Falun
Falun is the largest town in Dalarna, with more than 56,000 inhabitants, and the town is only 19 km from Borlänge, which is almost the same size. It is 223 km from the Swedish capital, Stockholm.
Facts about the municipality
Population numbers
59057
Size by area
2275 km²
Falun is a secure and good place to live, close to beautiful natural surroundings with many lakes. A unique feature of Falun is that the municipality works with many small inputs together with associations and companies, which together make a difference for you as a new arrival in Sweden in making close contacts and networks with native-born Swedes.
Housing
All types of housing are available in Falun, and you can either rent or buy a house or flat. There is also student housing. Kopparstaden is the municipality's own housing company and offers good housing. Kopparstaden collaborates closely with its tenants and associations to create meeting places in the housing areas for native-born Swedes and those born abroad. If, in the longer term, you want to buy your own house, they are not as expensive as in the major cities.
Language groups in the locality
Among the 10 per cent of inhabitants of Falun who were born abroad, there are a large number of nationalities. The largest groups are from the Nordic countries and Europe. But Asia and Africa are also represented. In addition, there are Arabic, Somali and Kurdish dialects, such as Sorani and Kurmanji, and also Thai.
Associations and organisations
Falun has lots of associations, mostly within sports, but also religious associations, temperance associations and music associations. There is a Somali association in Borlänge, a town located 20 km from Falun. Borlänge also has a mosque and a Buddhist monastery (in the village of Ulvshyttan). There is a Catholic church and monastery in Falun.
What is available in the immediate area
Falun is the county town and has a very good centre with indoor shopping malls and small shops along a shopping street, as well as a large shopping area located just outside the town. There are also cultural activities of many kinds: the Dala theatre, a symphony orchestra, county museum and a library.
What is available in the immediate area
Falun municipality offers social information to new arrivals and other practical information is provided by the refugee coordinators at the labour market and integration office. Together with an independent church, Lugnetkyrkan, the municipality runs a project aimed at selecting families that act as refugee guides for new arrivals.
IKEA is 20 km from Falun, in Borlänge. Falun also has a range of flea markets, the municipality's recycling shop Ta till vara and a second-handshop where you can find evertyhing from ornaments to furniture, curtains, household goods, etc.
Childcare
For new arrivals with small children, there is an open nursery school at Elsborg medical centre, close to the Järnet block in the centre. Here you can meet mothers and fathers born both within and outside Sweden, and here you can start to learn Swedish even if you have not yet started Swedish for Immigrants. There are also plenty of nursery schools and family day nurseries for those who need daily childcare.
Compulsory schools and upper secondary schools
Falun has 27 municipal comprehensive schools and 3 schools for children with special needs. There are also 4 independent comprehensive schools. There are 2 municipal and 6 independent upper secondary schools.
Falun also has a music school, to which you can apply if you have children who like to sing or play an instrument.
Education opportunities
You can find information about the municipality's adult education on our website. If you want to study at further education level, there is Högskolan Dalarna.
Health and medical care
Falun municipality has four medical centres. Falu Lasarett is the largest hospital in Dalarna and offers practically all medical specialisms. There is also an accident and emergency department. At Elsborgs Familjecentral you can find all ante-natal and child healthcare clinics.
Interpreter assistance
As there is a mutual need for understanding, we engage interpreters when necessary. This may be for contacts with work, schools, visits to public authorities and in healthcare.
Public transport
Trains depart from central Falun via Gävle and via Borlänge towards Stockholm. From Dala Airport in Borlänge, you can fly direct to Stockholm, Göteborg or Malmö. There are plenty of buses within the municipality and also to the neighbouring municipalities, and Dalatrafik is responsible for bus transports.
Work and entrepreneurship
Many people will be retiring in Falun and Dalarna within the next few years. Junior nurses, nurses, doctors, IT technicians and engineers have the greatest employment opportunities. But Falun and other places in Dalarna will also have a need to employ persons working within manual trades.
Falun also has a further education institute with considerable language teaching and a multi-cultural teaching corps. If you want to start a company, you can contact the municipality's business office.
