Kristinestad is located on the west coast of Finland. The surrounding nature, especially the sea, is a crucial part of our identity.
Kristinestad in a nutshell:
- The city was founded in 1649.
- Population 6244 (12/2022).
- The largest employer is the City of Kristinestad.
- Unemployment rate 5.7% (12/2022).
- Income tax rate 21.5% (01/2022).
- The city's area is 1,678.98 km², of which 995.95 km² is water.
- Distances: to Vaasa 100 km, to Pori 100 km, to Seinäjoki 100 km.
- Kristinestad's city center with its grid plan, low wooden houses, and narrow streets is unique in the whole Nordic region.
- The villages of Kristinestad are vibrant, every third Finnish potato comes from this area, and we have around 320 functional farms.
- The service industries, industry, and agriculture (both farming and forestry) form the core of the city's economy.
- Since 2011, the city has been a member of the international Cittalow network.
A fascinating seaside discovery
Kristinestad was founded by Count Peter Brahe – after having noticed the excellent conditions for a port - on the island of Koppö in 1649. Kristinestad has centuries old traditions as a marketing and trading town and a distinguished shipping history with its ship- and boatbuilding traditions. The beautiful town hall was built in 1856. Today the centre of the little town of 6250 inhabitants has changed its face somewhat, but in the narrow alleys you can travel hundreds of years back in time.
The authentic and picturesque wooden town with its wooden fences stems from the 18th and 19th centuries. Kristinestad is one of Scandinavia’s best preserved wooden towns. Kristinestad's historical center with its wooden houses remains a unique place to live, where the over hundred-year-old houses are maintained. The city is surrounded by inhabited and cultivated countryside with beautiful Ostrobothnian farms and rural landscapes.
10 reasons to live in Kristinestad:
- The good life
- Nature and the sea
- You know your neighbors
- Abundant job opportunities
- All services are close by
- Affordable houses and plots
- Traditions and history
- Diverse community life
- Safe living
- Versatile sports opportunities
In Kristinestad, old and new come together in a constructive way
In this coastal wooden-house city and its rural localities, you can lead a fulfilling life. Essential services are easily accessible, and healthy local produce is available throughout the region. The city's human-scale promotes a strong sense of community. If you wish, you can learn the other official domestic language in your everyday life – in exercise groups, local community centers, at the playground, or even at the fish counter in the store. Children naturally experience language immersion in the daycare's courtyard, while teenagers meet each other through their recreational activities.
The city boasts numerous attractive factors, such as excellent educational services, comprehensive basic services including a health campus, diverse recreational services, and a lively community involvement. The goal is well-being and life enjoyment for the city's residents.
The Cittaslow membership granted in 2011 was recognition of the city's spirit and quality of life. The Cittaslow philosophy emphasizes a complete life, free from stress and hurry, with respect for local and sustainable solutions. You can often walk or bike to work. If you choose to drive, you won't face rush-hour traffic, and parking is always easy to find.
In Kristinestad, you can fulfill a variety of housing dreams. You can choose to build your home in a historic city environment, a new residential area, an active village, or right in the peaceful nature.
Families with children appreciate the secure upbringing environment that Kristinestad offers. Everyone knows each other, and community and social involvement are highly valued. The daycare options are of high quality, and all daycare groups are bilingual. In the city center, a new daycare is currently being constructed, which will start welcoming young Kristinestad residents in 2020. After primary and secondary school, children can continue their studies at the city's high school.
Here, you can enjoy not only beautiful sea and archipelago landscapes but also lakes, river valleys, diverse forests, and even mountainous terrain! The five ridges of the Bötombergen mountains stand out distinctly in the otherwise flat Ostrobothnia landscape.
Are you moving to us from abroad?
At Kela, the Social Insurance Institution of Finland, and at InfoFinland, you can find a lot of useful information. Once you have moved, our service point will assist you on weekdays from 9 AM to 12 PM and 1 PM to 3 PM. In the same premises, our Welcome Office serves immigrants on Thursdays from 9 AM to 4:15 PM.
Warmly welcome to join us here!