Valga Rural Municipality: population and statistics
Valga Rural Municipality has a population of 15,173 (2026) across 745.2 km², or 20.4 people per km². It ranks 15 of 78 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −2.4% between 2022 and 2026.
- 15,173 residents
- 745.2 km²
- 20 people/km²
- 56 m
Valga Rural Municipality in numbers
Key points
Among the 3 municipalities in Valga County, Valga Rural Municipality ranks No. 1 by population.
New dwellings permitted for use in 2021–2025 per 1,000 inhabitants: 0.6 ‰ in Valga Rural Municipality, compared with an average of 6.7 ‰ in Valga County and 25.1 ‰ nationally.
Businesses entered in the Commercial Register per 1,000 inhabitants: 114.3 ‰ in Valga Rural Municipality, compared with an average of 149.9 ‰ in Valga County and 229.8 ‰ nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 17.4% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 42° generates about 935 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “New dwellings permitted for use in 2021–2025 per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 97% of municipalities.
- “Businesses entered in the Commercial Register per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 95% of municipalities.
- “Registered unemployed among people aged 16–64”: higher than in 92% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 104,377 football pitches.
- The nearest municipality is Antsla Rural Municipality, 20.1 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Tartu City (99,900 residents), 71 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,740 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Population of Valga Rural Municipality over time
Valga Rural Municipality had 15,540 residents in 2022 and 15,173 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 15,540 |
| 2023 | 15,864 |
| 2024 | 15,693 |
| 2025 | 15,456 |
| 2026 | 15,173 |
All indicators for Valga 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 | Valga Rural Municipality | Valga County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2026) | 25.8% | 26.1% | 24.9% | ranked 30 of 75 | |
| Share of people aged 17 and under (2026) | 16.7% | 17.1% | 18.1% | ranked 56 of 75 | |
| Natural increase per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −10.8 ‰ | −12.3 ‰ | −8.4 ‰ | ranked 48 of 75 | |
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −8.4 ‰ | −7.5 ‰ | −0.5 ‰ | ranked 65 of 75 |
Housing
| Indicator | Valga Rural Municipality | Valga County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings built before 1946 (2021) | 12.9% | 19.8% | 22.3% | ranked 50 of 75 | |
| Dwellings built after 2000 (2021) | 1.5% | 2.6% | 4.5% | ranked 60 of 75 | |
| Dwellings in detached houses (single-dwelling buildings) (2021) | 35.6% | 46.5% | 50.2% | ranked 54 of 75 | |
| Average floor area of dwellings (2021) | 63.4 m² | 71.4 m² | 78.4 m² | ranked 64 of 75 | |
| New dwellings permitted for use in 2021–2025 per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 0.6 ‰ | 6.7 ‰ | 8.8 ‰ | ranked 69 of 71 |
Energy
| Indicator | Valga Rural Municipality | Valga County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings with central heating (2021) | 52.4% | 45.1% | 45.2% | ranked 28 of 75 |
Economy
| Indicator | Valga Rural Municipality | Valga County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average monthly gross wage (2025) | 1,521 € | 1,557 € | 1,676 € | ranked 67 of 75 | |
| Median monthly gross wage (2025) | 1,323 € | – | 1,464 € | ranked 65 of 74 | |
| Number of enterprises (statistical profile enterprises) (2025) | 961 | 2,213 | 159,827 | ranked 29 of 78 | |
| Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 63.3 ‰ | 81.8 ‰ | 97.1 ‰ | ranked 69 of 75 | |
| Businesses entered in the Commercial Register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 114.3 ‰ | 149.9 ‰ | 174.5 ‰ | ranked 71 of 75 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 7.1 ‰ | 8.5 ‰ | 11.4 ‰ | ranked 69 of 75 |
Employment
| Indicator | Valga Rural Municipality | Valga County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered unemployed among people aged 16–64 (2025) | 7.6% | 6.5% | 4.7% | ranked 6 of 75 |
Business sectors: Valga 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 fishing17.4% ×2.7
- Wholesale and retail trade17.1% ×1.2
- Construction12.2% ×1.1
- Other service activities9.3% ×1.7
- Professional, scientific and technical8.7% ×0.6
- Manufacturing7.0% ×1.1
- Real estate5.4% ×0.8
- Transport and storage5.3% ×0.9
Sunshine and temperatures: Valga Rural Municipality
Where is Valga Rural Municipality?
Neighbouring municipalities
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Valga Rural Municipality?
Valga Rural Municipality has 15,173 residents (2026), ranking 15 of 78 municipalities.
How big is Valga Rural Municipality?
Valga Rural Municipality covers 745.2 km², with a density of 20 people per km².
Is the population of Valga Rural Municipality growing?
Between 2022 and 2026, the population of Valga Rural Municipality went from 15,540 to 15,173, a change of −2.4%.
Where is Valga Rural Municipality?
Valga Rural Municipality is in Valga County. Latitude 57.800, longitude 26.200.
New dwellings permitted for use in 2021–2025 per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Valga Rural Municipality?
In Valga Rural Municipality, “New dwellings permitted for use in 2021–2025 per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 0.6 ‰ (2025), ranking 69 of 71 municipalities; the national median is 8.8 ‰.
Businesses entered in the Commercial Register per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Valga Rural Municipality?
In Valga Rural Municipality, “Businesses entered in the Commercial Register per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 114.3 ‰ (2026), ranking 71 of 75 municipalities; the national median is 174.5 ‰.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Valga Rural Municipality?
In Valga Rural Municipality, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 42° produces about 935 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Valga Rural Municipality?
The nearest to Valga Rural Municipality are Antsla Rural Municipality (20 km), Tõrva Rural Municipality (27 km), Otepää Rural Municipality (33 km), Kanepi Rural Municipality (38 km), Rõuge Rural Municipality (43 km).
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