The City with Sunshine in Its Soul

Karlstad is undergoing a transformation that highlights the city’s qualities and beauty more than ever. Award-winning architecture and new housing developments are emerging. And a newly opened green bridge, inspired by New York, is now connecting central Karlstad with nature and the water.

It’s easy to be captivated by all the beauty. Built on a delta with the winding Klarälven River and the vast horizons of Lake Vänern, Karlstad is a place where water is always present – where archipelago life and rocky swimming spots meet the pulse of the city.

Discover the charm of our countryside or small communities surrounded by forest. Keep a pony in the garden while still enjoying the vibrant offerings of the city nearby.

Midway between Stockholm and Oslo, you can work in exciting industries with the world as your workplace. You’re close to the rest of the world – and to the best quality of life right outside your door.

Karlstad is home to a wide range of innovative and forward-thinking companies that lead the way in their fields. Strong business clusters and world-leading expertise in bioeconomy, tech, and societal security thrive here – alongside a rapidly growing gaming industry.

Developing new ideas based on proven knowledge is part of everyday life in a region that ranks as Sweden’s best in entrepreneurial education*. New ideas become reality and contribute to the smart innovations of the future. Speaking of education, you’ll also find Sundsta-Älvkullegymnasiet here – one of the most modern upper secondary schools in the country. The broad range of educational programs, combined with leading research and development at Karlstad University, ensures access to talent and expertise.

The diversity of businesses helps keep the job market stable through changing economic conditions.

Considering that culture is part of Karlstad’s DNA, it’s no surprise that its residents are the most satisfied in Sweden with the local cultural and entertainment scene. The city offers a wide range of cultural experiences and events.

Musicians and performers love connecting with audiences in Karlstad, where large arena concerts are mixed with cozy acoustic evenings, big outdoor shows, and intimate club gigs. One of the largest conference venues in the Nordics makes it easy to host inspiring meetings with people from all over the world. The city is full of restaurants, cafés, pubs, and clubs – both in the center and along the boardwalk in the Inner Harbor.

Karlstad is also an award-winning sports city. Countless active members in our clubs contribute to meaningful leisure time, and many successful elite athletes call this place home. Hockey, rally, curling, American football, athletics, and harness racing! Major national and international events are held regularly. Here, you can watch, try, and practice world-class sports.

At the new and impressive arena complex Solstadens Sportcenter, you’ll find Eva Lisa Holtz Arena – Europe’s third-largest indoor athletics arena, built entirely of wood and equipped with solar panels on the roof. There are also plenty of gyms, both outdoor and indoor.

Karlstad is a fantastic place to live! And that’s not just our opinion –surveys show that residents themselves agree. Karlstad has been ranked as:

• Best in Sweden for culture and entertainment, according to Statistics Sweden’s citizen survey 2024
  
• Second best municipality in Sweden to live in, by Focus magazine 2025
• Sweden’s top outdoor municipality 2024, according to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Svenskt Friluftsliv, and the Swedish Association of Leisure and Culture Managers
• Sweden’s best cycling city 2024, according to Kommunvelometern, run by Cykelfrämjandet
• Fourth best student city in Sweden, according to Studentum

Curious to see more of what Karlstad has to offer? Visit our relocation site: karlstad.se/flytta-till-karlstadsregionen