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Follow the homes of Boden residents who offer inspiring stories and read about people who have chosen to move to Boden for our unique community life. Get to know the city, which has everything from fantastic outdoor areas and a rich community life to intimate dining experiences and a rich cultural life – all from the people’s perspective. Welcome to Boden – where proximity creates quality of life.

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GOOD THINGS ABOUT BODEN

In the #Närhetsliv magazine, stories are told and residents are the focus. Long, well-written reports and stylish photo series depict all the things that make Boden a wonderful place to live. From impressive achievements and transformative life choices to quirky hobbies, beautiful homes and hard-working winners in our fantastic community. That and much more is #Närhetsliv.

#Närhetsliv was first published in spring 2017 and distributed to all households in Boden, as a way to strengthen Boden’s place brand and create pride among Boden residents. Behind the magazine is the communications unit of the municipality of Boden, which uses local photographer Mats Engfors for the high-quality images. In 2019, #Närhetsliv won the Publishing Prize in the category of citizen magazines. Its texts, images, layout and print scored sky-high in the juried competition.

Local Hearts Welcome the World
Colleagues, cousins, and friends Jessica Bergman and Malin Nilsson share a large part of their lives, now also at Stegra's office in Boden. Both have strong roots here and contribute with competence a…
20250901-182232-8525 Närhetsliv Brozine #12 för Bodens kommun - Dirk Laubscher

Foto: Mats Engfors, Fotographic
Dirk Laubscher walks along a path through a lush grove of trees. Behind him he leaves the noise of construction at Boden Industrial Park and several thousand workers. Like a portal between two worlds,…
2025-08-18: New in Boden - Folkrace med Michael Koegel

Foto: Mats Engfors/Fotographic
Racing driver Michael Koegel moved from Texas to Boden for a job at Stegra. Quickly, the whole family drifted into a completely new life with new friends and a large welcoming motor family. Engines…
20250905-114019,8785- Närhetsliv Brozine #12 för Bodens kommun - David Forsberg/Miss Knapsu
Foto: Mats Engfors, Fotographic
"You're born naked and the rest is drag," quotes David Forsberg. Through his alter ego, the flamboyant MissKnapsu, David Forsberg challenges prejudice, claims space, and paves the way for greater open…
Culture brings us together
It’s not always visible, but you can feel it. In the conversations after a theatre performance. When someone dares to sing out loud, writes their first poem, or attends a concert and feels at home. Cu…
Boden Handball back in the top flight
The final whistle cuts through the arena. The ball bounces for the last time. On the bench, players rise in a roar, coaches fall into each other's arms. Four years of struggle boil down to a single mo…
A place to call home
It's early autumn and instructor Meya Johansson at Boden Artillery Regiment A8 has busy days. She spends much of her working time in the field, training groups of conscripted men and women - barely yo…
Mikael calls the world to Harads
It started with a lure and a seven-year-old's persistence. At home on the kitchen floor, little Micke held the opening with a finger, twisted his hand slightly, and discovered that the tones could be …
Here, Tomorrow’s Culinary Creators are Shaped
For Marcus Ek Edenhagen, it all began with a passion for food. Now he stands in the middle of a kitchen where ideas become reality and dreams turn into future careers. Restaurant Viljan is the place w…
20250821-105626-7818 Närhetsliv Brozine #12 för Bodens kommun - Albin Harila, husbyggare.

Foto: Mats Engfors, Fotographic
The Närhetsliv followers were right. Last spring, Instagram was filled with comments like "a house well worth showing off!" and "show us the castle now". Curiosity was piqued. What was this home every…
2025-04-23: New in Boden - Samira och Tobias Westlin
Samira Westlin's husband Tobias got a job at Stegra. Through Boden's job matching and relocation service, Samira also quickly found a new job here. She is now an employment consultant at JobbCenter in…
National Team Experience Comes to Boden
Boden Handboll IF is making a major investment for the upcoming season in the Handball League with five new signings. Two that stand out are Isabelle Andersson and Sofie Börjesson, who are moving nort…
2025-07-12: New in Boden - smedja Brinna
Foto: Mats Engfors/Fotographic
Blacksmiths Emilia and Adam found the perfect farm in Sörbyn, Boden municipality. Here, their blacksmithing business can grow into a creative destination with proximity to multi-generational living, n…
Why Do You Take off your Shoes?
