Municipality

Ørsta

Municipality no. 1520 · Møre og Romsdal · 11,068 inhabitants · KOSTRA group 7

Municipality index · based on 2025

43 of 100

Between rank 11 and 33 of 38 in KOSTRA group 7 (rank 27 with the default weights). Between 111 and 302 of 357 in Norway (265 with the default weights).

The rank is shown as a range when it moves a lot with other weights, normalisations and handling of missing data. The range covers 90 per cent of 1,000 draws. Methodology

Development index 50 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)	Score as a bar
Work and business	68	49	58
Economy	20	48	45
Population and growth	16	49	49
Work, education and housing	61	55	39
Health and living conditions	Second quarter of the group			Shown as a quarter, not as a score or rank
Local economy (our company data)	43	45	41

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.

Summary analysis

Ørsta has a municipality index of 43 of 100 against its KOSTRA group.

Strongest: Health and living conditions: 75 of 100 (group 51). Work and business: 68 of 100 (group 49).

Weakest: Population and growth: 16 of 100 (group 49). Economy: 20 of 100 (group 48).

Worth a closer look

Projected population growth to 2030 (main alternative): −2.2% against 1.5% in the group (2026).
Net operating result, share of operating revenue (municipal group): −2.4% against 1.9% 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)	79.7% 2025	76.9%	76.7%	table 11618
Job coverage (jobs per employed resident) (shown, not in the index)	84.5% 2025	82.4%	90.0%	table 11618
Registered unemployed, share of labour force (low scores high)	1.5% 2025	1.6%	1.3%	table 13563
New enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (high scores high)	9.1 2023	9.2	9.2	table 13701
Limited company bankruptcies per 1,000 inhabitants (low scores high)	0.3 2025	0.5	0.5	table 07165

Economy

Key figure	Value	Group median	National median	Source
Household income after tax, median (high scores high)	NOK 701,100 2024	NOK 706,900	NOK 657,600	table 06944
Net operating result, share of operating revenue (municipal group) (high scores high)	−2.4% 2025	1.9%	1.3%	table 12143
Unrestricted reserves, share of operating revenue (high scores high)	0.5% 2025	7.3%	10.4%	table 12143
Net debt, share of operating revenue (low scores high)	108.2% 2025	95.2%	84.9%	table 12143
Net operating expenditure per inhabitant (shown, not in the index)	NOK 87,443 2025	NOK 80,968	NOK 96,691	table 12137
Gross operating revenue per inhabitant (shown, not in the index)	NOK 119,005 2025	NOK 115,279	NOK 141,010	table 12137

Population and growth

Key figure	Value	Group median	National median	Source
Population on 1 January (shown, not in the index)	11,068 2026	15,198	5,447	table 11342
Population growth, last year (high scores high)	0.1% 2026	0.5%	0.3%	table 06913
Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (shown, not in the index)	−1.4 2025	4.4	4.1	table 06913 some years withheld by SSB
Share aged 80 and over (shown, not in the index)	6.3% 2026	5.3%	6.3%	table 07459
Projected population growth to 2030 (main alternative) (high scores high)	−2.2% 2026	1.5%	1.1%	table 14746
Projected population growth to 2050 (main alternative) (shown, not in the index)	−5.7% 2026	9.4%	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)	−14.6% 2025	−16.5%	−10.2%	table 11616
Children aged 1–5 in kindergarten (high scores high)	96.7% 2025	94.1%	94.1%	table 13502
Share with university or college education (16 and over) (high scores high)	30.1% 2025	28.2%	27.5%	table 09429
Share living in overcrowded homes (low scores high)	7.2% 2025	6.8%	6.9%	table 14902
Detached houses, share of all dwellings (shown, not in the index)	61.6% 2026	65.6%	75.1%	table 06265
Net expenditure on culture per inhabitant (shown, not in the index)	NOK 2,079 2025	NOK 2,719	NOK 3,310	table 13135

