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Local Demographics in Helsinki

Good to Know

  • Helsinki is home to half of Finland's foreign-born population, making it the country's most internationally diverse city.
  • The startup scene has grown 23.5% in 2025, with over 2,000 startups and growth companies in the greater metro area.
  • Russian, Somali, and Arabic are the most common foreign languages, reflecting the city's diverse immigration patterns.
  • As one of Europe's strongest cybersecurity hubs, Helsinki attracts tech talent from across the world and offers excellent talent pools for international companies.
  • Over 50% of advertised job vacancies include remote or hybrid working options, reflecting modern workforce flexibility.

Major Employers

  • Tietoevry
    Sector
    IT services and software
    Employees Global
    15000
  • Nokia
    Sector
    Telecommunications
    Note
    Headquarters in nearby Espoo
  • KONE
    Sector
    Elevators and escalators
    Headquarters City
    Helsinki
  • Rovio
    Sector
    Gaming
    Note
    Angry Birds franchise creator
  • Supercell
    Sector
    Gaming

Top Foreign Languages

  • Russian
    Percentage
    3.1
    Speakers
    21423
  • Somali
    Percentage
    2.2
    Speakers
    14910
  • Arabic
    Percentage
    1.6
    Speakers
    10998
  • English
    Percentage
    1.5
    Speakers
    10522
  • Estonian
    Percentage
    1.4
    Speakers
    9382

Jobs In City

430886

Languages Spoken

160

Total Population

694392

Startup Ecosystem

Growth Rate 2025 Percent
23.5
Global Ranking
43
Total Startups
971
Startups In Metro Area
2000
Total Funding USD Million
848.63

Key Sectors

  • Gaming
  • Health and life sciences
  • AI and cleantech
  • Cybersecurity
  • EdTech
  • Quantum computing
  • Space technology

Notable Startups

  • Supercell
  • Wolt
  • Rovio
  • ICEYE
  • Hoxhunt

Major Accelerators & Incubators

  • Maria 01
  • Kiuas
  • Business Helsinki Accelerator
  • Terkko Health Hub
  • Epicenter

Foreign Citizens Count

84400

Foreign Born Percentage

18

Foreign Direct Investment

Share Of Finland Total
Above 60%
Forbes Global 2000 Presence
70

Population Density Per Km2

3147

Foreign Background Percentage

20.8

Notable Immigrant Nationalities

Notable Immigrant Nationalities

  • Swedish
  • Russian
  • Estonian
  • Chinese
  • Somali
  • Kurdish
  • German
  • Spanish
  • Vietnamese
  • French
  • Turkish

Employment Remote Hybrid Percent

50

Gender Distribution Female Percent

53

AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026

These are the sources cited in this local demographics research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.

  1. 1.hel.fi
  2. 2.en.wikipedia.org
  3. 3.startupblink.com
  4. 4.expat.com
  5. 5.helsinkibusinesshub.fi
  6. 6.myhelsinki.fi
  7. 7.thinkcompany.fi
  8. 8.workinfinland.com

Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.