Helsinki marks 700,000 population milestone with newborn

Helsinki has passed 700,000 residents, with the milestone marked by the birth of baby Lehtola shortly after midnight, Yle reports, citing the city.

The baby was born to the Lehtola family at 12.03am on Friday at Naistenklinikka, a hospital in Helsinki. The child weighed 4,084 grams and measured 54.5 centimetres, and is the family’s first child.

Helsinki plans to award the first new Helsinki resident born at the hospital on Friday a 700 euro scholarship.

Mayor Daniel Sazonov visited the family at the hospital on Friday morning to offer his congratulations.

“I warmly congratulate Helsinki’s 700,000th resident and the entire family on this important, happy and unique moment,” Sazonov said in a city statement.

Population growth driven mainly by migration

The city said the population milestone was based on the latest population data and calculations by its urban information services.

Migration from abroad and other parts of Finland accounts for about 80 percent of Helsinki’s annual population growth. In 2025, migration accounted for 90 percent of the increase, with one in five people who moved to Helsinki arriving from abroad.

Working-age residents are the fastest-growing population group, and their numbers are expected to increase significantly in the coming years.