Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality: population and statistics
Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality has a population of 7,407 (2026) across 1,153.0 km², or 6.4 people per km². It ranks 42 of 78 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −4.2% between 2022 and 2026.
- 7,407 residents
- 1,153.0 km²
- 6 people/km²
- 69 m
Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality in numbers
Key points
Among the 4 municipalities in Viljandi County, Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality ranks No. 3 by population.
Registered unemployed among people aged 16–64: 3.7% in Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality, compared with an average of 4.0% in Viljandi County and 5.4% nationally.
Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants: 8.9 ‰ in Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality, compared with an average of 10.7 ‰ in Viljandi County and 19.5 ‰ nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 29.5% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 42° generates about 935 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Registered unemployed among people aged 16–64”: lower than in 96% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 161,485 football pitches.
- Its population density is 4.9 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Viljandi City (17,000 residents), 21 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 Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality over time
Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality had 7,734 residents in 2022 and 7,407 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 7,734 |
| 2023 | 7,748 |
| 2024 | 7,662 |
| 2025 | 7,510 |
| 2026 | 7,407 |
All indicators for Põhja-Sakala 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 | Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality | Viljandi County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2026) | 26.4% | 25.3% | 24.9% | ranked 27 of 75 | |
| Share of people aged 17 and under (2026) | 18.1% | 18.1% | 18.1% | ranked 37 of 75 | |
| Natural increase per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −8.0 ‰ | −7.1 ‰ | −8.4 ‰ | ranked 36 of 75 | |
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −6.6 ‰ | −5.7 ‰ | −0.5 ‰ | ranked 57 of 75 |
Housing
| Indicator | Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality | Viljandi County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings built before 1946 (2021) | 16.7% | 26.6% | 22.3% | ranked 43 of 75 | |
| Dwellings built after 2000 (2021) | 2.3% | 3.2% | 4.5% | ranked 52 of 75 | |
| Dwellings in detached houses (single-dwelling buildings) (2021) | 59.4% | 45.4% | 50.2% | ranked 22 of 75 | |
| Average floor area of dwellings (2021) | 84.8 m² | 77.5 m² | 78.4 m² | ranked 21 of 75 | |
| New dwellings permitted for use in 2021–2025 per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 5.9 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 8.8 ‰ | ranked 43 of 71 |
Energy
| Indicator | Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality | Viljandi County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings with central heating (2021) | 31.7% | 42.4% | 45.2% | ranked 57 of 75 |
Economy
| Indicator | Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality | Viljandi County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average monthly gross wage (2025) | 1,579 € | 1,715 € | 1,676 € | ranked 58 of 75 | |
| Median monthly gross wage (2025) | 1,377 € | – | 1,464 € | ranked 57 of 74 | |
| Number of enterprises (statistical profile enterprises) (2025) | 695 | 4,370 | 159,827 | ranked 44 of 78 | |
| Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 93.8 ‰ | 98.0 ‰ | 97.1 ‰ | ranked 44 of 75 | |
| Businesses entered in the Commercial Register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 154.0 ‰ | 170.9 ‰ | 174.5 ‰ | ranked 56 of 75 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 8.9 ‰ | 10.7 ‰ | 11.4 ‰ | ranked 58 of 75 |
Employment
| Indicator | Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality | Viljandi County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered unemployed among people aged 16–64 (2025) | 3.7% | 4.0% | 4.7% | ranked 70 of 75 |
Business sectors: Põhja-Sakala 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 fishing29.5% ×4.6
- Construction17.1% ×1.6
- Wholesale and retail trade9.1% ×0.6
- Professional, scientific and technical9.1% ×0.6
- Manufacturing8.6% ×1.4
- Administrative and support services5.9% ×1.1
- Other service activities4.7% ×0.9
- Arts, entertainment and recreation3.5% ×0.9
Sunshine and temperatures: Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality
Where is Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality?
Neighbouring municipalities
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality?
Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality has 7,407 residents (2026), ranking 42 of 78 municipalities.
How big is Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality?
Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality covers 1,153.0 km², with a density of 6 people per km².
Is the population of Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality growing?
Between 2022 and 2026, the population of Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality went from 7,734 to 7,407, a change of −4.2%.
Where is Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality?
Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality is in Viljandi County. Latitude 58.517, longitude 25.383.
Registered unemployed among people aged 16–64: what is the figure for Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality?
In Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality, “Registered unemployed among people aged 16–64” stands at 3.7% (2025), ranking 70 of 75 municipalities; the national median is 4.7%.
Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality?
In Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality, “Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 8.9 ‰ (2026), ranking 58 of 75 municipalities; the national median is 11.4 ‰.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality?
In Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 42° produces about 935 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality?
The nearest to Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality are Viljandi City (21 km), Viljandi Rural Municipality (31 km), Türi Rural Municipality (32 km), Tori Rural Municipality (33 km), Põhja-Pärnumaa Rural Municipality (36 km).
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