That, the dance Små grodorna, and other Swedish customs are part of the Texas family Chavez's new Swedish life in Boden. With good neighbors, new friends, security, time for life, coffee breaks, and s…
2025-06-12: New in Boden - Familjen Törn

Lennie, Ulrika, Loke och Loui Törn

Foto: Mats Engfors/Fotographic
It's 5:45 PM and there's a shuttle of black and gold-clad football players heading towards Bossevallen. Two of them are Loke and Loui, along with their parents Ulrika and Lennie. They have mov…
Got the dream job in Boden
Christine Mawia Musembi, originally from Kenya and with a background in Trollhättan and Gothenburg, became a Boden resident this spring. At the gym, in church, on walks and at her job as project manag…
2025-04-23: New in Boden - Tommy och Eva Holmgren
Tommy and Eva Holmgren from Gällivare recently moved to their two sons and their families in Boden. Eva works as the head of operations at Folktandvården, verksamhetsområde norr. Tommy is a retired fi…
Gaming, railways and a new house
Game developer Gustav Lundh and civil engineer Therese Sandberg from Enköping moved to Boden for their studies. Once here, they fell for everything Boden has to offer and now they have just moved into…
“Boden is the perfect place”
Building a life with security and balance was the foundation for Rudolf and Olivia Nagy’s move to Boden. He works at Stegra, while she has started her own business as a Pilates instructor. Now, they l…
Dream job and elite career at home
For Nina Backman, 25, from Norra Svartbyn, Stegra's investment in Boden means that she can work with what she is trained for and at the same time continue to focus on her elite career in horse jumping…
The art of finding home
Mariangela Mendez Prencke is the art gallery director who spent most of her adult life in major metropolitan areas. Now, she has permanently traded the hustle and bustle of big cities for närhetsliv.…
James adds flavor to the nightlife
It started with a knife set and a backpack full of dreams. Having worked in and been inspired by the world's many cuisines, James Thompson now wants to put Boden on the food map. Meet the Michelin-sta…
Close to the dream on the corner
In just six months, Anna Landfors and Marcus Sandström went from breaking ground to moving into their newly built house. We visited them in Svartbjörnsbyn to hear the story behind the construction and…
2024-11-01: Julia & Iain Bramble - New in Boden
The Bramble couple from the UK had lived in the Netherlands for nine years and their children were on their way to adulthood. Julia had signaled that she was ready for something new. Her husband Iain …
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Carrolina Wåhlström decided early on to work with horses. She had been told at school that she would never amount to anything because of her dyslexia. Now she is a competitive rider, a trained you…
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When entrepreneur Jimmy Stenman left Boden, he saw a city with no future and no development potential. Now he is back in a reborn Boden. A faint scent of paint gives away the young age of the propert…
Northern Lights and Blueberry Hunting
How many times must something happen for it to become a tradition? It remains to be seen if there will be a fifth time, and perhaps a tradition, for Boden artist Victoria Sundqvist. With roots…
20240913-163818-0347
Tatiana Rynbäck puts on her cap, grabs the kayak, fly fishing rod, and walks down to the river right next to the house. This is where she recharges, surrounded by water and forest and the whistling of…
Nature’s Pantry for Body  Soul
The spruce shoot syrup simmers on the stove while Eva Gunnare arranges some of her collected herbs, flavorings, ointments, and tinctures in her new premises in the village of Lassbyn. Eva operates wi…
“I Want to Create a Home Here”
Nadja Ekblom's proximity life is “far-from-life”. A conscious choice where a job with pulse and new technology is balanced with leisure close to peace and nature. Here she wants to stay and build a lo…
“When we moved here, we started living”
"This is our dream and now it have come true" Giulia De Rocco and Luca De Angelis left Italy and have found their home in the countryside of Boden, together with their son, cats, and a pack of happ…
2024-05-31: Bodenxt Familjen Van Der Bijl
The Van Der Bijl family has swapped South Africa for Boden. They came for father Johan Van Der Bijl's job at H2 Green Steel. What makes them stay is the natural hospitality, new friends, and a secure …
