Municipality

Halden

Municipality no. 3101 · Østfold · 32,082 inhabitants · KOSTRA group 10

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Where the municipality stands out

Highest and lowest unemployment No. 9 of 183 (2.4%).

Places among the ten highest or lowest in the tables under «Statistics». Each table has its own definition and source.

Municipality index · based on 2025

27 of 100

Rank 13 of 13 in KOSTRA group 10. 351 of 357 nationally.

Development index 55 of 100: how the key figures have changed over about the last three years, compared with the group. Profile: Lower level · improving.

Sub-indices for the municipality against the group median
Part	Score (0–100)	Group median	Development (0–100)
Work and business	33	52	52
Economy	30	54	64
Population and growth	4	46	42
Work, education and housing	42	50	58
Health and living conditions	Third quarter of the groupShown as a quarter, not as a score or rank
Local economy (our company data)	29	58	67

The score is the percentile rank in the group: 50 means middle of the pack among municipalities like it. The index does not measure the quality of services.

Level and development in the group

Each dot is a municipality in the same group. The municipality you are viewing is the largest dot, with its name. Level largely reflects size and geography; development shows the direction.

Similar municipalities

Ringerike 31,942 inhabitants · index 41
Ringsaker 36,199 inhabitants · index 50
Grimstad 25,569 inhabitants · index 53
Larvik 49,022 inhabitants · index 57
Porsgrunn 37,435 inhabitants · index 42
Elverum 21,937 inhabitants · index 31
Klepp 21,444 inhabitants · index 76
Horten 28,173 inhabitants · index 34

Chosen by population, centrality, commuting and industry structure (employment by industry), not by the index.

Summary analysis

Halden has a municipality index of 27 of 100 against its KOSTRA group.

Strongest: Work, education and housing: 42 of 100 (group 50).

Weakest: Population and growth: 4 of 100 (group 46). Local economy (our company data): 29 of 100 (group 58).

Worth a closer look

Population growth, last year: 0.1% against 0.6% in the group (2026).
New bankruptcies and liquidations per 1,000 limited companies: 6.3 against 5.3 in the group (2025).

Written by fixed rules from the figures. Describes the figures, does not explain causes. Not investment or financial advice. How the summary is made

Key figures from Statistics Norway

Work and business

Key figure	Value	Group median	National median	Source
Employed, share of age 20–66 (high scores high)	69.1% 2025	75.8%	76.7%	table 11618 figures from an earlier municipality number
Job coverage (jobs per employed resident) (shown, not in the index)	91.6% 2025	93.3%	90.0%	table 11618 figures from an earlier municipality number
Registered unemployed, share of labour force (low scores high)	2.4% 2025	1.9%	1.3%	table 13563 figures from an earlier municipality number
New enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (high scores high)	9.1 2023	9.9	9.2	table 13701 figures from an earlier municipality number
Limited company bankruptcies per 1,000 inhabitants (low scores high)	0.4 2025	0.6	0.5	table 07165 figures from an earlier municipality number

Economy

Key figure	Value	Group median	National median	Source
Household income after tax, median (high scores high)	NOK 624,100 2024	NOK 658,800	NOK 657,600	table 06944 figures from an earlier municipality number
Net operating result, share of operating revenue (municipal group) (high scores high)	2.2% 2025	2.1%	1.3%	table 12143 figures from an earlier municipality number
Unrestricted reserves, share of operating revenue (high scores high)	7.6% 2025	11.1%	10.4%	table 12143 figures from an earlier municipality number
Net debt, share of operating revenue (low scores high)	116.1% 2025	90.4%	84.9%	table 12143 figures from an earlier municipality number
Net operating expenditure per inhabitant (shown, not in the index)	NOK 73,554 2025	NOK 80,350	NOK 96,691	table 12137 figures from an earlier municipality number
Gross operating revenue per inhabitant (shown, not in the index)	NOK 111,895 2025	NOK 111,887	NOK 141,010	table 12137 figures from an earlier municipality number
Gross income per person aged 17 and over, mean (shown, not in the index)	NOK 533,400 2024	NOK 593,500	NOK 567,200	table 03068 figures from an earlier municipality number
Gross income per person aged 17 and over, median (shown, not in the index)	NOK 472,100 2024	NOK 518,200	NOK 500,200	table 05671 figures from an earlier municipality number

