Seinäjoki by the numbers

Population growth that never stopped

Seinäjoki has been growing for decades. In fact, it is the only regional capital in Finland whose population has grown continuously every year for more than 70 years.

• Population: 67,000+
• Annual growth: approximately 600 residents (+1%)
• Finland’s 16th largest city

Jobs, businesses and opportunities

Seinäjoki is the economic centre of the South Ostrobothnia region, serving a market area of approximately 190,000 people.

The city attracts commuters from surrounding municipalities and has one of the strongest employment bases in the region.

• 31,981 jobs
• Employment rate: 75.6%
• Job self-sufficiency rate: 112.5%
• 4,986 business locations
• Company workforce: 18,556 employees (FTE)
• Combined company turnover: €6.04 billion

At the heart of Finland’s transport network

• Seinäjoki is located on Finland’s main north-south railway corridor and is part of the Helsinki-Tampere-Seinäjoki growth zone.
• Located along Highways 18 and 19
• Rail connections in five directions across Finland
• Frequent train services between Helsinki and Seinäjoki
• Travel times by train:
  • Helsinki: 2 h 50 min
  • Tampere: 1 h 5 min
  • Oulu: 3 h
• Nearly 3 million passengers pass through Seinäjoki railway station each year
• 10 km to Seinäjoki Airport
• 80 km to Vaasa International Airport
• 80 km to the Port of Vaasa

Services, industry and commerce drive the economy

Seinäjoki has a diverse economy with particularly strong expertise in food production, technology industries, commerce and services.

Major employers such as Atria and Valio have helped make Seinäjoki one of Finland’s leading food industry hubs.

Employment by sector:

• Services: 34%
• Manufacturing and industry: 15.3%
• Trade and retail: 12%
• Education and research: 10.6%
• Public administration and services: 10.5%
• Construction: 6.7%
• Agriculture and forestry: 2.6%
• Other sectors: 8.3%

Largest employers in the region

Many organisations serving the entire South Ostrobothnia region are headquartered in Seinäjoki.

Some of the largest employers include:

• South Ostrobothnia Wellbeing Services County: approximately 11,000 employees
• City of Seinäjoki: approximately 3,000 employees
• Atria: approximately 1,700 employees in Seinäjoki
• Etelä-Pohjanmaan Osuuskauppa: approximately 1,300 employees
• Sedu Vocational Education and Training Consortium: approximately 750 employees
• Valio: approximately 450 employees in Seinäjoki
• Finn-Power: approximately 410 employees
• SeAMK University of Applied Sciences: approximately 400 employees
• Käyttöauto: approximately 260 employees in Seinäjoki
• Rinta-Jouppi: approximately 230 employees in Seinäjoki

A safe place to invest

As a growing regional centre, Seinäjoki offers long-term stability for businesses and investors.

Continuous population growth, strong business activity, and ongoing private investment support the value of commercial property and development sites.

Education and talent

Seinäjoki is a university and higher education city with a strong talent pipeline.

• 32% of residents hold a higher education degree
• Sedu vocational college serves more than 5,000 students
• Annual learner volume at Sedu exceeds 10,000 students
• SeAMK University of Applied Sciences has approximately 6,000 students across six fields of study
• SeAMK has been recognised several times as Finland’s best university of applied sciences
• The University Consortium of Seinäjoki hosts around 100 experts working in multidisciplinary research environments

Key areas of expertise include:

• Entrepreneurship and growth
• Sustainable food systems and agri-bioeconomy
• Smart and energy-efficient technologies
• Wellbeing and creativity

Fun facts about Seinäjoki

We didn’t have lakes, so we built them

The region is home to five artificial lakes. Kyrkösjärvi, located near the city centre, was even built at one of the highest points in the area.

We didn’t have mountains either

Jouppilanvuori rises to a lofty 118 metres above sea level. By Finnish standards, that’s enough to be called a mountain.

Home to world-renowned architecture

The civic and cultural centre designed by architect Alvar Aalto is one of the most significant Aalto ensembles in the world and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2026.

Serious about sports

Seven teams competing at Finland’s top league level. More than 60 sports clubs

Community spirit still matters

The Finnish concept of kökkä, community volunteering and working together, remains a strong part of local culture and continues to power major initiatives and events.

Finland’s pancake capital

Millions of spinach pancakes are produced every year by Atria in Seinäjoki. Spinach pancakes served with minced meat sauce have been a local school lunch favourite since the 1970s.

A major event city

Hosting half a million event visitors annually is business as usual in a city of 67,000 residents.

Major events include:

• Provinssi Festival (since 1979)
• Seinäjoki Tango Festival (since 1985)
• Vauhtiajot Motorsport Festival (since 2004)