Municipality

Vardø

Municipality no. 5634 · Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku · 1,969 inhabitants · KOSTRA group 3

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Municipality index · based on 2025

42 of 100

Between rank 3 and 9 of 9 in KOSTRA group 3 (rank 9 with the default weights). Between 119 and 342 of 357 in Norway (276 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 47 of 100: how the key figures have changed over about the last three years, compared with the group. Profile: Lower level · weaker development.

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	22	50	59
Economy	62	56	72
Population and growth	38	44	0
Work, education and housing	44	44	54
Health and living conditions	Bottom quarter of the group			Shown as a quarter, not as a score or rank
Local economy (our company data)	94	38	65

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

Skjåk 2,185 inhabitants · index 48
Nordkapp 2,945 inhabitants · index 42
Vang 1,666 inhabitants · index 65
Bø 2,609 inhabitants · index 30
Båtsfjord 2,104 inhabitants · index 30
Salangen 2,132 inhabitants · index 57
Karlsøy 2,235 inhabitants · index 51
Smøla 2,141 inhabitants · index 53

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

Summary analysis

Vardø has a municipality index of 42 of 100 against its KOSTRA group.

Strongest: Local economy (our company data): 94 of 100 (group 38). Economy: 62 of 100 (group 56).

Weakest: Health and living conditions: 22 of 100 (group 55). Work and business: 22 of 100 (group 50).

Worth a closer look

Share in households with persistent low income (EU60): 11.2% against 8.8% in the group (2024).
Registered unemployed, share of labour force: 3.6% against 1.5% 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)	73.3% 2025	76.3%	76.7%	table 11618 figures from an earlier municipality number
Job coverage (jobs per employed resident) (shown, not in the index)	98.1% 2025	97.1%	90.0%	table 11618 figures from an earlier municipality number
Registered unemployed, share of labour force (low scores high)	3.6% 2025	1.5%	1.3%	table 13563 figures from an earlier municipality number
New enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (high scores high)	7.2 2023	7.7	9.2	table 13701 figures from an earlier municipality number
Limited company bankruptcies per 1,000 inhabitants (low scores high)	0.5 2025	0.5	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 527,000 2024	NOK 623,400	NOK 657,600	table 06944 figures from an earlier municipality number
Net operating result, share of operating revenue (municipal group) (high scores high)	5.8% 2025	−1.1%	1.3%	table 12143 figures from an earlier municipality number
Unrestricted reserves, share of operating revenue (high scores high)	35.2% 2025	12.5%	10.4%	table 12143 figures from an earlier municipality number
Net debt, share of operating revenue (low scores high)	96.4% 2025	98.5%	84.9%	table 12143 figures from an earlier municipality number
Net operating expenditure per inhabitant (shown, not in the index)	NOK 105,935 2025	NOK 99,364	NOK 96,691	table 12137 figures from an earlier municipality number
Gross operating revenue per inhabitant (shown, not in the index)	NOK 170,953 2025	NOK 146,226	NOK 141,010	table 12137 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)	1,969 2026	5,568	5,447	table 11342 figures from an earlier municipality number
Population growth, last year (high scores high)	−0.7% 2026	0.3%	0.3%	table 06913 figures from an earlier municipality number
Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (shown, not in the index)	1.5 2025	4.1	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)	5.2% 2026	5.6%	6.3%	table 07459 figures from an earlier municipality number
Projected population growth to 2030 (main alternative) (high scores high)	4.0% 2026	1.8%	1.1%	table 14746
Projected population growth to 2050 (main alternative) (shown, not in the index)	9.3% 2026	−1.8%	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)	−2.2% 2025	−2.2%	−10.2%	table 11616 figures from an earlier municipality number
Children aged 1–5 in kindergarten (high scores high)	87.7% 2025	92.1%	94.1%	table 13502 figures from an earlier municipality number
Share with university or college education (16 and over) (high scores high)	25.9% 2025	25.9%	27.5%	table 09429
Share living in overcrowded homes (low scores high)	6.9% 2025	7.8%	6.9%	table 14902
Detached houses, share of all dwellings (shown, not in the index)	56.1% 2026	69.0%	75.1%	table 06265 figures from an earlier municipality number
Net expenditure on culture per inhabitant (shown, not in the index)	NOK 7,274 2025	NOK 4,347	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)	78.2 years 2025	81.9 years	82.4 years	FHI table 508
Share in households with persistent low income (EU60) (low scores high)	11.2% 2024	8.8%	8.1%	FHI table 403
Completed upper secondary education (standardised) (high scores high)	65.1% 2025	77.1%	80.5%	FHI table 623 some years withheld by SSB
Young people satisfied with their health (Ungdata, latest survey) (high scores high)	– 2025	58.3%	64.7%	FHI table 349
Disability benefit recipients aged 20–66 (standardised) (low scores high)	9.6% 2024	11.1%	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)	35.6 2026	23.9	16.7	Our data
Median operating margin, companies we follow (shown, not in the index)	2.5% 2025	5.1%	3.2%	Our data
New bankruptcies and liquidations per 1,000 limited companies (low scores high)	0.0 2025	8.1	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	0.5%	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)	30.5% 2025	26.7%	25.1%	table 09429
Share with upper secondary as highest education (16 and over) (shown, not in the index)	37.0% 2025	39.0%	42.0%	table 09429
Share with tertiary vocational education as highest (16 and over) (shown, not in the index)	5.8% 2025	4.1%	3.8%	table 09429
Municipal primary and lower secondary schools (shown, not in the index)	1 2025	4	3	table 11971 figures from an earlier municipality number
Pupils per municipal school (shown, not in the index)	142 2025	174	177	table 11971 figures from an earlier municipality number
Primary and lower secondary schools in operation (public and private) (shown, not in the index)	1 2026	3	4	Norwegian Mapping Authority and Directorate for Education (NSR)
Share of private primary and lower secondary schools (shown, not in the index)	0.0% 2026	0.0%	0.0%	Norwegian Mapping Authority and Directorate for Education (NSR)
Pupils per primary school (median, public and private) (shown, not in the index)	142 2026	152	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)	46 2025	42	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)	58.8% 2024	60.0%	63.0%	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)	78.9% 2022	68.2%	69.0%	table 12255 figures from an earlier municipality number some years withheld by SSB

