Viljandi Rural Municipality: population and statistics
Viljandi Rural Municipality has a population of 13,295 (2026) across 1,371.6 km², or 9.7 people per km². It ranks 21 of 78 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −0.8% between 2022 and 2026.
- 13,295 residents
- 1,371.6 km²
- 10 people/km²
- 96 m
Viljandi Rural Municipality in numbers
Key points
Among the 4 municipalities in Viljandi County, Viljandi Rural Municipality ranks No. 2 by population.
Registered unemployed among people aged 16–64: 3.6% in Viljandi Rural Municipality, compared with an average of 4.0% in Viljandi County and 5.4% nationally.
Dwellings built before 1946: 40.6% in Viljandi Rural Municipality, compared with an average of 26.6% in Viljandi County and 14.6% nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 26.4% of the area's businesses.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 42° generates about 943 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Registered unemployed among people aged 16–64”: lower than in 97% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 192,105 football pitches.
- Its population density is 3.2 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Viljandi City, 10.8 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Pärnu City (52,198 residents), 65 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,772 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Population of Viljandi Rural Municipality over time
Viljandi Rural Municipality had 13,407 residents in 2022 and 13,295 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 13,407 |
| 2023 | 13,450 |
| 2024 | 13,526 |
| 2025 | 13,461 |
| 2026 | 13,295 |
All indicators for Viljandi 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 | Viljandi Rural Municipality | Viljandi County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of people aged 65 and over (2026) | 24.5% | 25.3% | 24.9% | ranked 39 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) | −10.3 ‰ | −7.1 ‰ | −8.4 ‰ | ranked 45 of 75 | |
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −1.7 ‰ | −5.7 ‰ | −0.5 ‰ | ranked 44 of 75 |
Housing
| Indicator | Viljandi Rural Municipality | Viljandi County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings built before 1946 (2021) | 40.6% | 26.6% | 22.3% | ranked 9 of 75 | |
| Dwellings built after 2000 (2021) | 5.0% | 3.2% | 4.5% | ranked 36 of 75 | |
| Dwellings in detached houses (single-dwelling buildings) (2021) | 60.6% | 45.4% | 50.2% | ranked 20 of 75 | |
| Average floor area of dwellings (2021) | 84.6 m² | 77.5 m² | 78.4 m² | ranked 22 of 75 | |
| New dwellings permitted for use in 2021–2025 per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 7.0 ‰ | 7.0 ‰ | 8.8 ‰ | ranked 40 of 71 |
Energy
| Indicator | Viljandi Rural Municipality | Viljandi County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwellings with central heating (2021) | 32.4% | 42.4% | 45.2% | ranked 56 of 75 |
Economy
| Indicator | Viljandi Rural Municipality | Viljandi County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average monthly gross wage (2025) | 1,818 € | 1,715 € | 1,676 € | ranked 15 of 75 | |
| Median monthly gross wage (2025) | 1,619 € | – | 1,464 € | ranked 11 of 74 | |
| Number of enterprises (statistical profile enterprises) (2025) | 1,324 | 4,370 | 159,827 | ranked 17 of 78 | |
| Enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 99.6 ‰ | 98.0 ‰ | 97.1 ‰ | ranked 34 of 75 | |
| Businesses entered in the Commercial Register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 173.3 ‰ | 170.9 ‰ | 174.5 ‰ | ranked 40 of 75 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 11.9 ‰ | 10.7 ‰ | 11.4 ‰ | ranked 31 of 75 |
Employment
| Indicator | Viljandi Rural Municipality | Viljandi County | National | Position? | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered unemployed among people aged 16–64 (2025) | 3.6% | 4.0% | 4.7% | ranked 73 of 75 |
Business sectors: Viljandi 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 fishing26.4% ×4.1
- Construction16.5% ×1.5
- Wholesale and retail trade11.6% ×0.8
- Manufacturing9.0% ×1.5
- Professional, scientific and technical7.3% ×0.5
- Other service activities5.0% ×0.9
- Transport and storage4.1% ×0.7
- Administrative and support services3.6% ×0.7
Sunshine and temperatures: Viljandi Rural Municipality
Where is Viljandi Rural Municipality?
Neighbouring municipalities
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Viljandi Rural Municipality?
Viljandi Rural Municipality has 13,295 residents (2026), ranking 21 of 78 municipalities.
How big is Viljandi Rural Municipality?
Viljandi Rural Municipality covers 1,371.6 km², with a density of 10 people per km².
Is the population of Viljandi Rural Municipality growing?
Between 2022 and 2026, the population of Viljandi Rural Municipality went from 13,407 to 13,295, a change of −0.8%.
Where is Viljandi Rural Municipality?
Viljandi Rural Municipality is in Viljandi County. Latitude 58.267, longitude 25.617.
Registered unemployed among people aged 16–64: what is the figure for Viljandi Rural Municipality?
In Viljandi Rural Municipality, “Registered unemployed among people aged 16–64” stands at 3.6% (2025), ranking 73 of 75 municipalities; the national median is 4.7%.
Dwellings built before 1946: what is the figure for Viljandi Rural Municipality?
In Viljandi Rural Municipality, “Dwellings built before 1946” stands at 40.6% (2021), ranking 9 of 75 municipalities; the national median is 22.3%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Viljandi Rural Municipality?
In Viljandi Rural Municipality, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 42° produces about 943 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Viljandi Rural Municipality?
The nearest to Viljandi Rural Municipality are Viljandi City (11 km), Mulgi Rural Municipality (16 km), Põhja-Sakala Rural Municipality (31 km), Tõrva Rural Municipality (35 km), Saarde Rural Municipality (40 km).
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