While many rural municipalities across Estonia are struggling with population decline, Muhu Municipal Mayor Raido Liitmäe said that their population has been growing for years, and this despite the challenges of being an island municipality and the additional cost of ferry tickets.

Muhu's population growth has been entirely due to internal migration, or in-migration.

"Fun fact: for the past seven or eight years, the island's population has been growing — whether it's Muhu natives returning or entirely new families moving here," Liitmäe noted.

"We haven't actively done anything [to make this happen]; we haven't done a car giveaway or anything like that," he continued. "We believe the environment itself should be the attraction. We're also seeing in building permits that people aren't building summer cottages; rather, all homes are being built for year-round use."

To Saaremaa's north, Hiiumaa also saw its population grow last year, ending with a net increase of 20 residents. While births on the island are declining, the number of kids in its childcare institutions continues to rise.

"[We're seeing] children who weren't raised here," explained Hiiumaa Municipal Mayor Hergo Tasuja. "They vary widely in age. We've got families with kids, but also retirees who are moving here to enjoy the peace and beautiful natural environment."

Meanwhile, Saaremaa — the country's largest island and biggest municipality — saw its population drop by 54 last year. Taking inspiration from Denmark's own Baltic Sea island of Bornholm, Saaremaa has hired a so-called recruiter, or island relocation consultant, to attract new residents.

After just a couple of months on the job, the consultant already has nine prospective new residents for Saaremaa. Now, the challenge is to help them find housing or employment.

"Some really are those that want to return — they long to reconnect with their roots," noted project consultant Kädi Alt. "But there are also a couple who have said, 'Find me a job, and I'll move to Saaremaa immediately.'"

According to Alt, the goal is to attract 1,000 new residents to Saaremaa Municipality over the next decade.

All island municipality leaders agree that maintaining affordable ferry ticket prices is a crucial factor for island life and development.

"For us, ferry connections are an extension of the highway," Tasuja acknowledged. "They're our lifeline, and pricing them appropriately is one of the most significant measures of all."

According to Statistics Estonia figures, as of 2023, Saaremaa Municipality had a total population of 30,191, Hiiumaa Municipality 8,474 and Muhu Municipality 1,640 residents.

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