Kommunlotsen / Origin / Afghanistan
Afghans in Sweden: how many and where do they live?
Origin Afghanistan: how large the group is, where it lives and how it has changed.
About 91,000 people in Sweden have an origin in Afghanistan (2025). Of them, about 69,000 were born in Afghanistan and 22,000 were born in Sweden to at least one parent from there.
The most people born in Afghanistan live in Malmö (5,695), Göteborg (4,851) and Stockholm (4,775). The largest share of residents is in Burlöv (1.7%), Malmö (1.5%) and Sigtuna (1.5%).
By origin in Afghanistan we mean people who were born in Afghanistan, or who were born in Sweden and have at least one parent born in Afghanistan.
How large is the group in Sweden?
| Born in Afghanistan | 68,819 |
|---|---|
| Born in Sweden, both parents from Afghanistan | 15,921 |
| Born in Sweden, parents from Afghanistan and another country | 4,257 |
| Born in Sweden, one parent from Afghanistan | 2,248 |
How has the number changed?
The number of people born in Afghanistan living in Sweden has grown from about 4,000 in 2000 to about 69,000 in 2025. Including people born in Sweden to parents from Afghanistan, the whole group has grown from about 63,000 in 2018 to about 91,000 in 2025.
Change in the municipalities with the most people born in Afghanistan
People born in Afghanistan living in the municipality, 2015 compared with 2025.
| Municipality | 2015 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malmö | 3,044 | 5,695 | +2,651 (+87%) |
| Göteborg | 1,770 | 4,851 | +3,081 (+174%) |
| Stockholm | 2,574 | 4,775 | +2,201 (+86%) |
| Uppsala | 745 | 2,068 | +1,323 (+178%) |
| Borås | 779 | 1,580 | +801 (+103%) |
| Örebro | 596 | 1,407 | +811 (+136%) |
| Västerås | 267 | 1,389 | +1,122 (+420%) |
| Järfälla | 226 | 1,238 | +1,012 (+448%) |
| Haninge | 331 | 1,190 | +859 (+260%) |
| Jönköping | 239 | 1,177 | +938 (+392%) |
Source: Statistics Sweden (SCB). The number born in Afghanistan is the sum over all municipalities, year by year. Everyone with roots in Afghanistan is only available nationally and from 2018.
Municipalities with the most people born in Afghanistan
Number is the people born in Afghanistan living in the municipality, Share is their share of the municipality's residents, and Of all in Sweden is the municipality's share of everyone born in Afghanistan in the country.
| Municipality | Number | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Malmö | 5,695 | 1.5% |
| Göteborg | 4,851 | 0.8% |
| Stockholm | 4,775 | 0.5% |
| Uppsala | 2,068 | 0.8% |
| Borås | 1,580 | 1.4% |
| Örebro | 1,407 | 0.9% |
| Västerås | 1,389 | 0.9% |
| Järfälla | 1,238 | 1.4% |
| Haninge | 1,190 | 1.2% |
| Jönköping | 1,177 | 0.8% |
| Botkyrka | 1,166 | 1.2% |
| Helsingborg | 1,163 | 0.8% |
| Huddinge | 1,066 | 0.9% |
| Linköping | 1,000 | 0.6% |
| Karlstad | 854 | 0.9% |
| Lund | 841 | 0.6% |
| Norrköping | 820 | 0.6% |
| Sigtuna | 813 | 1.5% |
| Umeå | 809 | 0.6% |
| Växjö | 798 | 0.8% |
| Nacka | 771 | 0.7% |
| Eskilstuna | 764 | 0.7% |
| Gävle | 624 | 0.6% |
| Södertälje | 606 | 0.6% |
| Upplands Väsby | 595 | 1.2% |
Largest share of residents
Municipalities with at least 20 people born in Afghanistan, sorted by their share of the municipality's residents.
| Municipality | Number | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Burlöv | 357 | 1.7% |
| Malmö | 5,695 | 1.5% |
| Sigtuna | 813 | 1.5% |
| Upplands-Bro | 507 | 1.5% |
| Tranås | 265 | 1.4% |
| Sävsjö | 159 | 1.4% |
| Järfälla | 1,238 | 1.4% |
| Borås | 1,580 | 1.4% |
| Botkyrka | 1,166 | 1.2% |
| Eslöv | 423 | 1.2% |
| Upplands Väsby | 595 | 1.2% |
| Haninge | 1,190 | 1.2% |
| Vännäs | 106 | 1.1% |
| Alvesta | 221 | 1.1% |
| Vårgårda | 131 | 1.1% |
| Olofström | 130 | 1.0% |
| Kumla | 229 | 1.0% |
| Mjölby | 284 | 1.0% |
| Lycksele | 117 | 1.0% |
| Huddinge | 1,066 | 0.9% |
| Sala | 206 | 0.9% |
| Emmaboda | 80 | 0.9% |
| Ljungby | 254 | 0.9% |
| Örebro | 1,407 | 0.9% |
| Vetlanda | 238 | 0.9% |
Common questions about Afghans in Sweden
- How many Afghans live in Sweden?
- About 91,000 people in Sweden have an origin in Afghanistan (2025). Of them, about 69,000 were born in Afghanistan and 22,000 were born in Sweden to at least one parent from there.
- Where in Sweden do most Afghans live?
- The most people born in Afghanistan live in Malmö (5,695), Göteborg (4,851) and Stockholm (4,775). Together, 22% of everyone born in Afghanistan lives in one of these three municipalities.
- Which municipality has the largest share of Afghans?
- Burlöv, where 1.7% of residents were born in Afghanistan. It is followed by Malmö (1.5%) and Sigtuna (1.5%).
- Is the number of Afghans in Sweden growing or shrinking?
- The number of people born in Afghanistan living in Sweden has grown from about 4,000 in 2000 to about 69,000 in 2025. Including people born in Sweden to parents from Afghanistan, the whole group has grown from about 63,000 in 2018 to about 91,000 in 2025.
- How many were born in Sweden to parents from Afghanistan?
- About 22,000. Of them, about 16,000 have two parents born in Afghanistan.
Good to know
- The lists above only count people born in Afghanistan. Where people born in Sweden with parents from Afghanistan live is not available in Statistics Sweden's open data, only how many there are in the whole country. The real group in a municipality is therefore usually larger than the figures show.
- These are sorted lists, not grades. A large or small number is neither good nor bad.
- Source: Statistics Sweden (SCB). The municipality figures are from 2025 and the national table from 2025. Shares and rankings are Kommunlotsen's own calculations. The national figures are rounded by Statistics Sweden. Last updated .
Countries in the same region:
Largest groups in Sweden:
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