poismuutto

Poismuutto is a term used in demography and regional planning to describe the act of moving away from a defined residence area, such as a municipality, region, or country, to establish a new residence elsewhere. It is a component of population mobility and is typically contrasted with tulomuutto, the arrival of people into the area. The term is commonly used in national statistics to describe departures that reduce the number of residents in the original area.

Poismuutto can be domestic (within the country) or international (emigration). Within-country poismuutto may involve moving from one municipality to another or from rural to urban areas; international poismuutto involves leaving the country for long-term or permanent residence abroad.

Measurement of poismuutto usually focuses on the number of departures during a specified period or the rate per 1,000 inhabitants. Data are typically drawn from population registers, censuses, or migration surveys. In Finland, Statistics Finland and municipal population registers publish poismuutto statistics, often alongside tulomuutto figures to provide a net migration picture.

Drivers of poismuutto include employment opportunities, housing availability, education, income, age structure, and family considerations. Areas with high out-migration may experience population decline, aging populations, and reduced tax bases and public services, while receiving areas may gain population and labor capacity but also face integration and infrastructure needs.

Policy and planning use poismuutto to understand regional development, urbanization trends, and the effects of migration policies. The term is primarily used in statistical and demographic contexts and is not a value judgment about people who move.