Once named Denmark’s “Village of the Year,” Ballum in Southern Jutland now stands as a quiet reminder of rural decline. Across the country, many smaller communities are facing population loss, while larger cities continue to grow.
From thriving community to empty streets
In 2006, the small town of Ballum near the Wadden Sea was celebrated as an example for other Danish villages. It had new jobs, new residents, and a strong sense of optimism. Nearly twenty years later, the situation has changed dramatically. The school has closed, the local shop is gone, and about one-fourth of the population has left.
Locals describe the once-busy village as peaceful but nearly silent. Those who have stayed, many of them lifelong residents, hope tourists and summer visitors will keep the town alive. They see Ballum not as a dying place but as one worth defending from disappearing altogether.
National growth hides local decline
Denmark’s total population has never been higher. The country recently surpassed six million people. Despite that, 31 out of 98 municipalities have seen their population shrink over the past fifteen years. When focusing only on working-age residents, the number rises to 35 municipalities.
According to Danish business organization Dansk Erhverv, this trend is deeply concerning. Municipalities losing working-age citizens face smaller tax bases and fewer local services. Experts warn that many outer areas could face long-term decline if the trend continues.
While some regions expand quickly, others are losing both jobs and youth. Data shows that fewer young Danes return to their hometowns after moving away to study or work. In fact, only about one in four 35-year-olds now lives in the same municipality where they grew up.
Aging populations strain local budgets
If the current pattern holds, and the national retirement age remains unchanged, half of Denmark’s municipalities will have fewer working-age citizens in the next 25 years. Places like Skive, Lolland, Tønder, and Bornholm are among those expected to experience the steepest declines.
Meanwhile, municipalities seeing population increases are mostly large cities or those close to them. Urban areas attract younger residents and most of the country’s universities and higher education programs. This concentration further deepens the divide between city and countryside.
Island life with patience and optimism
On the island of Langeland, population loss since 2010 has reached up to 17 percent. Yet the mood among locals remains upbeat. Many believe that new families will eventually return for the calm lifestyle, nature, and strong community ties that island life offers.
Small business owners there insist that life continues as usual. They say the pace is slower, but the spirit remains strong. For many older residents, Langeland is home in every sense, and leaving it behind simply isn’t an option.
What local leaders want from Parliament
In towns like Ballum, local officials are not ignoring the problem. Jørgen Popp Petersen, mayor of Tønder Municipality, believes small towns can survive if the state supports them directly. He argues that placing government jobs in rural areas would help reverse the population loss.
So far, that support has been limited, and municipalities rely instead on state grants and funding equalization to keep services running. Leaders like Petersen say that while these tools help maintain schools, roads, and home care, they do not change the underlying demographic challenges.
The mayor insists that giving up on villages is not an option. Communities like Ballum, he says, offer children strong upbringings and residents a quality of life that big cities cannot match.
The local vote and the road ahead
As the next municipal elections approach, rural issues are expected to play a key role in political debates across Denmark. Citizens can explore candidates who prioritize rural development through TV 2’s Find a Candidate tool and track updated election results when the votes are counted.
For residents like those in Ballum and Langeland, the hope is that awareness of these demographic trends will lead to concrete action. Whether through new jobs, better infrastructure, or continued faith in local life, many Danes outside the big cities are determined to keep their communities alive.
Sources and References
TV 2 News – Once Village of the Year, Now a Different Story
TV 2 – Municipal Elections
TV 2 – Find a Candidate
TV 2 – Election Results
