Elva Rural Municipality: population and statistics
Elva Rural Municipality has a population of 14,624 (2026) across 732.0 km², or 20.0 people per km². It ranks 17 of 78 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −0.6% between 2022 and 2026.
- 14,624 residents
- 732.0 km²
- 20 people/km²
- 63 m
Elva Rural Municipality in numbers
Key points
Among the 8 municipalities in Tartu County, Elva Rural Municipality ranks No. 3 by population.
Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants: 82.9 ‰ in Elva Rural Municipality, compared with an average of 101.6 ‰ in Tartu County and 117.5 ‰ nationally.
Share of people aged 17 and under: 20.5% in Elva Rural Municipality, compared with an average of 21.0% in Tartu County and 18.7% nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 17.7% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 42° generates about 948 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Its area is roughly equal to 102,525 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Nõo Rural Municipality, 10.2 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Tartu City (99,900 residents), 26 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,792 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Population of Elva Rural Municipality over time
Elva Rural Municipality had 14,706 residents in 2022 and 14,624 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 14,706 |
| 2023 | 14,863 |
| 2024 | 14,919 |
| 2025 | 14,767 |
| 2026 | 14,624 |
All indicators for Elva 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 | Elva Rural Municipality | Tartu County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2026) | 22.8% | 17.8% | 24.9% | ranked 47 of 75 | |
| Share of people aged 17 and under (2026) | 20.5% | 21.0% | 18.1% | ranked 18 of 75 | |
| Natural increase per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −9.6 ‰ | −0.7 ‰ | −8.4 ‰ | ranked 42 of 75 | |
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −0.5 ‰ | 2.2 ‰ | −0.5 ‰ | ranked 38 of 75 |
Housing
| Indicator | Elva Rural Municipality | Tartu County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings built before 1946 (2021) | 25.8% | 13.0% | 22.3% | ranked 31 of 75 | |
| Dwellings built after 2000 (2021) | 6.5% | 19.2% | 4.5% | ranked 31 of 75 | |
| Dwellings in detached houses (single-dwelling buildings) (2021) | 54.8% | 29.8% | 50.2% | ranked 31 of 75 | |
| Average floor area of dwellings (2021) | 79.9 m² | 72.4 m² | 78.4 m² | ranked 31 of 75 | |
| New dwellings permitted for use in 2021–2025 per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 8.5 ‰ | 38.0 ‰ | 8.8 ‰ | ranked 37 of 71 |
Energy
| Indicator | Elva Rural Municipality | Tartu County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings with central heating (2021) | 35.6% | 64.9% | 45.2% | ranked 51 of 75 |
Economy
| Indicator | Elva Rural Municipality | Tartu County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average monthly gross wage (2025) | 1,719 € | 2,047 € | 1,676 € | ranked 29 of 75 | |
| Median monthly gross wage (2025) | 1,547 € | – | 1,464 € | ranked 22 of 74 | |
| Number of enterprises (statistical profile enterprises) (2025) | 1,213 | 16,745 | 159,827 | ranked 22 of 78 | |
| Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 82.9 ‰ | 101.6 ‰ | 97.1 ‰ | ranked 60 of 75 | |
| Businesses entered in the Commercial Register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 153.7 ‰ | 200.5 ‰ | 174.5 ‰ | ranked 58 of 75 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 11.1 ‰ | 13.7 ‰ | 11.4 ‰ | ranked 40 of 75 |
Employment
| Indicator | Elva Rural Municipality | Tartu County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered unemployed among people aged 16–64 (2025) | 4.8% | 5.0% | 4.7% | ranked 35 of 75 |
Business sectors: Elva 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
- Construction17.0% ×1.6
- Wholesale and retail trade11.8% ×0.8
- Manufacturing10.1% ×1.6
- Professional, scientific and technical8.7% ×0.6
- Real estate4.9% ×0.7
- Administrative and support services4.9% ×0.9
- Other service activities4.7% ×0.8
Sunshine and temperatures: Elva Rural Municipality
Where is Elva Rural Municipality?
Neighbouring municipalities
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Elva Rural Municipality?
Elva Rural Municipality has 14,624 residents (2026), ranking 17 of 78 municipalities.
How big is Elva Rural Municipality?
Elva Rural Municipality covers 732.0 km², with a density of 20 people per km².
Is the population of Elva Rural Municipality growing?
Between 2022 and 2026, the population of Elva Rural Municipality went from 14,706 to 14,624, a change of −0.6%.
Where is Elva Rural Municipality?
Elva Rural Municipality is in Tartu County. Latitude 58.233, longitude 26.383.
Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Elva Rural Municipality?
In Elva Rural Municipality, “Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 82.9 ‰ (2025), ranking 60 of 75 municipalities; the national median is 97.1 ‰.
Share of people aged 17 and under: what is the figure for Elva Rural Municipality?
In Elva Rural Municipality, “Share of people aged 17 and under” stands at 20.5% (2026), ranking 18 of 75 municipalities; the national median is 18.1%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Elva Rural Municipality?
In Elva Rural Municipality, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 42° produces about 948 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Elva Rural Municipality?
The nearest to Elva Rural Municipality are Nõo Rural Municipality (10 km), Kambja Rural Municipality (19 km), Otepää Rural Municipality (22 km), Tartu City (26 km), Tartu Rural Municipality (31 km).
Coat of arms: Kristi Koppel, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons · Flag: Kristi Koppel, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons. Coats of arms and flags are shown for identification only; this site is not affiliated with any public authority.