Health and living conditions

Key figure	Value	Group median	National median	Source
Life expectancy at birth (15-year period) (high scores high)	83.5 years 2025	82.6 years	82.4 years	FHI table 508
Share in households with persistent low income (EU60) (low scores high)	6.6% 2024	7.7%	8.1%	FHI table 403
Completed upper secondary education (standardised) (high scores high)	84.6% 2025	83.0%	80.5%	FHI table 623
Young people satisfied with their health (Ungdata, latest survey) (high scores high)	66.7% 2025	65.4%	64.7%	FHI table 349
Disability benefit recipients aged 20–66 (standardised) (low scores high)	10.5% 2024	10.6%	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)	17.2 2026	14.7	16.7	Our data
Median operating margin, companies we follow (shown, not in the index)	2.5% 2025	2.9%	3.2%	Our data
New bankruptcies and liquidations per 1,000 limited companies (low scores high)	21.1 2025	14.7	13.5	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)	– 2025	6.4%	9.4%		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)	24.1% 2025	25.4%	25.1%	table 09429
Share with upper secondary as highest education (16 and over) (shown, not in the index)	41.2% 2025	41.0%	42.0%	table 09429
Share with tertiary vocational education as highest (16 and over) (shown, not in the index)	4.3% 2025	3.9%	3.8%	table 09429
Municipal primary and lower secondary schools (shown, not in the index)	7 2025	7	3	table 11971
Pupils per municipal school (shown, not in the index)	184 2025	274	177	table 11971
Primary and lower secondary schools in operation (public and private) (shown, not in the index)	8 2026	8	4	Norwegian Mapping Authority and Directorate for Education (NSR)
Share of private primary and lower secondary schools (shown, not in the index)	12.5% 2026	9.1%	0.0%	Norwegian Mapping Authority and Directorate for Education (NSR)
Pupils per primary school (median, public and private) (shown, not in the index)	104 2026	224	146	Norwegian Mapping Authority and Directorate for Education (NSR)
Upper secondary schools in operation (shown, not in the index)	1 2026	1	1	Norwegian Mapping Authority and Directorate for Education (NSR)
Average lower secondary school points (shown, not in the index)	42 2025	41	42	table 12255
Pupils at mastery levels 3–5, national reading test, year 8 (shown, not in the index)	66.9% 2025	61.1%	62.0%	table 12255
Pupils at mastery levels 3–5, national numeracy test, year 8 (shown, not in the index)	67.4% 2025	62.3%	62.5%	table 12255

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 (4,721 in all in 2025), with the change since 2020.

Industry (SN2007)	Employed	Share	Change since 2020	Change in Norway	Location quotient	Trend
Undervisning 85	399	8.5%	4.7%	4.1%	1.04	Stable
Pleie- og omsorgstjenester i institusjon 87	364	7.7%	7.1%	6.4%	1.41	Stable
Detaljhandel, unntatt med motorvogner 47	359	7.6%	−9.6%	4.0%	1.10	Stable
Sosiale omsorgstjenester uten botilbud 88	276	5.8%	8.2%	1.7%	0.93	Stable
Helsetjenester 86	260	5.5%	23.8%	13.3%	0.61	Rising
Produksjon av metallvarer, unntatt maskiner og utstyr 25	232	4.9%	−7.6%	19.3%	5.82	Stable
Offentlig administrasjon og forsvar, og trygdeordninger underlagt offentlig forvaltning 84	230	4.9%	−3.4%	8.7%	0.76	Stable
Produksjon av nærings- og nytelsesmidler 10	179	3.8%	65.7%	10.5%	2.27	Rising
Spesialisert bygge- og anleggsvirksomhet 43	174	3.7%	−1.7%	4.0%	0.78	Stable
Anleggsvirksomhet 42	160	3.4%	40.4%	10.3%	3.47	Rising
Handel med og reparasjon av motorvogner 45	142	3.0%	26.8%	10.0%	1.62	Rising
Sjøfart 50	141	3.0%	−3.4%	3.1%	4.91	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

Ørsta is a home municipality: many residents work in other municipalities. The municipality has 4,720 jobs and 5,529 employed residents, and 60% of the residents work in the municipality.

Jobs (employed by workplace): 4,720
Employed residents: 5,529
Jobs per employed resident: 0.85
Commute in: 1,413
Commute out: 2,222

Where the residents work (outside the municipality)

Municipality	Employed	Share of employed residents
Volda	1,073	19.4%
Ulstein	214	3.9%
Ålesund	200	3.6%
Herøy (Møre og Romsdal)	106	1.9%
Bergen	82	1.5%

Where those who work here live (outside the municipality)

Municipality	Employed	Share of jobs
Volda	893	18.9%
Ulstein	106	2.2%
Ålesund	63	1.3%
Herøy (Møre og Romsdal)	57	1.2%
Hareid	45	1.0%

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 −4.8% from 2014 to 2016, against −1.3% in the country: a weaker development than the country.