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

Industry (SN2007)	Employed	Share	Change since 2020	Change in Norway	Location quotient	Trend
Offentlig administrasjon og forsvar, og trygdeordninger underlagt offentlig forvaltning 84	231	24.5%	24.2%	8.7%	3.80	Rising
Fiske, fangst og akvakultur 03	135	14.3%	10.7%	17.8%	17.78	Stable
Sosiale omsorgstjenester uten botilbud 88	88	9.3%	22.2%	1.7%	1.48	Rising
Undervisning 85	75	7.9%	1.4%	4.1%	0.98	Stable
Pleie- og omsorgstjenester i institusjon 87	62	6.6%	21.6%	6.4%	1.20	Rising
Detaljhandel, unntatt med motorvogner 47	45	4.8%	18.4%	4.0%	0.69	Rising
Produksjon av nærings- og nytelsesmidler 10	44	4.7%	4.8%	10.5%	2.79	Stable
Spesialisert bygge- og anleggsvirksomhet 43	40	4.2%	33.3%	4.0%	0.89	Rising
Lagring og andre tjenester tilknyttet transport 52	40	4.2%	8.1%	19.4%	3.70	Stable
Serveringsvirksomhet 56	32	3.4%	39.1%	31.2%	1.25	Rising
Helsetjenester 86	31	3.3%	−6.1%	13.3%	0.36	Stable
Agentur- og engroshandel, unntatt med motorvogner 46	24	2.5%	9.1%	4.4%	0.70	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

Vardø has about as many jobs as employed residents. The municipality has 941 jobs and 961 employed residents, and 88% of the residents work in the municipality.

