I made a list of the largest cities (populationwise) with its nearest surrondings, ie 30 km circle (or halfcircle if it´s by the sea), without considering comuting pattern etc (dvs utan hänsyn till SCB LA-regioner eller SKL´s regionsindelning) for seven years ago.
Here is the population change and my comments on that list.
Now ranked in percantage increase of population.
Main city Present Population Increase 2004-2011 [%]
Stockholm 1 972 452 + 198 457 + 1,54 This is number one in Scandinavia, the relatively large size will atract companies, more people etc. #1
Malmö/Lund 595 750 + 59 560 + 1,53 Best situated in Sweden and an expanding university in Lund, will continue to grow
Uppsala 213 119 + 19 629 + 1,40 Large university and close to Stockholm will grant a future growth. Young popultion as well.
Göteborg 840 912 + 61 163 + 1,08 Gradually also Gothenborg will change from it´s dependency of the traditionally industry sector
Växjö 102 010 + 7 283 + 1,06 An expanding university has done a lot, won´t be #5 2020, but still grow.
Helsingborg 294 933 + 19 327 + 0,97 The most populus area outside the three largest (STO/GOT/MAL), considering that it has only a smaller collage has done very good, and will do so in the future. It will increase around 1 % annually because it has a lot of high quality areas of dwellings.
Linköping 172 623 + 11 201 + 0,96 This is the main city in this region and has a young population, bright future
Jönköping 145 371 + 9 334 + 0,95 Good location and a university, top ten
Umeå 124 105 + 7 675 + 0,91The only star in the northern part of Sweden. But when all young people in the closest 500 km already moved there it will stop the growth slightly
Örebro 178 659 + 10 463 + 0,86Good location and a university, top ten
Eskilstuna 104 596 + 5 667 + 0,79 To far to comute to Sthlm for a large amount of people, will drop on the list
Västerås 162 494 + 7 268 + 0,65 Will increase, not moore
Halmstad 115 129 + 4 874 + 0,61Too small to atract any hordes, will increase though.
Norrköping 144 073 + 6 020 + 0,60Old population, small increase
Borås 155 915 + 5 856 + 0,54Old population, small increase
Karlstad 132 675 + 4 303 + 0,46 To remote, best in class (Värmland) though, small increase, decreasing surounding
Gävle 141 237 + 3 691 + 0,37Might see an decrease later on when we wont see this generally high population increase (a lot children has been born and the net immigration has been large over the past five years) for Sweden
Borlänge 126 204 + 3 175 + 0,36 Will decrease young people ted to move to Sthlm
Trollhättan/Uddevalla 162 422 + 3 712 + 0,32+/-0
Sundsvall 113 684 + 2 523 + 0,31Will definitely decrease later on, the train has left, to old population
My conclusion
Areas which will increase are:
Stockholm + Uppsala and parts of Sörmland
The west coast will do well, from Scania to Stenungsund.
Islands of unversity cities, Umeå, Jönköping Lindköping, Växjö, Örebro, Karlstad?
and
Västerås
Small increase:
Norrköping, Borås, Karlskrona, Gävle?, Eskilstuna, Kalmar? Uddevalla?, Skövde?
Decrease:
The rest.