The Professional Trainer Chooses Boden
Janita Luttunen, a professional harness racing trainer from Tornio, has started a new life in Boden. Together with her husband Jani, their four-year-old twin girls, and twelve trotting horses, she now…
Storklinten 2024-04-18: Maria, Rikard & Neo i Storklinten
The family's forest land was acquired for the new industrial expansion in Boden. Twice! The last time, they chose not to take replacement land. Instead, they invested in a cabin in the alpine resort S…
Determined Returnee with New Ideas in Sight
The process from idea to reality is absolutely the most fun thing I know, says Lisa Hansson, entrepreneur, handball player, house renovator, and another returnee to Boden. Now things are really happe…
She Bakes Locally Produced Treats for more People
Along a cozy, wintry road towards Lake Mjedsjön, about six miles outside Boden, we find Ylva Björngap, a passionate creator and entrepreneur who has specialized in treats that more people can enjoy. …
Green Wisdom Thrives in the North
On Solskensvägen in Sävast, returnees and newcomers Jenny and Viktor Malmqvist have created a lush oasis. In a double sense, they reinforce the concept “you reap what you sow” here in the growing muni…
Tina puts Boden on the crime fiction map
Tina N Martin is as close to infectious laughter as she is to scary stories. Her books combine the darkest darkness with midnight light and sparkling snow in scenic Boden settings. In three years, Tin…
She bakes bread for a healthier life
A good bread that is good for Boden and the people of Boden. This is Ellinor Helleblad Nymo's vision for her company Ellis Hantverksbageri. In the spring, she will take on a full-time role and bring t…
Mission impossible?
Unbyn's old mission house has been given love and new life. Here, couple Lisa Tingstad Solsona and Sebastian Nyberg have created a 300 square meter dream house, just 20 minutes outside Boden."The firs…
Excellence from around the world
The emerging green industry in Boden is attracting hand-picked talent from around the world. The Inavolu and Pampana families from India were some of the first families to come to Boden in the wake of…
Here everything is close
Lukas Andersson Männikkö and Viktoria Andersson from Halmstad, Sweden, have played their first games in Boden's colors, met their first students as teachers and after-school counselors and admired the…
Riding fun in Bredåker
Excited little children bounce in to equally excited little horses. It's time for Ridkul in Bredåker, for the very youngest riders and the farm's smallest Shetland ponies. With skilled hands and the …
The community’s own food store
Nazuk Turdieva, the 30-year-old newlywed from Boden, has been a success on TV. She emerged as the winner of both SVT's "Bäst i köket" and the long-running "Sveriges mästerkock" on TV4. Now she works w…
Double love – game development and each other
Meet Katarina and Tennessee, a couple from the US who moved here to pursue their dream as game developers. After looking for training on the other side of the Atlantic, they found themselves in Boden.…
“I felt like the orchestra on the Titanic”
Imagine you are on an airplane and you are told that there is a 5% chance that the plane will crash, would you stay? The words come from Sebastién Boudet, known to many from his time on Nyhetsmorgo…
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The gaming industry is one of Boden's strong and rapidly growing industries. This autumn another game training programme will be added at Boden Game Camp, Futuregames Animator and VFX Artist. This sev…
New Beachfront Plots Close to the City Center
Do you want to live in a beautiful newly built house overlooking the river but still close to the city? Check this out! In child-friendly Trångfors, within cycling distance of central Boden, 38 new ho…
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At home with the Hedberg family An architect-designed home with a sloping roof, a terrace with stairs and large windows facing the river. That’s what came to be when Jonas and Johanna found their …
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Tommy Eliasson Winter is the new CEO of Storklinten Rekreation AB. He thus returns home to the place where he spent much of his childhood - the home slopes of Storklinten. - This feels incredibly g…
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Ida-Linn Näzelius is a third-generation entrepreneur, with a CV that may well have taken her far away from Boden. But her love for the world’s most beautiful place kept her here. Now she is the role m…
