MORE THAN 700,000 Finns are weighing up the possibility of moving to another locality in the coming years, reveals a survey commissioned by the Foundation for Municipal Development (KAKS).
Almost a fifth of the survey respondents viewed that they are relatively likely or very likely to move to another locality in the next two to three years.
The comfort and quality of life, proximity to nature and safety are the primary reasons for the relocation plans, cited by 62 per cent, 61 per cent and 58 per cent of the respondents, respectively.
Finns are also prepared to move to another locality for job opportunities, with almost three-fifths of the respondents viewing that a job opportunity is at least a relatively important reason for relocating. Other reasons cited regularly by the respondents were good transport connections and neighbourhood services.
Men were more likely to place emphasis on proximity to nature and workplace and women on the comfort and quality of living.
Residents of Southern Finland were particularly eager to relocate, with nearly a quarter of them saying they are likely to move to another locality in the next two to three years. Residents of Helsinki are more eager than the average to relocate for reasons related to quality of living, proximity to nature, safety and housing costs.
Only 10 per cent of people living in small rural municipalities are contrastively mulling over moving.
A smaller share of respondents were considering moving due to changes in familial relationships, education, a desire to return to their childhood region or the need to care for a close relative. Also municipal tax rates and the urban nature of the residential area do not factor too much into the plans, according to KAKS.
Age, on the other hand, appears to have a significant impact on the willingness to relocate. Whereas over 40 per cent of 18–30-year-olds said they will likely relocate in the coming two to three years, fewer than 10 per cent of over 60-year-olds reported similar thoughts. Plans to relocate were most common among students and least common among business owners and pensioners.
Kantar TNS interviewed over a thousand people for the survey between 26 November and 1 December 2021.
Aleksi Teivainen – HT