Population and growth

Key figure	Value	Group median	National median	Source
Population on 1 January (shown, not in the index)	32,082 2026	37,435	5,447	table 11342 figures from an earlier municipality number
Population growth, last year (high scores high)	0.1% 2026	0.6%	0.3%	table 06913 figures from an earlier municipality number
Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (shown, not in the index)	4.0 2025	7.0	4.1	table 06913 figures from an earlier municipality number some years withheld by SSB
Share aged 80 and over (shown, not in the index)	6.0% 2026	5.6%	6.3%	table 07459 figures from an earlier municipality number
Projected population growth to 2030 (main alternative) (high scores high)	1.1% 2026	2.1%	1.1%	table 14746
Projected population growth to 2050 (main alternative) (shown, not in the index)	7.8% 2026	8.3%	3.6%	table 14746

Work, education and housing

Key figure	Value	Group median	National median	Source
Net in-commuting, share of employed residents (shown, not in the index)	−8.2% 2025	−6.2%	−10.2%	table 11616 figures from an earlier municipality number
Children aged 1–5 in kindergarten (high scores high)	94.7% 2025	94.5%	94.1%	table 13502 figures from an earlier municipality number
Share with university or college education (16 and over) (high scores high)	31.0% 2025	31.0%	27.5%	table 09429
Share living in overcrowded homes (low scores high)	10.0% 2025	7.9%	6.9%	table 14902
Detached houses, share of all dwellings (shown, not in the index)	48.7% 2026	49.6%	75.1%	table 06265 figures from an earlier municipality number
Net expenditure on culture per inhabitant (shown, not in the index)	NOK 2,201 2025	NOK 3,028	NOK 3,310	table 13135 figures from an earlier municipality number

Health and living conditions

Key figure	Value	Group median	National median	Source
Life expectancy at birth (15-year period) (high scores high)	81.8 years 2025	82.1 years	82.4 years	FHI table 508
Share in households with persistent low income (EU60) (low scores high)	8.1% 2024	8.9%	8.1%	FHI table 403
Completed upper secondary education (standardised) (high scores high)	80.2% 2025	80.2%	80.5%	FHI table 623
Young people satisfied with their health (Ungdata, latest survey) (high scores high)	63.5% 2025	65.0%	64.7%	FHI table 349
Disability benefit recipients aged 20–66 (standardised) (low scores high)	13.8% 2024	11.7%	11.2%	FHI table 787

Local economy (our company data)

Key figure	Value	Group median	National median	Source
Limited companies we follow per 1,000 inhabitants (high scores high)	54.1 2026	59.2	61.4	Our data
Median operating margin, companies we follow (shown, not in the index)	3.2% 2025	4.3%	4.4%	Our data
New bankruptcies and liquidations per 1,000 limited companies (low scores high)	6.3 2025	5.3	3.6	Our data

Public contracts

Key figure	Value	Group median	National median	Trend	Source
Share of the municipality's contracts (Doffin) won by local companies (shown, not in the index)	10.0% 2025	10.0%	10.0%		Our data

Education (shown, not counted)

