Population Decline for Northern Swedish Municipality
According to new statistics, the total population of Skellefteå municipality is 76,935. Picture from Skellefteå and Sara Cultural Centre in the city center. (Photo: Sven Burman).
The population of Skellefteå decreased during the first half of 2025. The decline comes in the wake of the bankruptcy of the battery manufacturer Northvolt.
The population of Skellefteå in Northern Sweden decreased by 1215 people in the first half of 2025. This is according to figures from Statistics Sweden (SCB).
Skellefteå is thus one of the municipalities that is shrinking the most in the Northern Swedish county of Västerbotten – and in Sweden in general.
According to figures from SCB, a total of 2278 people moved out of the municipality in the last six months. In terms of people moving in, this number was a total of 1107.
The decline in the population comes in the wake of the bankruptcy of the battery company Northvolt, which filed for bankruptcy in Sweden in March 2025.
The battery company, which operated the facility Northvolt Ett in Skellefteå, had been struggling with production problems and losses for a long time, and in September 2024, mass layoffs were announced at the factory in the north.
In comparison, the population of the Northern Swedish municipality increased by 1608 people in 2024.
As HNN recently reported, the American battery company Lyten is planning to acquire remaining Northvolt assets in Sweden.
Population change in selected municipalities in Northern Sweden in the last six months:
- Umeå: Population 133,833. Population change: -416
- Vindeln: Population of 5454. Population change: 37
- Boden: Population 28,172. Population change: 123
- Gällivare: Population 17,195. Population change: -38
- Kiruna: Population 22,454. Population change: 28
- Luleå: Population 79,690. Population change: 45
- Piteå: Population 42,308. Population change: -139
Source: Statistics Sweden.