Settlers in the #närhetsliv
A two-storey modern house with a roof terrace to the south was the dream house that became a reality for Fanny and Victor. Thoughtful details and personal material choices make the home their own. "I …
Found a home with all the right things
When the dream of house life would come true, the choice fell on a newly produced villa in Sävast. Hang out with Zabrina Dixon Johansson and Robin Lundgren. Here is everything they wanted. At first…
She has 500 kimonos
Genuine vintage kimonos from Japan in the finest silk. It is Gunnarsbybon Shinko Nakano's life and living. "I like it very much." Fifteen years ago, Shinko Nakano left Japan and moved with her husban…
House inventory for increased occupancy
An increased demand for houses in the country is matched with empty desolate houses with potential. The result is expected to lead to increased occupancy and new life in many nice old houses. In the…
Digital information screens in the countryside
The municipality's three service points in the countryside have received or will have digital information screens placed in a strategic place in their area. The work takes place in the Digiby project,…
Service point in Unbyn / Avan
Now the trinity of service points in Boden municipality is complete. With operations manager Jenni Bergliv, another locally adapted service point is being formed, now across the municipal boundaries i…
Locally produced in the middle of Boden
The new market hall in the middle of Boden encloses both the eye and the palate and has already become the home of many Boden residents. Here you will find everything for both barbecue and snacks. Du…
Success for new trend sports
Boden Padel has soon been up and running for a year - and what a first year it was! It quickly became clear that one hall was not enough and a second one is needed and now in April a coaching duo will…
With the forest as the closest neighbor
Nina Hahto has created her dream life on the country side. The proximity to nature and to the animals, that is the most important thing at Bjässparken Gården. This summer you are welcome here. Ever…
Left London for Bodsvedjan
Erika Andersson and Andrew Allen left a high-intensity life in London and found a balance in life in Boden. "Life with children is ten times better here," says Andrew. Erika was born and raised in Bo…
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Western riding is Roger Laestadius' passion and livelihood. Here at Rånisgården in Svartbjörnsbyn, he keeps the cowboy dream alive. Join us on a horseback ride in the winter landscape! Roger Laestadi…
Behind the scenes
This autumn, the TV series LasseMaja's detective agency was recorded at Studio Nord in Sävast. Anja Lindström, 24, is part of the filming team and she sees a bright future as a filmmaker in Boden. …
Joy in life
In April, Åcenter in Boden was opened. We made a home visit to some of the first tenants who seem to be very happy. Åcenter exudes community and joy. In the common foyer, the residents gather, talk a…
A countryside where young people want to live
The municipality of Boden is one of three municipalities collaborating in the Youth Up North project. It will strengthen young people's influence and participation in a vibrant countryside. Olivia Ste…
New short-term accommodation at Garnis
We are building like never before for both old and young in Boden. Another new area under development is Garnis, where the old lung clinic will soon be opened as a completely newly renovated short-ter…
New housing option at Å-center
The municipality of Boden is among the first municipalities in the country to set up a municipal development-assessed sheltered housing. The location is Å-center and the accommodation opened in mid-Ma…
New preschool in Sävast
Lunda preschool in Sävast is the second of four new preschools in the largest targeted investment in qualitative development for children and young people ever in Boden municipality. Lunda preschool w…
Cold bath in a warm atmosphere
In January, the floating spa hotel Arctic Bath opened its doors in Harads. Guests from all over the world are already booking a visit, but there is also a strong local commitment. And visitors who hav…
The dance king Thomas
15-year-old Thomas Vallgren from Sävast has become a real Instagram phenomenon. His dance videos spread joy among thousands of followers. "King, you are a role model!", "Living legend!", "Great moves…