Key figure	Value	Group median	National median	Source
Share with lower secondary as highest education (16 and over) (shown, not in the index)	27.4% 2025	24.8%	25.1%	table 09429
Share with upper secondary as highest education (16 and over) (shown, not in the index)	38.2% 2025	37.7%	42.0%	table 09429
Share with tertiary vocational education as highest (16 and over) (shown, not in the index)	2.9% 2025	3.2%	3.8%	table 09429
Municipal primary and lower secondary schools (shown, not in the index)	10 2025	14	3	table 11971 figures from an earlier municipality number
Pupils per municipal school (shown, not in the index)	324 2025	253	177	table 11971 figures from an earlier municipality number
Primary and lower secondary schools in operation (public and private) (shown, not in the index)	12 2026	18	4	Norwegian Mapping Authority and Directorate for Education (NSR)
Share of private primary and lower secondary schools (shown, not in the index)	8.3% 2026	11.1%	0.0%	Norwegian Mapping Authority and Directorate for Education (NSR)
Pupils per primary school (median, public and private) (shown, not in the index)	314 2026	227	146	Norwegian Mapping Authority and Directorate for Education (NSR)
Upper secondary schools in operation (shown, not in the index)	3 2026	3	1	Norwegian Mapping Authority and Directorate for Education (NSR)
Average lower secondary school points (shown, not in the index)	40 2025	41	42	table 12255 figures from an earlier municipality number some years withheld by SSB
Pupils at mastery levels 3–5, national reading test, year 8 (shown, not in the index)	55.0% 2025	60.8%	62.0%	table 12255 figures from an earlier municipality number some years withheld by SSB
Pupils at mastery levels 3–5, national numeracy test, year 8 (shown, not in the index)	55.2% 2025	60.3%	62.5%	table 12255 figures from an earlier municipality number some years withheld by SSB
Students in higher education, by place of study (shown, not in the index)	4,485 2025	3,029	2,020	table 03814 figures from an earlier municipality number
Students in higher education per 1,000 inhabitants, by place of study (shown, not in the index)	140.0 2025	91.3	60.1	table 03814 figures from an earlier municipality number

More figures: migration, age, housing and tourism (21 indicators)

Migration, births and immigration

Key figure	Value	Group median	National median	Source
Live births per 1,000 inhabitants (shown, not in the index)	7.0 2025	9.4	8.7	table 06913 figures from an earlier municipality number some years withheld by SSB
Natural increase per 1,000 inhabitants (shown, not in the index)	−2.7 2025	0.0	−1.5	table 06913 figures from an earlier municipality number some years withheld by SSB
Domestic in-migration per 1,000 inhabitants (shown, not in the index)	35.9 2025	47.2	43.4	table 09588 figures from an earlier municipality number
Domestic out-migration per 1,000 inhabitants (shown, not in the index)	35.2 2025	41.3	42.7	table 09588 figures from an earlier municipality number
Net domestic migration per 1,000 inhabitants (shown, not in the index)	0.7 2025	4.4	1.4	table 09588 figures from an earlier municipality number
Immigration per 1,000 inhabitants (shown, not in the index)	7.9 2025	7.9	6.1	table 09588 figures from an earlier municipality number
Emigration per 1,000 inhabitants (shown, not in the index)	4.6 2025	4.5	5.0	table 09588 figures from an earlier municipality number
Net immigration per 1,000 inhabitants (shown, not in the index)	3.3 2025	2.8	1.7	table 09588 figures from an earlier municipality number
Net domestic migration aged 0–17 per 1,000 inhabitants (shown, not in the index)	−0.3 2025	1.8	1.0	table 13255 figures from an earlier municipality number
Net domestic migration aged 18–29 per 1,000 inhabitants (shown, not in the index)	−1.2 2025	−0.2	−2.4	table 13255 figures from an earlier municipality number
Net domestic migration aged 30 and over per 1,000 inhabitants (shown, not in the index)	2.2 2025	2.7	2.5	table 13255 figures from an earlier municipality number

