Otepää Rural Municipality: population and statistics
Otepää Rural Municipality has a population of 6,125 (2026) across 520.2 km², or 11.8 people per km². It ranks 51 of 78 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −1.8% between 2022 and 2026.
- 6,125 residents
- 520.2 km²
- 12 people/km²
- 152 m
Otepää Rural Municipality in numbers
Key points
Among the 3 municipalities in Valga County, Otepää Rural Municipality ranks No. 2 by population.
Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants: −11.3 ‰ in Otepää Rural Municipality, compared with an average of −7.5 ‰ in Valga County and −2.0 ‰ nationally.
Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants: 120.5 ‰ in Otepää Rural Municipality, compared with an average of 81.8 ‰ in Valga County and 117.5 ‰ nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 17.2% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 41° generates about 914 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 95% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 72,860 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.7 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Kanepi Rural Municipality, 16.5 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Elva Rural Municipality (14,624 residents), 22 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,656 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Population of Otepää Rural Municipality over time
Otepää Rural Municipality had 6,238 residents in 2022 and 6,125 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 6,238 |
| 2023 | 6,388 |
| 2024 | 6,342 |
| 2025 | 6,253 |
| 2026 | 6,125 |
All indicators for Otepää 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 | Otepää Rural Municipality | Valga County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2026) | 24.9% | 26.1% | 24.9% | ranked 38 of 75 | |
| Share of people aged 17 and under (2026) | 18.0% | 17.1% | 18.1% | ranked 40 of 75 | |
| Natural increase per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −10.0 ‰ | −12.3 ‰ | −8.4 ‰ | ranked 44 of 75 | |
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −11.3 ‰ | −7.5 ‰ | −0.5 ‰ | ranked 70 of 75 |
Housing
| Indicator | Otepää Rural Municipality | Valga County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings built before 1946 (2021) | 28.1% | 19.8% | 22.3% | ranked 26 of 75 | |
| Dwellings built after 2000 (2021) | 6.7% | 2.6% | 4.5% | ranked 30 of 75 | |
| Dwellings in detached houses (single-dwelling buildings) (2021) | 65.8% | 46.5% | 50.2% | ranked 15 of 75 | |
| Average floor area of dwellings (2021) | 86.1 m² | 71.4 m² | 78.4 m² | ranked 16 of 75 | |
| New dwellings permitted for use in 2021–2025 per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 26.0 ‰ | 6.7 ‰ | 8.8 ‰ | ranked 18 of 71 |
Energy
| Indicator | Otepää Rural Municipality | Valga County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings with central heating (2021) | 31.6% | 45.1% | 45.2% | ranked 59 of 75 |
Economy
| Indicator | Otepää Rural Municipality | Valga County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average monthly gross wage (2025) | 1,604 € | 1,557 € | 1,676 € | ranked 51 of 75 | |
| Median monthly gross wage (2025) | 1,420 € | – | 1,464 € | ranked 47 of 74 | |
| Number of enterprises (statistical profile enterprises) (2025) | 738 | 2,213 | 159,827 | ranked 42 of 78 | |
| Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 120.5 ‰ | 81.8 ‰ | 97.1 ‰ | ranked 13 of 75 | |
| Businesses entered in the Commercial Register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 215.8 ‰ | 149.9 ‰ | 174.5 ‰ | ranked 16 of 75 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 10.9 ‰ | 8.5 ‰ | 11.4 ‰ | ranked 44 of 75 |
Employment
| Indicator | Otepää Rural Municipality | Valga County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered unemployed among people aged 16–64 (2025) | 4.5% | 6.5% | 4.7% | ranked 45 of 75 |
Business sectors: Otepää 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 fishing17.2% ×2.7
- Construction14.5% ×1.3
- Wholesale and retail trade10.4% ×0.7
- Professional, scientific and technical9.1% ×0.6
- Accommodation and food services8.7% ×2.8
- Manufacturing8.0% ×1.3
- Administrative and support services5.0% ×0.9
- Other service activities4.9% ×0.9
Sunshine and temperatures: Otepää Rural Municipality
Where is Otepää Rural Municipality?
Neighbouring municipalities
- Kanepi Rural Municipality16 km · 4,429
- Elva Rural Municipality22 km · 14,624
- Kambja Rural Municipality24 km · 14,824
- Antsla Rural Municipality24 km · 3,959
- Nõo Rural Municipality25 km · 4,442
- Valga Rural Municipality33 km · 15,173
- Põlva Rural Municipality33 km · 13,049
- Tõrva Rural Municipality34 km · 5,736
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Otepää Rural Municipality?
Otepää Rural Municipality has 6,125 residents (2026), ranking 51 of 78 municipalities.
How big is Otepää Rural Municipality?
Otepää Rural Municipality covers 520.2 km², with a density of 12 people per km².
Is the population of Otepää Rural Municipality growing?
Between 2022 and 2026, the population of Otepää Rural Municipality went from 6,238 to 6,125, a change of −1.8%.
Where is Otepää Rural Municipality?
Otepää Rural Municipality is in Valga County. Latitude 58.050, longitude 26.500.
Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Otepää Rural Municipality?
In Otepää Rural Municipality, “Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at −11.3 ‰ (2025), ranking 70 of 75 municipalities; the national median is −0.5 ‰.
Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Otepää Rural Municipality?
In Otepää Rural Municipality, “Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 120.5 ‰ (2025), ranking 13 of 75 municipalities; the national median is 97.1 ‰.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Otepää Rural Municipality?
In Otepää Rural Municipality, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 41° produces about 914 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Otepää Rural Municipality?
The nearest to Otepää Rural Municipality are Kanepi Rural Municipality (16 km), Elva Rural Municipality (22 km), Kambja Rural Municipality (24 km), Antsla Rural Municipality (24 km), Nõo Rural Municipality (25 km).
Coat of arms: Otepää Parish, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons · Flag: Coat_of_arms_of_Otepää_Parish.svg: Otepää Parish derivative work: Quibik, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons. Coats of arms and flags are shown for identification only; this site is not affiliated with any public authority.