Bean steaks with pumpkin and kombucha
Sara Rezgui is passionate about healthy food with a lot of nutrition. Here is her recipe for Black Bean Steaks with Pumpkin Stump and Vegetable Noodles - Vegetarian, Lactose Free and Gluten Free. This…
“This is big in the US”
Hand-welded exhaust systems for four wheelers. Narrow niche, it may seem. But here, the Boden company RJWC has managed to establish itself properly in the international market. In 2010, Robin Janss…
The closest wins
On the boules court, winners' heads of all ages can meet on equal terms. "You never get too old to compete," says Jan Petschler, chairman of IF Boden's Petanque. Tuesday and Thursday evening means tr…
“The music is in me”
Karin Johansson, 61, is the music teacher for the whole of Boden. Since 1982, she has introduced music to the lives of countless eight-year-olds. "Music should be for everyone," she says. An average …
Craft drink with a taste of Närhetsliv
Gideon Swinkels learned to brew beer at a convent during his childhood in Holland. Now he creates taste experiences with local ingredients in Harads. This autumn, he is investing heavily in soft drink…
From officer to electrician
A new profession in the course of a year and a half. At Lärcentrum in Boden, Daniel Granström took the chance to retrain and will soon be an electrician. After eleven years as a specialist officer in…
A little extra in the everyday life
"Bingo!" Shouts of joy and laughter from the day activities where a large group from "short-term" in Harads have gathered for today's candy bingo, shows the feeling of the nursing homes in Harads. Her…
Boden prioritizes the children
Björkdungen's preschool in Boden has been built with child safety, security, learning and work environment in focus. The preschool is the first of its kind in Boden and serves as a model for several p…
Fällkniven in its proper environment
The Fällkniven family goes back to their roots and invests in the future at the same time. In Myrträsk there is room for both inspiration and influencers. In bad weather, Ann-Sofie Hjortberger used t…
She makes movies close by
For Charlotta Lennartsdotter, Närhetsliv is the small world where children live, and where relationships play the main role. In her hands, that world becomes a movie. It has been an intense year for …
An oasis  in the #närhetsliv 
In the middle of the villas on Sävastön, Nea, Olof and their two children have their own rural oasis. The timber house from the middle of the 19th century has been renovated and rebuilt into the dream…
Oskar took the trophy to Boden again
He is the Bodensaren who has won the Stanley cup twice. The road to the top has not been straight but Oskar Sundqvist has never given up, always loved to stand on ice. Oskar Sundqvist, 25, from Boden…
La vie de proximité
She dreamed of a holiday among dog sleds and the northern lights and found what she was looking for in Överstbyn. Here she remained and created a life for herself with the forest around the corner of …
From cars to machines
From zero to 100 in twelve years. This is what Hansén Bil & Maskin's growth journey looks like. No wonder Mattias Hansén won double prizes at the Business Gala. When Mattias Hansén started the …
Bodensarnas house band
After 24 years, Soffgruppen has become almost an institution in Boden's music life. With a completely acoustic setting, they blow life in pop classics in their own way. In the cover band Soffgruppe…
County’s most modern nursing home
A living environment with a high standard for our elderly, shortened queues and more space in Boden's short-term housing. That is the result when Boden's new nursing home opened. On October 31, the N…
At home on our street in town
In the middle of the city, Jovana and Rickard found their dream house from the turn of the last century. 250 square meters provides plenty of space for relatives, friends and a large measure of person…
A life close to nature
Hannah Levy and Jeremias Kinnunen fell in love with Lassbyn at first sight and moved here. Now they live a sustainable life close to nature and close to their dogs. Here they take tourists from all ov…
The art of being a woman
The idea appeared already in her teens - one day she would become a woman. It took over 50 years but today the dream is true and Maud is happier than ever. We meet at a café in Boden and Maud Jacobso…
Community and training in beautiful nature
