According to the 1959 census, the population of the capital of the Latvian SSR was 580,400. By 2025, the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia counted 595,503 people in the metropolis of the European Union and NATO.
So now we yield to Vilnius with its 607,667 residents. The capital of Lithuania is also larger by almost a quarter – 401 and 304.6 sq. km respectively.
Tallinn is the smallest in the Baltics, at 159.3 sq. km and 456,418 residents. However, it has the highest income!
There is another unpleasant trend – since 2021, coinciding with the establishment of the "coalition of change" in the capital, the number of Riga residents has been declining, decreasing by 3.7% over four years. "Except for 2023, when a slight increase in the population was created by refugees from the war in Ukraine." Of course, we cannot look to the future with confidence, given that our distant neighbors will continue to face their troubles...
Meanwhile, even more Ukrainian citizens have arrived in Lithuania – and Vilnius has grown by 9.2% since 2021!
Is it Impossible to Change One's Place of Living?
But even under such conditions, there are certain micro-districts in Riga with a growing population – these are Mezaparks (+3.6%) and the Old Town (+2.7%), and alongside them, unexpectedly, Dreilini (+1.3%). In the latter area of social housing, prestigious commercial projects are also on the rise lately.
The champion in population growth (+5.9%) is the large and sparsely populated district of Spilve. The surroundings of the former airport are gradually being developed by private individuals.
