Sweden · county
Västerbotten population 2026
Västerbotten has 281,138 people on the latest official figure, for 1 January 2025, 2,409 more than a year earlier (+0.86%). It is 14th of Sweden’s 21 counties by population, home to 2.7% of Sweden’s people.
If last year’s change continues: about 285 thousand by 1 July 2026. That is our arithmetic, not an official figure.
Västerbotten in numbers
- Population
- 281 thousand 1 January 2025
- Change in a year
- +0.86% +2,409 people
- Change since 2020
- +3.46% from 272 thousand
- Share of Sweden
- 2.7% 14th of 21 counties
- Population density
- 4per km² 66,823 km²
That is about as many people as Barbados (283 thousand).
Population of Västerbotten by year
› Show the numbers as a table
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 259,667 |
| 2013 | 260,217 |
| 2014 | 261,112 |
| 2015 | 262,362 |
| 2016 | 263,378 |
| 2017 | 265,881 |
| 2018 | 268,465 |
| 2019 | 270,154 |
| 2020 | 271,736 |
| 2021 | 273,192 |
| 2022 | 274,563 |
| 2023 | 276,295 |
| 2024 | 278,729 |
| 2025 | 281,138 |
| Year | Population | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 281,138 | +2,409 | +0.86% |
| 2024 | 278,729 | +2,434 | +0.88% |
| 2023 | 276,295 | +1,732 | +0.63% |
| 2022 | 274,563 | +1,371 | +0.50% |
| 2021 | 273,192 | +1,456 | +0.54% |
| 2020 | 271,736 | +1,582 | +0.59% |
| 2019 | 270,154 | +1,689 | +0.63% |
| 2018 | 268,465 | +2,584 | +0.97% |
| 2017 | 265,881 | +2,503 | +0.95% |
| 2016 | 263,378 | +1,016 | +0.39% |
| 2015 | 262,362 | +1,250 | +0.48% |
| 2014 | 261,112 | +895 | +0.34% |
| 2013 | 260,217 | +550 | +0.21% |
| 2012 | 259,667 | – | – |
Västerbotten among Sweden’s counties
Full ranking →| # | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stockholm County | 2,473,307 | +0.75% | 23.4% | 148 |
| 2 | Västra Götaland | 1,772,821 | +0.33% | 16.7% | 52 |
| 3 | Skåne | 1,428,626 | +0.48% | 13.5% | 84 |
| 4 | Östergötland | 472,446 | +0.03% | 4.5% | 32 |
| 5 | Uppsala County | 407,912 | +0.82% | 3.9% | 34 |
| 6 | Jönköping County | 370,009 | +0.31% | 3.5% | 32 |
| 7 | Halland | 345,074 | +0.39% | 3.3% | 40 |
| 8 | Örebro County | 308,375 | +0.08% | 2.9% | 32 |
| 9 | Södermanland | 301,542 | −0.13% | 2.8% | 35 |
| 10 | Dalarna | 286,546 | −0.25% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 11 | Gävleborg | 284,558 | −0.38% | 2.7% | 11 |
| 12 | Värmland | 283,384 | −0.06% | 2.7% | 13 |
| 13 | Västmanland | 281,158 | +0.12% | 2.7% | 50 |
| 14 | Västerbotten | 281,138 | +0.86% | 2.7% | 4 |
| 15 | Norrbotten | 248,620 | +0.06% | 2.3% | 2 |
| 16 | Kalmar County | 246,352 | −0.13% | 2.3% | 12 |
| 17 | Västernorrland | 241,458 | −0.28% | 2.3% | 9 |
| 18 | Kronoberg | 203,351 | −0.16% | 1.9% | 22 |
| 19 | Blekinge | 157,223 | −0.47% | 1.5% | 23 |
| 20 | Jämtland | 132,839 | +0.20% | 1.3% | 3 |
| 21 | Gotland | 60,971 | −0.10% | 0.6% | 4 |
Largest cities in Västerbotten
City proper, not the wider metro area; latest figure in GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), so years differ.
- Umeå130,224
- Skellefteå35,516
Questions
What is the population of Västerbotten in 2026?
Is Västerbotten’s population growing or shrinking?
How does Västerbotten rank in Sweden?
What is the population density of Västerbotten?
What is the largest city in Västerbotten?
Source and method
Eurostat, population on 1 January by NUTS 3 region (demo_r_pjanaggr3). Eurostat reuse policy (CC BY 4.0). Total area, Wikidata. Eurostat updates regional populations once a year. Ranks, shares and changes are our arithmetic on the published figures. National figures can differ from the UN’s projection for Sweden, which uses a different method. The 2026 figure above carries last year’s change forward; it does not come from the source.
Cite this page: Västerbotten population, Eurostat, 1 January 2025. GlobeMetrics, https://globemetrics.org/world-population/sweden/vasterbotten/
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