Espoo and Pirkkala take cream of internal migration in Finland

Most successful municipalities are around university cities

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Espoo, Helsinki's neighbour to the west, and Pirkkala, a municipality close to Tampere, were the overwhelming winners in the competition for well-off migrants from 2000 to 2002. The indicators included the migration of employed, young, highly educated and well-paid people from other parts of the country.
      In terms of absolute figures, Espoo was statistically calculated as the #1 municipality, whereas in proportion to the number of residents, Pirkkala was the first. Moreover, in terms of absolute figures, Pirkkala ranked as high as No.5.
     
The municipalities surrounding the university cities of Helsinki, Tampere, Oulu, Turku, and Jyväskylä succeeded clearly better than municipalities outside the growth centres. On the other hand, the university cities themselves did not have enough attractive power to reach the top places in the competition for migrants.
      Researcher Timo Aro, who is preparing his dissertation at the University of Turku, stresses that the top municipalities in his analysis were chosen as a result of several calculations.
      Even though Aro used a mechanical rating system - the winner in each category got 20 points, the second got 19, the third 18 etc. - distinctive results were required in all different areas of migration in order to get a good final result.
      Because the consequences of migration have a wide effect on municipal as well as regional economy, Aro calls for a profound and diversified evaluation of the internal migration in Finland.
      Pirkkala would not prosper without the attraction of Tampere, admits Risto Koivisto, the chairman of the municipality of Pirkkala. Nevertheless, it would not be possible to obtain a top position without the municipality's own efforts.
      Consequently, Pirkkala's political decisions related to welfare services and zoning are behind the municipality's success. The right timing of these decisions requires a good knowledge of the entire country's economic development.
     
After the last recession, the number of residents in Pirkkala was around 12,500 until the mid-1990s. At that time, people who asked for building lots were given a number of alternatives to choose from.
      Currently, some 500 applicants participate in the lottery of building sites annually. Only 20 lots will be sold, one half to the residents of Pirkkala and the rest to newcomers.
      One of Pirkkala's assets includes apartment buildings where those elderly people who have given up their own houses have been able to move.
      It is estimated that the number of Pirkkala's residents will soon exceed 15,000. Risto Koivisto assumes that the limit of growth will be met at around 20,000 inhabitants. Then the ground fit for building will be running out - the airport of Tampere and its adjacent aircraft-noise zones occupies one third of the entire area of the municipality.
      Even the health care services of Pirkkala have been praised. In fact, references are made to the so called "Pirkkala model" in Finland.
      Furthermore, new day care centres for children have been built, and the next project is to build more school premises in addition to the renovation of the old school centre.
      Koivisto compliments Minister of Finance Antti Kalliomäki (SDP) for his far-sighted proposal to continue the building of the Tampere Ring Road next year. The road will pass by Pirkkala, and this will ensure that the municipality will be successful even in future competition for migrants.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Finland's internal migration evens out and becomes more balanced (9.2.2005)

Links:
  Statistics Finland

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