Want to know which is the biggest city in Sweden? Here’s a list of the largest cities in Sweden by population and size by the latest statistics from SCB.
15. Södertälje
Södertälje is the 15th largest city in Sweden by population. The city is home to 71 774 residents, and Södertälje is also one of the fastest-growing cities in the country.
The proximity to Stockholm and the fact that trains depart regularly makes it an affordable city to live in while still being able to work in Stockholm.
14. Borås
65 Kilometers outside Gothenburg, one will find Borås, a city with 72 434 people. It was here the mail order companies Ellos and Haléns originated, and the city has long been famous for its textile industry.
Another thing that is mentioned when talking about Borås is the weather and the fact that it’s considered the rainiest city in Sweden. However, there are other places in Sweden that gets more rain, even though it rains a lot in Borås.
The city is also home to the football team Elfsborg, which is known for having the friendliest supporters.
13. Gävle
Gävle is home to 75 451 people and is thereby the most populated city in the province of Gästrikland. Every Christmas, you can see the famous “Gävlebocken” and the city is also home to Gevalia, which is one of the major coffee brands.
Gefle IF is also from here, and the sports organization is one of the oldest sports organizations in Sweden.
12. Umeå
Umeå is one of the cities in Sweden that has the lowest median age due to a large number of students. With 84 761 residents, it ranks as the 12th largest city in Sweden. It’s also the most populated city in the province of Norrland.
The city is beautifully located next to the Umeälven, and is nicknamed “the city of birchs”.
11. Lund
Another city that has a large number of students is Lund, in the southern province of Scania. The city has 88 788 residents and has great train connections all over the country as well as Malmö and Helsingborg.
Lund is an old city that is filled with history and beautiful buildings, such as Lund’s cathedral.
10. Jönköping
Jönköping is home to 95 008 residents and is part of what is known as “the bible belt” in Sweden due to a large number of free churches. Since the ’60s, Huskvarna is included in the greater area of Jönköping.
9. Norrköping
Norrköping is another city that has long been famous for its textile industry. It is home to 95 618 residents, which is just 610 more people than Jönköping. In the whole municipality, there are some 140 780 people.
Norrköping also goes by the nickname Peking. And the local football team IFK Norrköping is one of the most succesful teams in Sweden, and has played 77 seasons in Allsvenskan.
8. Helsingborg
Helsingborg is my hometown and it’s a wonderful city in Southern Sweden. There are some 106 338 residents in the city, and thanks to the booming Öresund region, it keeps growing.
It’s the 8th largest city in Sweden by population, and after Gothenburg, it has the second-largest container port in the country. From here, you can also take the ferry to Denmark in just 20 minutes.
7. Linköping
Linköping is another big city in the province of Östergötland, and it currently has 108 640 residents. The history of Linköping goes back tot he bronze age, and many relics have been found here.
In modern time, the city has become a base for the military and airforce, but it’s also leading the way for environmental efforts. It’s a great city for biking.
6. Örebro
Örebro has grown from an important industrial center to a city that also offers research and various services. Some 117 543 residents are living in Örebro, and the strategic location between Gothenburg and Stockholm has led way to a booming business center.
5. Västerås
Västerås is one of the largest cities in Sweden and also a successful industrial city. ABB was founded here by the end of the 19th century, and it was also here in Västerås that both H&M and ICA was founded.
The latest statistics from SCB counted 119 372 people living in Västerås. They also have a successful Bandy team that has won the Swedish championship several times.
(5) Upplands Väsby och Sollentuna
Since 2015, there has been a new way of measuring urban areas. Both Upplands Väsby and Sollentuna were part of the urban area of Stockholm prior to this change, but are nowadays counted as a separate urban area.
In Upplands Väsby and Sollentuna, there are some 143 000 people living in the area.
4. Uppsala
The fourth-largest city in Uppsala has 152 617 residents and is also one of the most popular student towns. The proximity to Stockholm as well as a renowned history has contributed to a larger population.
in the whole municipality, there are some 200 000 people living in the greater area of Uppsala.
3. Malmö
Malmö is the biggest city in the province of Scania, and it’s the third largest city in Sweden by population. It’s a multi-cultural city that is also growing fast, especially due to the booming region of Öresund.
Malmö is also famous for having the best kebab in the country, and the local football team Malmö FF is very successful, not only in Sweden, but also in Europe in recent years.
The city is home to 312 012 people and it’s an important transportation hub that connects many cities in Sweden as well as connections to the continent and Copenhagen.
2. Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second largest city in Sweden and has held this position for a long period of time. Some 590 580 people are living in Gothenburg, and it’s a popular destination on the West Coast.
1. Stockholm
Stockholm is both the capital and the largest city of Sweden by inhabitants. Some 1.56 million people are living in Stockholm and it’s the economic center of the country.
The Stockholm Archipelago is one of the most popular places to visit in Sweden.
More about the largest cities in Sweden
Most people know about Stockholm and that it’s the largest city in Sweden since it’s the capital. Gothenburg and Malmö are the other two big cities in the country.
Besides these three cities, many larger cities in Sweden have a similar number of residents and size. These numbers are updated when Statistiska Centralbyrån (SCB) publishes new statistics.
Most of the major cities are located either in the middle of the country or in the southern provinces. In Norrland, there are fewer major cities and less population density.
The largest municipalities in Sweden
In total, there are 290 municipalities in Sweden, and these are the 10 most populated municipalities in the country.
- Stockholm
- Gothenburg
- Malmö
- Linköping
- Västerås
- Örebro
- Helsingborg
- Norrköping
- Jönköping
Kiruna is the largest municipality in Sweden by size with a total area of 20 551,45 km².
Sweden’s largest municipalities by area
| Kommun | Area km² |
| Kiruna | 20 551,45 |
| Jokkmokks | 19 334,40 |
| Gällivare | 16 818,24 |
| Gotlands | 15 242,28 |
| Arjeplogs | 14 494,16 |
| Härjedalens | 11 859,63 |
| Strömsunds | 11 780,83 |
| Skellefteå | 9 956,90 |
| Vilhelmina | 8 740,52 |
| Örnsköldsvik | 8 429,04 |
How many cities are there in Sweden?
Currently, there are 1979 urban areas in Sweden, which also means that there are 1979 cities in Sweden. To count as a major city it needs to have 200 000 residents.
By this measurement, there are only four major cities in Sweden: Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö, and Uppsala (municipality).
Number of larger cities in Sweden
Larger cities have a population of 50 000 to 200 000 residents and a city density of at least 70%. Currently, there are 21 larger cities in Sweden.
How many of the largest cities in Sweden did you know about? Leave a comment below!