Age composition

Key figure	Value	Group median	National median	Source
Dependency ratio: aged 0–19 and 67+ per 100 aged 20–66 (shown, not in the index)	69 2025	67	73	table 11805 figures from an earlier municipality number
Share aged 0–15 (shown, not in the index)	15.6% 2025	16.5%	16.2%	table 11805 figures from an earlier municipality number
Share of young adults aged 18–39 (shown, not in the index)	26.3% 2025	27.1%	24.9%	table 11805 figures from an earlier municipality number
Share aged 67 and over (shown, not in the index)	20.3% 2025	19.1%	21.1%	table 11805 figures from an earlier municipality number

Housing, construction and tourism

Key figure	Value	Group median	National median	Source
Dwellings started per 1,000 inhabitants (shown, not in the index)	1.4 2025	2.9	2.1	table 05940 figures from an earlier municipality number
Dwellings completed per 1,000 inhabitants (shown, not in the index)	2.0 2025	2.7	2.2	table 05940 figures from an earlier municipality number
Average price per square metre, second-hand dwellings (shown, not in the index)	NOK 30,619 2025	NOK 32,922	NOK 24,852	table 14545
Dwelling sales (with price per square metre) (shown, not in the index)	553 2025	682	49	table 14545
Overnight stays in commercial accommodation (shown, not in the index)	86,004 2024	189,084	112,130	table 12898 some years withheld by SSB
Overnight stays per 1,000 inhabitants (shown, not in the index)	2,693.1 2024	5,905.5	9,029.3	table 12898 some years withheld by SSB

These figures are context and do not count in the municipality index. Migration and immigration are per 1,000 inhabitants on 1 January. Housing construction varies a lot from year to year in small municipalities, and the price per square metre rests on few sales where there are few sales. Source: Statistics Norway, CC BY 4.0.

Each key figure is for the year shown beside it. Municipalities that merged or were renumbered get the figures from the old number where Statistics Norway has not recalculated them.

Industries in the municipality · 2025

The largest industries by persons employed with their workplace in the municipality (13,089 in all in 2025), with the change since 2020.

Industry (SN2007)	Employed	Share	Change since 2020	Change in Norway	Location quotient	Trend
Undervisning 85	1,394	10.7%	−0.8%	4.1%	1.32	Stable
Offentlig administrasjon og forsvar, og trygdeordninger underlagt offentlig forvaltning 84	1,118	8.5%	14.2%	8.7%	1.33	Rising
Sosiale omsorgstjenester uten botilbud 88	995	7.6%	20.3%	1.7%	1.20	Rising
Pleie- og omsorgstjenester i institusjon 87	994	7.6%	−7.6%	6.4%	1.39	Stable
Produksjon av elektrisk utstyr 27	962	7.3%	30.0%	39.5%	22.02	Stable
Detaljhandel, unntatt med motorvogner 47	848	6.5%	−1.9%	4.0%	0.94	Stable
Helsetjenester 86	838	6.4%	9.3%	13.3%	0.71	Stable
Produksjon av farmasøytiske råvarer og preparater 21	661	5.1%	23.1%	24.3%	43.94	Stable
Spesialisert bygge- og anleggsvirksomhet 43	649	5.0%	−11.1%	4.0%	1.04	Falling
Produksjon av papir og papirvarer 17	513	3.9%	−23.1%	−8.0%	45.91	Falling
Handel med og reparasjon av motorvogner 45	335	2.6%	15.1%	10.0%	1.38	Rising
Landtransport og rørtransport 49	295	2.3%	12.2%	7.8%	0.98	Stable

A location quotient above 1 means the industry is larger here than in the rest of Norway (2 = twice the share). “Rising” and “Falling” need both at least a 10% change over five years and a change at least 5 percentage points better or worse than in Norway. Industries with fewer than 20 employed are shown as a three-year moving average and are not classified. Source: Statistics Norway, table 13470 (employed by workplace, 4th quarter).

See business development in the municipality

Housing and labour market · 2025

Halden has about as many jobs as employed residents. The municipality has 13,091 jobs and 14,256 employed residents, and 70% of the residents work in the municipality.

