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Free-time Residences 2008

Länsi-Turunmaa is the municipality with highest number of free-time residences 2008

Länsi-Turunmaa is the municipality with highest number of free-time residences, over 8 300 free-time residences. Next were Hämeenlinna, Kouvola, Salo, Raasepori, Kuusamo and Mikkeli. There were 481 700 free time residences in Finland at the end of 2008. Varsinais-Suomi was the region with the highest number of free time residences, i.e. 47 700. In Etelä-Savo and Pirkanmaa the number of free-time residences is also more than 40 000. The number of free-time residences is lowest in the regions of Central Ostrobothnia and Åland.

Highest number of free-time residences 31.12.2008

Area (Regional devision based on Municipalities 1.1.2009)	Number of free-time residences
Länsi-Turunmaa - Väståboland	8 329
Hämeenlinna - Tavastehus	7 701
Kouvola	7 520
Salo	6 991
Raasepori - Raseborg	6 247
Kuusamo	6 200
Mikkeli - S:t Michel	5 698
Kuopio	5 208
Mäntyharju	4 664
Kemiönsaari - Kimitoön	4 463

The number of free-time residences has grown fastest in the 1980s

There were 481 700 free-time residences in Finland at the end of 2008. The number increased by 3 400 from the previous year. The number of free-time residences has grown fastest in the 1980s. In 1990, there were 368 000 free-time residences, which is 46 per cent more than in 1980. From 1970 to 1980, the increase was 75 600, or 43 per cent.

Number of free-time residences 1970–2008

4 300 free-time residential buildings completed in 2008

New free-time residential buildings completed during 2008 numbered 4 334. Construction of free-time residences has slowed down considerably from the rate of construction in the early 1990s. Only about one half of free-time residences were completed in 2008 as compared to the production in the early part of the 1990s. The whole stock of free-time residences grew by about 20 per cent in the 1990s. This is clearly less than in the 1970s and 1980s, when the growth per decade was over 40 per cent.

Highest number of completions in Kuusamo

Last year the highest number of new free-time residences were completed in the municipality of Kuusamo, i.e. 139. Next came the municipalities of Kolari,127 and Kittilä,90. In contrast, no new free-time residences were completed in as many as 33 municipalities in 2008. From the year 1990 the stock of free-time residences has grown most in Kuusamo, where their number has gone up over 2 251 since 1990. Next were Hämeenlinna, Länsi.Turunmaa, Kouvola, Orivesi, Kittilä, Raasepori, Salo, Mäntyharju, Kemiönsaari, Puumala and Asikkala, with increases of over 1 200 free-time residences in the period of 1990-2008.

Freee-time residential buildings completed by regions

Summer residence densest in Kaskinen

Free-time residences are densest in the municipality of Kaskinen with 18 free-time residences per square kilometre of land. In eight municipalities there are more than ten free-time residences per square kilometre. In the whole country there are, on average, 1.6 free-time residences per square kilometre. Uusimaa, Varsinais-Suomi and Päijät-Häme have more than four free-time residences per square kilometre. In South, Central and North Ostrobothnia and Kainuu and Lapland there is less than one free-time residence per square kilometre. In proportion to the land area, Kauniainen, Savukoski, Utsjoki, Enontekiö, Sodankylä, and Kärsämäki have the lowest number of free-time residences.

Avarage floor area of free-time residences 47 square metres

The free-time residences built more recently averaged a larger floor area than free-time residences in general. The average floor area of the free-time residences built in 2000-2008 amounted to 62 square metres.The average floor area of free-time residences was 47 square metres and the median was 40 square metres. On the other hand one free-time residence in four were in size 60 square metres or over.

Free-time residences by floor area in 2008

Floor area, m2	Number of free-time residences	%
Free-time  residences,  total	481 731	100,0
– 19	38 359	8,0
20 – 39	178 223	37,0
40 – 59	130 354	27,1
60 – 79	58 358	12,1
80 – 99	25 326	5,3
100 –	23 742	4,9
Unknown	27 369	5,7
Average floor space	47	..

Almost 800 000 Finns belong to household- dwelling units with a free-time residence

Of free-time residences, 393 000 are owned by private persons. 88 000 free-time residences are owned by companies, communities and estates, or by foreigners. In all, 788 000 persons belonged to a household-dwelling unit that owns a free-time residence. Free-time residences are near the place of residence. Almost two third of free-time residence owners had a free-time residence in their region of residence. And one third free-time residence owners had a free-time residence in their municipality of domicile.

Summer residents increase the population of municipalities in summer

Summer residents travelling to free-time residences outside their municipality of domicile totalled approximately 526 000. Etelä-Savo had the greatest number of summer residents, over 55 000. In summer, over 10 000 persons may spend time on their free-time residences in Länsi-Turunmaa, the municipality with the largest number of summer residents. Summer residents in Hämeenlinna, Salo, Raasepori, Mäntyharju, Kemiönsaari, Kouvola, Pälkäne, Puumala, Ylöjärvi, Mikkeli, and Asikkala also number over 5 000. However, the greatest relative increase takes place in Kustavi, where the inclusion of summer residents increases the municipality's population from just under one thousand to over five thousand. Summer residents more than double the population of altogether 13 municipalities.

Average age of a free-time residence owners 61 years

The average age of owners of new free-time residences completed in 2008 was 53 years. The average age of all free-time residence owners was 61. 22 000 of the owners were under 40, which is just six per cent of all free-time residence owners. Over 40 per cent of all free-time residences were owned by a household-dwelling units with two adults and only 15 per cent with children aged under 18. The average size of the household-dwelling unit with a free-time residence is 2.3 persons.

Source: Buildings and Free-time Residences, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Marja Hermiö (09) 1734 3211, Arja Tiihonen (09) 1734 3272, Elina Aspblad-Huohvanainen (09) 1734 3232

Director in charge: Jari Tarkoma

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Updated 21.12.2009