Vimmerby
Vimmerby is a municipality in Kalmar county with magnificent natural scenery, lovely lakes for swimming and an active civil and cultural society. Astrid Lindgren, the world-famous writer of children’s books, grew up in Vimmerby, and her works are a major influence on the entire municipality.
Facts about the municipality
Population numbers
15744
Size by area
1220 km²
Housing
Vimmerby's municipal housing company, Vimarhem, has about 1 300 flats in all parts of the municipality. There are also several private housing companies. More information is available on Vimmerby municipality's website.
Language groups in the locality
The big language groups are Arabic, Dari, Persian, Somali, Spanish, Albanian, Thai, Bosnian, Serbian, Croatian and Russian.
Associations and organisations
Vimmerby has a vibrant civil society, with about 180 associations registered in our association register. You can find the association register on Vimmerby municipality's website, where you can also read more about support to associations. Vimmerby municipality was voted the county's best culture school in 2014. There are courses for just about everyone, whether in dance, music or theatre.
What is available in the immediate area
Vimmerby is a small town with a lively commerce. The centre has a wide selection of shops, and the smaller communities around the town also have supermarkets and libraries. Vimmerby also has lots of charity shops, including Erikshjälpen. The local employment agency is centrally located and the municipal hall has both a library and a social welfare office. Vimmerby also has Astrid Lindgren's Näs, where you can visit the writer's childhood home and stroll in the garden which has been created there. If you want to visit larger shopping centres, there are good transport connections to Linköping, Jönköping and Kalmar.
Childcare
There are several preschools in Vimmerby municipality, both municipal and privately run.
Compulsory schools and upper secondary schools
The municipality has two secondary schools and one upper secondary school with eight different programmes. You can also choose dance and football as additional programme options. There are nine comprehensive schools, two in the population centre and the rest spread around the municipality's smaller communities. More information about Vimmerby's schools is available on Vimmerby municipality's website.
Education opportunities
Vimmerby Lärcenter/Högskolecentrum is the municipality's central organisation for adult education. Courses offered include Swedish for immigrants (Sfi), civic information for new arrivals, and higher education programmes. The guidance centre will help you draw up your own study plan, and the study and vocational counsellors can inform you about possibilities for student finance. Vimmerby folkhögskola has several different programmes, including a recreation leader programme and care administration programmes.
Health and medical care
Vimmerby medical care centre is centrally located in Vimmerby and has both a doctor's and a nurse's consultancy. Vimmerby also has paediatric and obstetric care. The nearest hospital is in Västervik municipality, about 50 km from Vimmerby.
Interpreter assistance
Vimmerby municipality uses interpretation services when needed.
Public transport
There are good commuting possibilities to bigger cities with KLT, Kalmar Läns Trafik. The Kustpilen line has several connections a day between Linköping and Kalmar, stopping at Vimmerby along the way.
Work and entrepreneurship
Vimmerby has a thriving business climate, and commerce has been a central part of the municipality's history. Näringslivsenheten (the business unit) will be glad to help if you want to start your own business, and also has a "company pilot" to help you with permits etc. The biggest employer is Vimmerby municipality, with about 1 300 employees. The manufacturing industry dominates the business community, and Ljunghälls AB, a metals factory, is the biggest private employer with about 500 employees. Vimmerby is also home to large and well established food companies such as Arla Food AB, Frödinge Mejeri AB, and AB Åbro Bryggeri. In recent years the visitor industry has grown and developed. Each year, the municipality is visited by about 450 000 people – drawn mainly to Astrid Lindgrens Värld, which is a major employer during the summer.
