Kommunlotsen / Origin / Iran
Iranians in Sweden: how many and where do they live?
Origin Iran: how large the group is, where it lives and how it has changed.
About 136,000 people in Sweden have an origin in Iran (2025). Of them, about 87,000 were born in Iran and 48,000 were born in Sweden to at least one parent from there.
The most people born in Iran live in Göteborg (13,332), Stockholm (12,419) and Malmö (4,504). The largest share of residents is in Upplands Väsby (3.6%), Solna (3.1%) and Partille (3.0%).
By origin in Iran we mean people who were born in Iran, or who were born in Sweden and have at least one parent born in Iran.
How large is the group in Sweden?
| Born in Iran | 87,292 |
|---|---|
| Born in Sweden, both parents from Iran | 20,637 |
| Born in Sweden, parents from Iran and another country | 11,212 |
| Born in Sweden, one parent from Iran | 16,563 |
How has the number changed?
The number of people born in Iran living in Sweden has grown from about 51,000 in 2000 to about 87,000 in 2025. Including people born in Sweden to parents from Iran, the whole group has grown from about 117,000 in 2018 to about 136,000 in 2025.
Change in the municipalities with the most people born in Iran
People born in Iran living in the municipality, 2015 compared with 2025.
| Municipality | 2015 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Göteborg | 11,757 | 13,332 | +1,575 (+13%) |
| Stockholm | 11,718 | 12,419 | +701 (+6%) |
| Malmö | 3,642 | 4,504 | +862 (+24%) |
| Uppsala | 3,502 | 4,051 | +549 (+16%) |
| Solna | 2,365 | 2,715 | +350 (+15%) |
| Järfälla | 1,682 | 2,650 | +968 (+58%) |
| Västerås | 1,602 | 2,337 | +735 (+46%) |
| Sollentuna | 1,609 | 2,197 | +588 (+37%) |
| Upplands Väsby | 1,255 | 1,810 | +555 (+44%) |
| Täby | 1,152 | 1,758 | +606 (+53%) |
Source: Statistics Sweden (SCB). The number born in Iran is the sum over all municipalities, year by year. Everyone with roots in Iran is only available nationally and from 2018.
Municipalities with the most people born in Iran
Number is the people born in Iran 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 Iran in the country.
| Municipality | Number | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Göteborg | 13,332 | 2.2% |
| Stockholm | 12,419 | 1.2% |
| Malmö | 4,504 | 1.2% |
| Uppsala | 4,051 | 1.6% |
| Solna | 2,715 | 3.1% |
| Järfälla | 2,650 | 2.9% |
| Västerås | 2,337 | 1.4% |
| Sollentuna | 2,197 | 2.8% |
| Upplands Väsby | 1,810 | 3.6% |
| Täby | 1,758 | 2.2% |
| Borås | 1,577 | 1.4% |
| Sundbyberg | 1,556 | 2.7% |
| Lund | 1,518 | 1.1% |
| Linköping | 1,511 | 0.9% |
| Mölndal | 1,434 | 2.0% |
| Örebro | 1,259 | 0.8% |
| Partille | 1,240 | 3.0% |
| Huddinge | 1,058 | 0.9% |
| Helsingborg | 965 | 0.6% |
| Haninge | 952 | 0.9% |
| Jönköping | 946 | 0.6% |
| Nacka | 912 | 0.8% |
| Umeå | 818 | 0.6% |
| Eskilstuna | 795 | 0.7% |
| Karlstad | 780 | 0.8% |
Largest share of residents
Municipalities with at least 20 people born in Iran, sorted by their share of the municipality's residents.
| Municipality | Number | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Upplands Väsby | 1,810 | 3.6% |
| Solna | 2,715 | 3.1% |
| Partille | 1,240 | 3.0% |
| Järfälla | 2,650 | 2.9% |
| Sollentuna | 2,197 | 2.8% |
| Sundbyberg | 1,556 | 2.7% |
| Täby | 1,758 | 2.2% |
| Göteborg | 13,332 | 2.2% |
| Mölndal | 1,434 | 2.0% |
| Upplands-Bro | 601 | 1.8% |
| Uppsala | 4,051 | 1.6% |
| Västerås | 2,337 | 1.4% |
| Borås | 1,577 | 1.4% |
| Stockholm | 12,419 | 1.2% |
| Malmö | 4,504 | 1.2% |
| Danderyd | 391 | 1.2% |
| Sigtuna | 618 | 1.2% |
| Lund | 1,518 | 1.1% |
| Burlöv | 231 | 1.1% |
| Vallentuna | 395 | 1.1% |
| Härryda | 407 | 1.0% |
| Ale | 324 | 1.0% |
| Haninge | 952 | 0.9% |
| Huddinge | 1,058 | 0.9% |
| Linköping | 1,511 | 0.9% |
Common questions about Iranians in Sweden
- How many Iranians live in Sweden?
- About 136,000 people in Sweden have an origin in Iran (2025). Of them, about 87,000 were born in Iran and 48,000 were born in Sweden to at least one parent from there.
- Where in Sweden do most Iranians live?
- The most people born in Iran live in Göteborg (13,332), Stockholm (12,419) and Malmö (4,504). Together, 35% of everyone born in Iran lives in one of these three municipalities.
- Which municipality has the largest share of Iranians?
- Upplands Väsby, where 3.6% of residents were born in Iran. It is followed by Solna (3.1%) and Partille (3.0%).
- Is the number of Iranians in Sweden growing or shrinking?
- The number of people born in Iran living in Sweden has grown from about 51,000 in 2000 to about 87,000 in 2025. Including people born in Sweden to parents from Iran, the whole group has grown from about 117,000 in 2018 to about 136,000 in 2025.
- How many were born in Sweden to parents from Iran?
- About 48,000. Of them, about 21,000 have two parents born in Iran.
Good to know
- The lists above only count people born in Iran. Where people born in Sweden with parents from Iran 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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