Jobs (employed by workplace): 13,091
Employed residents: 14,256
Jobs per employed resident: 0.92
Commute in: 3,178
Commute out: 4,343

Where the residents work (outside the municipality)

Municipality	Employed	Share of employed residents
Sarpsborg	1,527	10.7%
Fredrikstad	829	5.8%
Oslo	630	4.4%
Moss	259	1.8%
Indre Østfold	105	0.7%

Where those who work here live (outside the municipality)

Municipality	Employed	Share of jobs
Sarpsborg	1,091	8.3%
Fredrikstad	861	6.6%
Aremark	226	1.7%
Oslo	171	1.3%
Moss	149	1.1%

Employed persons aged 15–74 in the 4th quarter, by home and work municipality (SSB 03321). Job municipality: at least 10% more jobs than employed residents. Home municipality: at least 10% fewer. Flows under 10 people are counted but not shown. Work on the continental shelf is shown as its own workplace.

Stress test: the oil downturn and the pandemic

How did employment and unemployment in the municipality develop in two downturns, compared with the country?

The oil downturn (2014–2016)

The number of jobs changed by −2.9% from 2014 to 2016, against −1.3% in the country: a weaker development than the country.

Measure	Halden	Country	Difference
Change in jobs 2014–2016	−2.9%	−1.3%	−1.6 pp
Change in jobs 2014–2018 (recovery)	−0.7%	+2.0%	−2.7 pp
Change in registered unemployment 2014–2016	+0.1 pp	+0.3 pp	−0.2 pp
Registered unemployment 2014	2.6%	2.1%	–
Share of jobs in oil and gas 2014 (extraction and services)	0.1%	–	–

The change in jobs is in the second-weakest quarter of municipalities in the period.

The pandemic (2019–2020)

The number of jobs changed by +0.9% from 2019 to 2020, against −0.9% in the country: a stronger development than the country.

Measure	Halden	Country	Difference
Change in jobs 2019–2020	+0.9%	−0.9%	+1.8 pp
Change in jobs 2019–2022 (recovery)	+3.5%	+4.2%	−0.7 pp
Change in registered unemployment 2019–2020	+0.8 pp	+1.1 pp	−0.3 pp
Registered unemployment 2019	2.9%	1.8%	–

The change in jobs is in the second-strongest quarter of municipalities in the period.

Jobs are employed persons aged 15–74 by workplace in the 4th quarter (SSB 07984). Unemployment is registered unemployed as a share of the labour force (SSB 13563). The country is the sum of the municipalities, on today's municipality map. Within one percentage point counts as “about like the country”. Oil and gas is industry 05–09 (extraction and services), without the supply industry. pp = percentage points.

Cost and quality of services · 2025

Cost per user and one quality measure for three services, compared with the median of the municipality group (KOSTRA).

Service	Cost	Group median	Quality measure	Group median	Position against the group
Kindergarten cost per child in municipal kindergartens, share of qualified kindergarten teachers	NOK 351,046 +12% against the median	NOK 312,566	45%	43%	Higher cost, higher quality measure (13 municipalities in the group)
Primary school net expenditure per inhabitant aged 6–15, lower secondary school points	NOK 148,676 −4% against the median	NOK 155,230	40.4	41.3	Lower cost, lower quality measure (13 municipalities in the group)
Nursing homes expenditure per resident day, share of care staff with health education	NOK 5,574 −2% against the median	NOK 5,707	74%	76%	Lower cost, lower quality measure (13 municipalities in the group)

KOSTRA (SSB 12379, 13502, 12255 and 12209). One measure is not the whole quality of a service, and school points also reflect the pupils' background. Cost depends on settlement patterns and distances. The figures are a starting point for questions, not a grade.

Companies registered in the municipality

Limited companies we follow: 1,735
With accounts 2025: 726
Turnover 2025 (NOK): 13,664 MNOK
Median operating margin 2025: 3.2%

Only limited companies in the sectors we follow, by business address. The head office can be elsewhere than the activity. Companies reporting in another currency than NOK are left out of turnover.