Jobs (employed by workplace): 941
Employed residents: 961
Jobs per employed resident: 0.98
Commute in: 94
Commute out: 114

Where the residents work (outside the municipality)

Municipality	Employed	Share of employed residents
Vadsø	31	3.2%
Sør-Varanger	20	2.1%
Tromsø	18	1.9%

Where those who work here live (outside the municipality)

Municipality	Employed	Share of jobs
Vadsø	24	2.6%

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 +0.3% from 2014 to 2016, against −1.3% in the country: a stronger development than the country.

Measure	Vardø	Country	Difference
Change in jobs 2014–2016	+0.3%	−1.3%	+1.6 pp
Change in jobs 2014–2018 (recovery)	−5.2%	+2.0%	−7.2 pp
Change in registered unemployment 2014–2016	−0.4 pp	+0.3 pp	−0.7 pp
Registered unemployment 2014	3.7%	2.1%	–
Share of jobs in oil and gas 2014 (extraction and services)	0.0%	–	–

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

The pandemic (2019–2020)

The number of jobs changed by −8.5% from 2019 to 2020, against −0.9% in the country: a weaker development than the country.

Measure	Vardø	Country	Difference
Change in jobs 2019–2020	−8.5%	−0.9%	−7.6 pp
Change in jobs 2019–2022 (recovery)	−4.6%	+4.2%	−8.8 pp
Change in registered unemployment 2019–2020	−0.5 pp	+1.1 pp	−1.6 pp
Registered unemployment 2019	3.7%	1.8%	–

The change in jobs is in the quarter of municipalities with the weakest development 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 299,190 0% against the median	NOK 299,190	26%	32%	Cost at the median, lower quality measure (9 municipalities in the group)
Primary school net expenditure per inhabitant aged 6–15, lower secondary school points	NOK 241,921 +10% against the median	NOK 220,233	45.6	41.6	Higher cost, higher quality measure (9 municipalities in the group)
Nursing homes expenditure per resident day, share of care staff with health education	NOK 8,993 +41% against the median	NOK 6,378	80%	73%	Higher cost, higher quality measure (9 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: 70
With accounts 2025: 62
Turnover 2025 (NOK): 853 MNOK
Median operating margin 2025: 1.7%

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

ARCTIC CATCH AS 405 MNOK (2025)
AALESUNDFISK VARDØ AS 83 MNOK (2025)
FINNMARK ENTREPRENØR AS 73 MNOK (2025)
GAMST SHILOVA AS 73 MNOK (2025)
KNUT BYE KOLONIAL AS 47 MNOK (2025)
THORLEIF RØNNING TRANSPORT AS 26 MNOK (2025)
STRANDTORGET VARDØ AS 21 MNOK (2025)
BYRDING AS 20 MNOK (2025)
ALENMAR AS 15 MNOK (2025)
ØST MMT AS 11 MNOK (2025)
ARCTIC WATERS AS 8 MNOK (2025)
KIBERG HAVBRUKSSERVICE KHS AS 7 MNOK (2025)
INDUSTRI REK AS 6 MNOK (2025)
A&V EGNESENTRAL AS 5 MNOK (2025)
SØNDREVÅG KIOSK AS 4 MNOK (2025)

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

Latest awards from buyers in the municipality

Drift av turistinformasjon i Vardø kommune Vardø Kommune · 19 June 2026
Utvidelse VAO Skagveien Vardø Kommune · 7 November 2025
Anskaffelse av nye flytebrygger i Vardø havn og Kiberg havn Vardø Kommune · 9 February 2024
Reisebyråtjenester ved tjenestereiser Vardø Kommune · 14 December 2023
Prosjektering for renovering av Vardø brannstasjon Vardø Kommune · 30 November 2023
Rammeavtale for asfaltering i Vardø kommune 2022-2024 Vardø Kommune · 10 June 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

Earlier municipalities

Vardø (5404) · renumbered 2024

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.