Essunga, once named Sweden's most boring municipality, now sees the highest birth rates per woman in the country amid a baby boom. The area has turned emigration into growth through investments in family support and safety. Local mothers praise the calm and secure environment as ideal for starting families.
Essunga in Västra Götaland has undergone a dramatic transformation. In 2016, the municipality was named Sweden's most boring by Fastighetsägarna, due to a lack of companies with alcohol licenses—resulting in zero points for nightlife. But in 2024, the trend reversed: Essunga topped birth statistics with 2.07 children per woman, against the national average of 1.43, the lowest in 23 years.
Years of emigration and an aging population have now given way to optimism. Municipal council chairman Daniel Andersson (M) explains: 'We need more people in the municipality and aim to reach 10,000 by 2040. Today we are 5,700. That's why we're making a historic investment in a new school for 120 million, sending a signal that we believe in the future.'
Young mothers like Natali Ekman Jörkanders, 33, Lisa Apell, 29, and Lisa Falk, 29, exemplify the shift. Natali, raised in Essunga but with a brief stay in Jönköping, chose to return: 'I've always wanted children, it wasn't a hard decision. It's close to everything. No traffic to preschool. Safe. Great childcare.'
Lisa Apell adds: 'It has never been an option to start a family anywhere else. It's always calm… You can let the children go. Everyone says hello. It's nice here.' They describe the local nightlife as limited—the pizzeria Casa Mia is the main spot—but highlight access to forests, cafes, baby swim, and Systembolaget. Safety is the key selling point for newcomers: 'If you move here from outside, it might be positive in that it's a bit more open here, everyone greets each other. And you rarely need to worry about the children.'
The municipality hopes investments in schools and safety will attract more young people to stay or return, despite past criticism of lacking entertainment.