Largest companies in the municipality

Norske Skog Saugbrugs AS 2,316 MNOK (2025)
HP Halden Pharma AS 1,680 MNOK (2025)
Vpk Packaging AS 1,101 MNOK (2025)
Norcar AS 893 MNOK (2025)
Leif Grimsrud AS 767 MNOK (2025)
MAERSK LOGISTICS & Services Norway AS 234 MNOK (2025)
Sajaco Nordic AS 213 MNOK (2025)
Dahles Auto Halden AS 202 MNOK (2025)
Mobility Halden AS 197 MNOK (2025)
Logiq AS 165 MNOK (2025)
Mekanisk Service Halden AS 145 MNOK (2025)
Veng Norge AS 145 MNOK (2025)
Saab Technologies Norway AS 131 MNOK (2025)
Brady Energy Norway AS 130 MNOK (2025)
Rikelektro AS 121 MNOK (2025)

1,735 limited companies in the sectors we follow have their business address here.

Latest awards from buyers in the municipality

Ny konkurranse Nitrogenrenseanlegg, prosjekteringstjenester Halden kommune · 31 August 2026
Innsamling og transport av avfall i kommunene Halden og Aremark Halden kommune · 27 July 2026
Intensjonskunngjøring serverplattform Høgskolen i Østfold · 4 June 2026
Transport og behandling av avfall ved Rokke avfallsanlegg Halden kommune · 21 May 2026
Rammeavtale Vindusvask Høgskolen i Østfold · 18 May 2026
Rammeavtale for kjøp av bøker og medier til biblioteket Høgskolen i Østfold · 11 May 2026

From Doffin. The buyer's address decides the municipality; state agencies are often where their head office is.

Contains data under the Norwegian licence for public data (NLOD 2.0) made available by Doffin/the Norwegian Agency for Public and Financial Management (DFØ). NLOD 2.0

Earlier municipalities

Halden (3001) · renumbered 2024

In our articles

Commuter municipalities: where people live and where they workNo. 92 of 183 on net in-commuting, share of employed residents
Oslo starts the most firms, but small places show quieter ways to stay in businessNo. 99 of 181 on new enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants
Frøya holds Norway's biggest reserve yet posts a deficit; Hitra owes mostNo. 99 of 183 on unrestricted reserves, share of operating revenue
Røros reads at the top and finishes school near the bottom of the tableNo. 146 of 183 on average lower secondary school points
Where Norway's oldest municipalities are also the ones projected to shrinkNo. 70 of 183 on share aged 80 and over
Ål grew 5.6% in a year while Sel lost 2.7%No. 127 of 183 on population growth, last year
Where do people earn most, and where are the gaps widest?No. 163 of 183 on household income after tax, median
Young in Norway: the municipalities best set up for children and young peopleNo. 170 of 183 on the overall score
In Frøya, three companies hold 92.9% of the jobsNo. 104 of 181 on the three largest companies' share of the jobs

All articles

Indications based on open data. Not advice. Methodology

Source: Statistics Norway (SSB), table 03068, table 03321, table 03814, table 05671, table 05940, table 06265, table 06913, table 06944, table 07165, table 07459, table 07984, table 09429, table 09588, table 11342, table 11616, table 11618, table 11805, table 11971, table 12137, table 12143, table 12209, table 12255, table 12379, table 12898, table 13135, table 13255, table 13470, table 13502, table 13563, table 13701, table 14545, table 14746, table 14902, table kartverket:grunnskole, table kartverket:vgs, municipality map and KOSTRA groups from Klass. CC BY 4.0.

Source for health and living conditions: Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI), Folkehelsestatistikk, FHI table 349, FHI table 403, FHI table 508, FHI table 623, FHI table 787. NLOD 2.0.