Here's how the population has increased or decreased in various districts over the past five years, according to Statistics Sweden (SCB).
In February, Norran reported a staggering population increase of 2,140 people in Skellefteå for 2023. This follows a significant rise of 1,009 in 2022, according to Statistics Sweden (SCB).
To understand this growth's distribution, Norran mapped the population changes across various districts within the Skellefteå municipality, including Malå and Norsjö.
The data, spanning 2019 to 2023, reveals that Kågedalen saw the most dramatic increase, with a near 10% population surge – even surpassing central Skellefteå.
However, the boom isn't reaching every corner. Malå and Norsjö municipalities are experiencing population decline, with Jörn suffering the most significant drop at 5.3%.
Lorents Burman, a municipal councilor, acknowledges the challenge:
– We made some headway in Jörn before the decline. Now, similar trends are emerging in Bureå and Burträsk, where new construction has been stagnant for a long time.
Skebo constructed 70 apartments in the Kvarnbacken block, while Arkadia Bostad built 188 apartments in Brännmyrberget in Kåge. All of them are now occupied.
Burman emphasizes the need for widespread construction throughout the municipality:
– Our goal is to stimulate growth across the entire area, pushing for housing development even in Lövånger, Boliden, and Jörn.
Burman highlights ongoing comprehensive plan revisions for areas like Boliden and Byske, facilitating building opportunities for residential and industrial properties.
He expresses confidence in a broader growth pattern:
–There's a demand for rural living. We constantly inform construction companies about opportunities outside the city center.
"There has been a sharp decline in housing construction, but we will emerge from this and then the construction companies will step forward. There is a light at the end of the tunnel," says Lorents Burman (S), municipal councilor.
Burman anticipates the growth spilling over to Jörn and other areas:
The central city will naturally see the most significant increase, but it will gradually spread outwards.
Kristina Sundin Jonsson, the municipal director, echoes this sentiment:
– We want all areas to grow and accommodate this rapid influx. Our analysis shows a particularly strong surge starting in 2023, potentially placing Skellefteå among the top four fastest-growing municipalities in Sweden this year.
– No place has likely seen such a rapid turnaround, she concludes.
"Skellefteå is expected to reach 80,000 inhabitants within a couple of years, perhaps even this year," predicts Kristina Sundin Jonsson, municipal director at Skellefteå municipality.