Measure	Ørsta	Country	Difference
Change in jobs 2014–2016	−4.8%	−1.3%	−3.5 pp
Change in jobs 2014–2018 (recovery)	−3.8%	+2.0%	−5.8 pp
Change in registered unemployment 2014–2016	+0.8 pp	+0.3 pp	+0.5 pp
Registered unemployment 2014	1.5%	2.1%	–
Share of jobs in oil and gas 2014 (extraction and services)	0.2%	–	–

The change in jobs is in the quarter of municipalities with the weakest development in the period.

The pandemic (2019–2020)

The number of jobs changed by −0.3% from 2019 to 2020, about like the country (−0.9%).

Measure	Ørsta	Country	Difference
Change in jobs 2019–2020	−0.3%	−0.9%	+0.6 pp
Change in jobs 2019–2022 (recovery)	+4.5%	+4.2%	+0.3 pp
Change in registered unemployment 2019–2020	+0.8 pp	+1.1 pp	−0.3 pp
Registered unemployment 2019	1.4%	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 289,103 −1% against the median	NOK 291,355	49%	43%	Lower cost, higher quality measure (38 municipalities in the group)
Primary school net expenditure per inhabitant aged 6–15, lower secondary school points	NOK 165,394 +2% against the median	NOK 161,523	42.0	41.4	Higher cost, higher quality measure (38 municipalities in the group)
Nursing homes expenditure per resident day, share of care staff with health education	NOK 5,852 −2% against the median	NOK 5,961	77%	75%	Lower cost, higher quality measure (38 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: 190
With accounts 2026: 1
Turnover 2026 (NOK): 9 MNOK
Median operating margin 2026: too few companies

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

VARTDAL PLASTINDUSTRI AS 1,348 MNOK (2025)
AURSTAD AS 452 MNOK (2025)
TUSSA ENERGI AS 351 MNOK (2025)
BYGG 1 PRODUKTER AS 329 MNOK (2025)
RAMOEN AS 282 MNOK (2025)
TUSSA INSTALLASJON AS 211 MNOK (2025)
AGRO AS 110 MNOK (2025)
ODE PROCESSING AS 107 MNOK (2025)
BIL & GUMMISERVICE AS 102 MNOK (2025)
AS SÆBJØRN 100 MNOK (2025)
KVK DAGLIGVARE AS 93 MNOK (2025)
ASKO AS 85 MNOK (2025)
MÅSØVAL VARTDAL AS 79 MNOK (2025)
FJORDTORGET MAT AS 65 MNOK (2025)
MÅSØVAL URKE AS 65 MNOK (2025)

190 limited companies in the sectors we follow have their business address here.

Latest awards from buyers in the municipality

To renovasjonsbilar til Volda og Ørsta reinhaldsverk (VØR) Volda og Ørsta Reinhaldsverk IKS (VØR) · 9 August 2024
Service- og vedlikeholdsavtaler på lastebiler, rammeavtale Volda og Ørsta Reinhaldsverk IKS · 25 January 2024
Rammeavtale for transport og behandling - Matavfall 2022 Volda og Ørsta Reinhaldsverk IKS · 31 May 2022
Rammeavtale for kjøp av diesel frå pumpe og bulk - Volda og Ørsta Reinhaldsverk IKS Volda og Ørsta Reinhaldsverk IKS · 27 April 2022
Kjøp Kanalpresse for papir, papp og plast mv Volda og Ørsta Reinhaldsverk IKS · 27 April 2022
Kjøp av Hjullastar VØR 2022 Volda og Ørsta Reinhaldsverk · 20 April 2022

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

Indications based on open data. Not advice. Methodology

Source: Statistics Norway (SSB), table 03321, table 06265, table 06913, table 06944, table 07165, table 07459, table 07984, table 09429, table 11342, table 11616, table 11618, table 11971, table 12137, table 12143, table 12209, table 12255, table 12379, table 13135, table 13470, table 13502, table 13563, table 13701, 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.