Kommunlotsen / Origin / Eritrea
Eritreans in Sweden: how many and where do they live?
Origin Eritrea: how large the group is, where it lives and how it has changed.
About 75,000 people in Sweden have an origin in Eritrea (2025). Of them, about 50,000 were born in Eritrea and 26,000 were born in Sweden to at least one parent from there.
The most people born in Eritrea live in Stockholm (6,674), Göteborg (2,635) and Uppsala (2,115). The largest share of residents is in Ockelbo (3.1%), Sundbyberg (2.4%) and Oxelösund (2.1%).
By origin in Eritrea we mean people who were born in Eritrea, or who were born in Sweden and have at least one parent born in Eritrea.
How large is the group in Sweden?
| Born in Eritrea | 49,740 |
|---|---|
| Born in Sweden, both parents from Eritrea | 16,617 |
| Born in Sweden, parents from Eritrea and another country | 7,238 |
| Born in Sweden, one parent from Eritrea | 1,816 |
How has the number changed?
The number of people born in Eritrea living in Sweden has grown from about 2,800 in 2000 to about 50,000 in 2025. Including people born in Sweden to parents from Eritrea, the whole group has grown from about 56,000 in 2018 to about 75,000 in 2025.
Change in the municipalities with the most people born in Eritrea
People born in Eritrea living in the municipality, 2015 compared with 2025.
| Municipality | 2015 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stockholm | 4,646 | 6,674 | +2,028 (+44%) |
| Göteborg | 1,197 | 2,635 | +1,438 (+120%) |
| Uppsala | 620 | 2,115 | +1,495 (+241%) |
| Västerås | 342 | 1,711 | +1,369 (+400%) |
| Sundbyberg | 1,099 | 1,357 | +258 (+23%) |
| Järfälla | 421 | 1,202 | +781 (+186%) |
| Örebro | 363 | 1,201 | +838 (+231%) |
| Eskilstuna | 690 | 1,107 | +417 (+60%) |
| Gävle | 526 | 851 | +325 (+62%) |
| Jönköping | 194 | 815 | +621 (+320%) |
Source: Statistics Sweden (SCB). The number born in Eritrea is the sum over all municipalities, year by year. Everyone with roots in Eritrea is only available nationally and from 2018.
Municipalities with the most people born in Eritrea
Number is the people born in Eritrea 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 Eritrea in the country.
| Municipality | Number | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Stockholm | 6,674 | 0.7% |
| Göteborg | 2,635 | 0.4% |
| Uppsala | 2,115 | 0.8% |
| Västerås | 1,711 | 1.1% |
| Sundbyberg | 1,357 | 2.4% |
| Järfälla | 1,202 | 1.3% |
| Örebro | 1,201 | 0.7% |
| Eskilstuna | 1,107 | 1.0% |
| Gävle | 851 | 0.8% |
| Jönköping | 815 | 0.6% |
| Sandviken | 684 | 1.8% |
| Umeå | 680 | 0.5% |
| Sundsvall | 657 | 0.7% |
| Botkyrka | 653 | 0.7% |
| Östersund | 652 | 1.0% |
| Skellefteå | 593 | 0.8% |
| Huddinge | 546 | 0.5% |
| Motala | 512 | 1.2% |
| Katrineholm | 487 | 1.4% |
| Upplands-Bro | 486 | 1.5% |
| Enköping | 480 | 1.0% |
| Sigtuna | 464 | 0.9% |
| Borås | 462 | 0.4% |
| Linköping | 456 | 0.3% |
| Solna | 452 | 0.5% |
Largest share of residents
Municipalities with at least 20 people born in Eritrea, sorted by their share of the municipality's residents.
| Municipality | Number | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Ockelbo | 175 | 3.1% |
| Sundbyberg | 1,357 | 2.4% |
| Oxelösund | 247 | 2.1% |
| Sandviken | 684 | 1.8% |
| Avesta | 396 | 1.8% |
| Upplands-Bro | 486 | 1.5% |
| Norberg | 78 | 1.5% |
| Katrineholm | 487 | 1.4% |
| Överkalix | 45 | 1.4% |
| Vingåker | 120 | 1.4% |
| Bollnäs | 360 | 1.4% |
| Ovanåker | 153 | 1.4% |
| Åre | 173 | 1.4% |
| Järfälla | 1,202 | 1.3% |
| Fagersta | 164 | 1.3% |
| Motala | 512 | 1.2% |
| Söderhamn | 286 | 1.2% |
| Kiruna | 260 | 1.2% |
| Sollefteå | 209 | 1.2% |
| Härnösand | 275 | 1.1% |
| Malung-Sälen | 115 | 1.1% |
| Skara | 209 | 1.1% |
| Kramfors | 191 | 1.1% |
| Västerås | 1,711 | 1.1% |
| Sala | 239 | 1.1% |
Common questions about Eritreans in Sweden
- How many Eritreans live in Sweden?
- About 75,000 people in Sweden have an origin in Eritrea (2025). Of them, about 50,000 were born in Eritrea and 26,000 were born in Sweden to at least one parent from there.
- Where in Sweden do most Eritreans live?
- The most people born in Eritrea live in Stockholm (6,674), Göteborg (2,635) and Uppsala (2,115). Together, 23% of everyone born in Eritrea lives in one of these three municipalities.
- Which municipality has the largest share of Eritreans?
- Ockelbo, where 3.1% of residents were born in Eritrea. It is followed by Sundbyberg (2.4%) and Oxelösund (2.1%).
- Is the number of Eritreans in Sweden growing or shrinking?
- The number of people born in Eritrea living in Sweden has grown from about 2,800 in 2000 to about 50,000 in 2025. Including people born in Sweden to parents from Eritrea, the whole group has grown from about 56,000 in 2018 to about 75,000 in 2025.
- How many were born in Sweden to parents from Eritrea?
- About 26,000. Of them, about 17,000 have two parents born in Eritrea.
Good to know
- The lists above only count people born in Eritrea. Where people born in Sweden with parents from Eritrea 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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