Sävast Ski Team has members from six to 83 years and has the motto "skis for everyone". Therefore, a ski school for adults has been arranged on Wednesdays. - It is so fun and so much socializing, says…
A long journey to the top
Hamude Mustafa, 25, has made a rocket career and gone from SFI intern to store manager at Dollarstore in four years. At Boden's Business Gala, he took home the Trader of the Year award. Hamude Mustaf…
Närhetsliv in the horse village
With the Eriksson family, you can see the horses from the kitchen window. The life close to the horse means a lot of work but also more time together for the family. Kristina and Mattias Eriksson pre…
The dream house that’s close to everything
Ann-Sofie Lund and Martin Brännvall decided to go all in and built their dream house - by hand, from foundation to roof. Here they are close to both the forest and the city, and space for many spontan…
Biggest in the Nordics
Hydro66 is expanding rapidly and has a fantastic 2018. During the year, four new data centers will be built in Boden. Here the location is the biggest asset. Hydro66 is a colocation data center. This…
Realism on the skin
Oskar Mannberg / That's the name of the man behind Kingstreet Tattoo, the tattoo studio in Boden that has become known as the place to go if you want realistic ink. Kingstreet Tattoo opened its doors…
It has never felt impossible
Emilia moved to Boden to learn to drive a tractor in the armed forces and stayed. Here she has found her närhetsliv with jobs, friends and roaring engines in beautiful nature just a short distance fro…
Zimmer’s paradise
After a tough working day on the trotting arena, there is a way that David Zimmer prefers to relax - a quiet kayak trip on the Lule River at sunset. "It's gratitude I feel for being able to bring this…
A sustainable #närhetsliv
Without education or experience, Magnus and Åsa took the step and bought a farm. Here they conduct meat production on a small scale with focus on the environment and the animals' best interests. Bare…
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In the summer of 2018, we will soon forget. Whether the cause is heat stroke, one hundred percent enjoyment or climate anxiety varies, but regardless, we can add the past summer to the actions as some…
Europe’s closest salmon fishing
Autumn air and cold weather. It is now trout fishing in the Lule River is at its best. Join a fishing trip with the professional fishing guide Robert Westin and learn his tricks. Bodensaren Robert W…
Culture in närhetslivet
If you have experienced performing arts in Boden at some point in recent years, there is a good chance that Linnéa Byberg has been involved. As an executive member of Boden's Riksteaterförening, she h…
From Bologna to Boden
They had well-paid jobs, a nice apartment, friends and family in Italian Bologna. Roberta and Simonetta Barbieri left everything to create a new life in Boden - and make pasta. Spouses Roberto, 51, a…
A more rural närhetsliv
When the stress became too much, Seija Fallemark left life in the city. Instead, she found a place in Svedjan, close to the animals and nature. "We can not live without the countryside," she says. Se…
Närhetslivet on Solskensvägen
Alexandra Vallin and Sebastian Nilsson took the chance and built their dream house. Now the family lives the good life where the sun always smiles - on Solskensvägen in Sävast. It was June 1, 2016, a…
They take the world home to the village
Liza Löfgren and Niclas Wede changed lives to invest in tourism in Överstbyn. With two newly built log cabins in a luxury model, they attract well-off families from all over the world. Here they offer…
The beginning of something big
A completely new industry and a completely new education - the gaming industry has come to Boden. Meet Sebastian, Dylan and Selma, the indie game developers of the future. In the autumn, a completely…
The dream life behind the drum set
She has traveled the world, is on stage with some of Sweden's greatest artists and is living her dream. Jonna Löfgren plays drums. That's her job. The soon-to-be 7-year-old Jonna Löfgren thought she …
When the barber came to Boden
From war and death threats in Mosul to hipster beards, antiques and his own salon in Boden. It's Barber Gorgis Farha's journey. Dark wood paneling, real carpets, a stylish chesterfield sofa and antiq…
Bodensare of the Year 2017
Joy, community and thirst for knowledge. At Let's Go Swedish, people from all corners of the world gather to learn Swedish. And behind it all are three women, Bodensare of the Year. Lina Hällström, L…