Kommunlotsen / Origin / Croatia
Croats in Sweden: how many and where do they live?
Origin Croatia: how large the group is, where it lives and how it has changed.
About 21,000 people in Sweden have an origin in Croatia (2025). Of them, about 13,000 were born in Croatia and 8,500 were born in Sweden to at least one parent from there.
The most people born in Croatia live in Göteborg (1,516), Malmö (1,200) and Stockholm (849). The largest share of residents is in Vaggeryd (1.0%), Gislaved (0.7%) and Burlöv (0.5%).
By origin in Croatia we mean people who were born in Croatia, or who were born in Sweden and have at least one parent born in Croatia.
How large is the group in Sweden?
| Born in Croatia | 12,650 |
|---|---|
| Born in Sweden, both parents from Croatia | 1,747 |
| Born in Sweden, parents from Croatia and another country | 3,895 |
| Born in Sweden, one parent from Croatia | 2,813 |
How has the number changed?
The number of people born in Croatia living in Sweden grew from about 4,800 in 2000 to a peak of about 13,000 in 2023. Since then it has fallen to about 12,000 in 2025. Including people born in Sweden to parents from Croatia, the whole group has grown from about 18,000 in 2018 to about 21,000 in 2025.
Change in the municipalities with the most people born in Croatia
People born in Croatia living in the municipality, 2015 compared with 2025.
| Municipality | 2015 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Göteborg | 1,132 | 1,516 | +384 (+34%) |
| Malmö | 964 | 1,200 | +236 (+24%) |
| Stockholm | 666 | 849 | +183 (+27%) |
| Helsingborg | 373 | 480 | +107 (+29%) |
| Södertälje | 127 | 354 | +227 (+179%) |
| Jönköping | 191 | 262 | +71 (+37%) |
| Haninge | 116 | 242 | +126 (+109%) |
| Halmstad | 198 | 237 | +39 (+20%) |
| Borås | 169 | 225 | +56 (+33%) |
| Linköping | 147 | 206 | +59 (+40%) |
Source: Statistics Sweden (SCB). The number born in Croatia is the sum over all municipalities, year by year. Everyone with roots in Croatia is only available nationally and from 2018.
Municipalities with the most people born in Croatia
Number is the people born in Croatia 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 Croatia in the country.
| Municipality | Number | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Göteborg | 1,516 | 0.2% |
| Malmö | 1,200 | 0.3% |
| Stockholm | 849 | 0.1% |
| Helsingborg | 480 | 0.3% |
| Södertälje | 354 | 0.3% |
| Jönköping | 262 | 0.2% |
| Haninge | 242 | 0.2% |
| Halmstad | 237 | 0.2% |
| Borås | 225 | 0.2% |
| Linköping | 206 | 0.1% |
| Huddinge | 205 | 0.2% |
| Gislaved | 198 | 0.7% |
| Norrköping | 179 | 0.1% |
| Eskilstuna | 176 | 0.2% |
| Uppsala | 170 | 0.1% |
| Botkyrka | 168 | 0.2% |
| Landskrona | 158 | 0.3% |
| Västerås | 157 | 0.1% |
| Vaggeryd | 156 | 1.0% |
| Solna | 144 | 0.2% |
| Partille | 143 | 0.3% |
| Lund | 140 | 0.1% |
| Värnamo | 121 | 0.4% |
| Järfälla | 118 | 0.1% |
| Burlöv | 112 | 0.5% |
Largest share of residents
Municipalities with at least 20 people born in Croatia, sorted by their share of the municipality's residents.
| Municipality | Number | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Vaggeryd | 156 | 1.0% |
| Gislaved | 198 | 0.7% |
| Burlöv | 112 | 0.5% |
| Markaryd | 48 | 0.5% |
| Bjuv | 73 | 0.5% |
| Värnamo | 121 | 0.4% |
| Partille | 143 | 0.3% |
| Södertälje | 354 | 0.3% |
| Landskrona | 158 | 0.3% |
| Åstorp | 54 | 0.3% |
| Malmö | 1,200 | 0.3% |
| Gnosjö | 29 | 0.3% |
| Helsingborg | 480 | 0.3% |
| Hylte | 30 | 0.3% |
| Olofström | 38 | 0.3% |
| Ale | 89 | 0.3% |
| Salem | 47 | 0.3% |
| Lilla Edet | 38 | 0.3% |
| Göteborg | 1,516 | 0.2% |
| Haninge | 242 | 0.2% |
| Klippan | 42 | 0.2% |
| Tranemo | 28 | 0.2% |
| Ljungby | 63 | 0.2% |
| Halmstad | 237 | 0.2% |
| Nässjö | 67 | 0.2% |
Common questions about Croats in Sweden
- How many Croats live in Sweden?
- About 21,000 people in Sweden have an origin in Croatia (2025). Of them, about 13,000 were born in Croatia and 8,500 were born in Sweden to at least one parent from there.
- Where in Sweden do most Croats live?
- The most people born in Croatia live in Göteborg (1,516), Malmö (1,200) and Stockholm (849). Together, 29% of everyone born in Croatia lives in one of these three municipalities.
- Which municipality has the largest share of Croats?
- Vaggeryd, where 1.0% of residents were born in Croatia. It is followed by Gislaved (0.7%) and Burlöv (0.5%).
- Is the number of Croats in Sweden growing or shrinking?
- The number of people born in Croatia living in Sweden grew from about 4,800 in 2000 to a peak of about 13,000 in 2023. Since then it has fallen to about 12,000 in 2025. Including people born in Sweden to parents from Croatia, the whole group has grown from about 18,000 in 2018 to about 21,000 in 2025.
- How many were born in Sweden to parents from Croatia?
- About 8,500. Of them, about 1,700 have two parents born in Croatia.
Good to know
- The lists above only count people born in Croatia. Where people born in Sweden with parents from Croatia 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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