Municipality ranks No. 1 by population.
Dwellings in detached houses (single-dwelling buildings): 57.5% in Saaremaa Rural Municipality, compared with an average of 59.1% in Saare County and 27.4% nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 17.7% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 43° generates about 1,003 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Number of enterprises (statistical profile enterprises)”: higher than in 95% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 380,745 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.8 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Muhu Rural Municipality, 42.1 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Pärnu City (52,198 residents), 111 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 4,012 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Population of Saaremaa Rural Municipality over time
Saaremaa Rural Municipality had 29,557 residents in 2022 and 29,869 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 29,557 |
| 2023 | 30,191 |
| 2024 | 30,304 |
| 2025 | 30,121 |
| 2026 | 29,869 |
All indicators for Saaremaa 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 | Saaremaa Rural Municipality | Saare County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2026) | 23.3% | 23.6% | 24.9% | ranked 44 of 75 | |
| Share of people aged 17 and under (2026) | 18.2% | 18.0% | 18.1% | ranked 36 of 75 | |
| Natural increase per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −6.6 ‰ | −7.8 ‰ | −8.4 ‰ | ranked 29 of 75 | |
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −2.0 ‰ | −1.4 ‰ | −0.5 ‰ | ranked 45 of 75 |
Housing
| Indicator | Saaremaa Rural Municipality | Saare County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings built before 1946 (2021) | 24.8% | 26.2% | 22.3% | ranked 34 of 75 | |
| Dwellings built after 2000 (2021) | 8.1% | 8.1% | 4.5% | ranked 27 of 75 | |
| Dwellings in detached houses (single-dwelling buildings) (2021) | 57.5% | 59.1% | 50.2% | ranked 26 of 75 | |
| Average floor area of dwellings (2021) | 77.0 m² | 77.8 m² | 78.4 m² | ranked 43 of 75 | |
| New dwellings permitted for use in 2021–2025 per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 13.7 ‰ | 13.7 ‰ | 8.8 ‰ | ranked 27 of 71 |
Energy
| Indicator | Saaremaa Rural Municipality | Saare County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings with central heating (2021) | 36.9% | 35.6% | 45.2% | ranked 48 of 75 |
Economy
| Indicator | Saaremaa Rural Municipality | Saare County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average monthly gross wage (2025) | 1,611 € | 1,602 € | 1,676 € | ranked 50 of 75 | |
| Median monthly gross wage (2025) | 1,395 € | – | 1,464 € | ranked 52 of 74 | |
| Number of enterprises (statistical profile enterprises) (2025) | 3,529 | 3,830 | 159,827 | ranked 5 of 78 | |
| Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 118.1 ‰ | 121.5 ‰ | 97.1 ‰ | ranked 19 of 75 | |
| Businesses entered in the Commercial Register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 220.9 ‰ | 226.4 ‰ | 174.5 ‰ | ranked 15 of 75 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 13.2 ‰ | 13.6 ‰ | 11.4 ‰ | ranked 19 of 75 |
Employment
| Indicator | Saaremaa Rural Municipality | Saare County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered unemployed among people aged 16–64 (2025) | 5.1% | 5.1% | 4.7% | ranked 25 of 75 |
Business sectors: Saaremaa 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 fishing17.7% ×2.8
- Construction12.7% ×1.2
- Professional, scientific and technical11.2% ×0.7
- Wholesale and retail trade10.5% ×0.7
- Manufacturing8.3% ×1.3
- Accommodation and food services6.9% ×2.2
- Other service activities6.5% ×1.2
- Real estate5.3% ×0.8
Sunshine and temperatures: Saaremaa Rural Municipality
Where is Saaremaa Rural Municipality?
Neighbouring municipalities
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Saaremaa Rural Municipality?
Saaremaa Rural Municipality has 29,869 residents (2026), ranking 6 of 78 municipalities.
How big is Saaremaa Rural Municipality?
Saaremaa Rural Municipality covers 2,718.5 km², with a density of 11 people per km².
Is the population of Saaremaa Rural Municipality growing?
Between 2022 and 2026, the population of Saaremaa Rural Municipality went from 29,557 to 29,869, a change of +1.1%.
Where is Saaremaa Rural Municipality?
Saaremaa Rural Municipality is in Saare County. Latitude 58.417, longitude 22.617.
Number of enterprises (statistical profile enterprises): what is the figure for Saaremaa Rural Municipality?
In Saaremaa Rural Municipality, “Number of enterprises (statistical profile enterprises)” stands at 3,529 (2025), ranking 5 of 78 municipalities; the national median is 799.
Dwellings in detached houses (single-dwelling buildings): what is the figure for Saaremaa Rural Municipality?
In Saaremaa Rural Municipality, “Dwellings in detached houses (single-dwelling buildings)” stands at 57.5% (2021), ranking 26 of 75 municipalities; the national median is 50.2%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Saaremaa Rural Municipality?
In Saaremaa Rural Municipality, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 43° produces about 1,003 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Saaremaa Rural Municipality?
The nearest to Saaremaa Rural Municipality are Muhu Rural Municipality (42 km), Hiiumaa Rural Municipality (63 km), Vormsi Rural Municipality (74 km), Ruhnu Rural Municipality (78 km), Haapsalu City (78 km).
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