| Official Name: | Avesta |
| Pushpin Map: | Sweden Dalarna#Sweden |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Sweden |
| Subdivision Type3: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name3: | Avesta Municipality |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Dalarna County |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Dalarna |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 13.91 |
| Population As Of: | 31 December 2015 |
| Population Total: | 11,949 |
| Population Density Km2: | 1109 |
| Timezone: | CET |
| Utc Offset: | +1 |
| Timezone Dst: | CEST |
| Utc Offset Dst: | +2 |
| Coordinates: | 60.1456°N 16.1683°W |
| Elevation M: | 89 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | 774 xx |
| Area Code: | (+46) 226 |
| Blank Name: | Climate |
| Blank Info: | Dfb |
Avesta (in Swedish pronounced as /ˈɑ̂ːvɛsta/)[2] is a locality and the seat of Avesta Municipality in Dalarna County, Sweden, with 11,949 inhabitants in 2015.
The name of Avesta is first found in 1303 as "Aghastadhum". The Swedish Aghe is of similar origin as the word å, meaning stream, in this case the Avestafors, a tributary of the river Dalälven. The Swedish Stadhum was the dative plural of a word of similar origin as the English word stead, or farm. The present name of the town is identical with that of the ancient Persian language and scriptures, but there is no apparent linguistic connection between them.
In the Scandinavian Middle Ages there was a blast furnace at the location. In 1636 the construction of a giant copper mine was initiated near the Avesta fors.
The town Avesta received partial privileges in 1641 as a town under the city of Falun, and in 1644 a copper mint was built. However, the privileges were withdrawn in 1688 due to complaints of competition from its neighbour, mainly Falun. Copper coins were continued to be minted until 1831, and the copper works was in function until 1869.
Full city rights were regranted in 1919. The designated coat of arms depict the signs for copper and iron.
The town is located by the Dalecarlia River (Dalälven).
The railway junction Krylbo is situated in Avesta.
Avesta has a humid continental climate with sizeable seasonal differences, although much less than would be expected for an interior climate north of 60°N. Being situated at the foot of the higher areas to its west, summer temperatures are warm because of the relatively low elevation of around 100m (300feet) above sea level. Precipitation is quite high by standards of Sweden's areas closer to the Baltic Sea, which renders the possibility of heavy snowfall in winter.