Pirkkala earns Finland’s top housing finance rating

Pirkkala is the only municipality in Finland to receive the top A+ rating in the latest annual housing credit assessment by the Finnish Mortgage Society, Yle reports. Its location next to Tampere, population growth and active housing market helped put it at the top.

The assessment considers regional risks from a lender’s perspective, including property collateral values, municipal finances, safety, migration, future prospects and the environment. A higher rating can mean lower borrowing costs for home loans and housing company loans.

Nine other municipalities were rated in the A category. Lempäälä, Tampere and Kangasala, in the Tampere region, received A or A- ratings. Espoo, Helsinki, Kempele, Oulu, Turku and Kauniainen were also rated A-.

Growth and planning support demand

Hypo chief economist Juho Keskinen said Pirkkala benefits from its position beside Tampere and the jobs in the surrounding urban region. The municipality has also gained residents from elsewhere, particularly from Tampere.

Pirkkala’s population grew by more than six per cent between December 2021 and October 2026. Last year, it recorded a net gain of more than 350 residents from Tampere, Keskinen said.

The municipality’s long-term land-use planning and high quality requirements have helped it respond to demand, according to Hypo. Real estate agent Tuukka Salomaa said new housing had been built in suitable quantities. Between 2021 and 2025, 1,382 homes were completed and construction began on 1,134 more. Pirkkala plans to begin offering detached-house plots in Loukonlahti and Pakkalankulma in 2027.

The municipality has also invested heavily in services, including schools. Mayor Marko Jarva said more than 100 million euros had been spent on school buildings over the past decade.

Strong sales and transport plans

Housing sales in Pirkkala are especially brisk relative to its population, exceeding the level in neighbouring Tampere, Keskinen said. He also pointed to the energy efficiency of Pirkkala’s housing stock.

Salomaa said Pirkkala has one of Finland’s highest education levels, which supports residents’ ability to afford housing. He described the municipality as the country’s third most highly educated.

Jarva said local leaders remain confident about future growth and willing to try new approaches, even during difficult economic periods. He also expects the tram line, due to reach Partola near the Tampere border in 2028, to boost housing demand. At the same time, he voiced concern about rising prices.