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Statistics

Most and fewest on disability benefit

The share of residents aged 20 to 66 who receive disability benefit, adjusted for age and sex.

Iveland has the highest share on disability benefit of Norway's municipalities at 20.9% (2024). The lowest is Bærum at 4.7%. Source: FHI, indicator 787, processed by Morning Analytics 4 November 2026.

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20.9%Highest: Iveland
11.2%Median of the municipalities
4.7%Lowest: Bærum

The picture in figures

The bars show the ten highest and the ten lowest of 357 municipalities. The dashed line is the median of all municipalities.

Highest 10
IvelandIveland20.9%Søndre LandSøndre Land19.0%ÅmliÅmli18.8%GjerstadGjerstad18.3%FrolandFroland18.1%ByglandBygland18.1%ÅsnesÅsnes17.9%Nordre LandNordre Land17.7%VenneslaVennesla17.1%Stor-ElvdalStor-Elvdal16.8%
Lowest 10
BærumBærum4.7%EidfjordEidfjord4.9%BykleBykle5.4%HemsedalHemsedal6.3%AskerAsker6.5%SolaSola6.6%TolgaTolga6.7%SogndalSogndal6.7%HoleHole6.7%ÅsÅs6.7%
How 357 municipalities spread
4.7% – 6.0%: 36.0% – 7.4%: 217.4% – 8.7%: 518.7% – 10.1%: 5010.1% – 11.4%: 6211.4% – 12.8%: 6912.8% – 14.1%: 5414.1% – 15.5%: 2515.5% – 16.8%: 1116.8% – 18.2%: 718.2% – 19.5%: 319.5% – 20.9%: 14.7%20.9%share on disability benefit →

Each bar is the number of municipalities in a range of values. The dashed line is the median. Hover over a bar to see the range.

Analysis: why are some at the top and others at the bottom?

We compared share on disability benefit with every other municipal figure we have, from Statistics Norway, NIPH and the Brønnøysund Register Centre. Below are the figures that go most closely together with share on disability benefit across the country, and what marks the municipalities at the top and bottom on those figures.

The pattern across the country

  • Municipalities that rank high on «Employed, share of age 20–66» most often rank low on share on disability benefit (strong association, rank correlation −0.70 across 357 municipalities; Statistics Norway table 11618).
  • Municipalities that rank high on «Gross income per person aged 17 and over, median» most often rank low on share on disability benefit (strong association, rank correlation −0.58 across 357 municipalities; Statistics Norway table 05671).
  • Municipalities that rank high on «Share with lower secondary as highest education (16 and over)» most often also rank high on share on disability benefit (strong association, rank correlation 0.51 across 357 municipalities; Statistics Norway table 09429).
  • Municipalities that rank high on «Life expectancy at birth (15-year period)» most often rank low on share on disability benefit (moderate association, rank correlation −0.49 across 348 municipalities; NIPH indicator 508).

The highest and the lowest

  • No. 1 Iveland (20.9%) Fits the pattern: «Life expectancy at birth (15-year period)» 80.3 (no. 331 of 348 from the top; NIPH indicator 508); «Employed, share of age 20–66» 71.2% (no. 324 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 11618); «Gross income per person aged 17 and over, median» 469,200 kr (no. 301 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 05671). Most distinctive industry: produksjon av drikkevarer, 13% of the jobs, 116.4 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 2 Søndre Land (19.0%) Fits the pattern: «Employed, share of age 20–66» 67.1% (no. 354 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 11618); «Life expectancy at birth (15-year period)» 80.3 (no. 334 of 348 from the top; NIPH indicator 508); «Gross income per person aged 17 and over, median» 453,600 kr (no. 332 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 05671). Most distinctive industry: jordbruk og tjenester tilknyttet jordbruk, jakt og viltstell, 6% of the jobs, 4.5 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 3 Åmli (18.8%) Fits the pattern: «Employed, share of age 20–66» 69.7% (no. 343 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 11618); «Gross income per person aged 17 and over, median» 464,000 kr (no. 309 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 05671); «Life expectancy at birth (15-year period)» 81.5 (no. 288 of 348 from the top; NIPH indicator 508). Most distinctive industry: produksjon av trelast og varer av tre, kork, strå og flettematerialer, unntatt møbler, 12% of the jobs, 30.7 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 357 Bærum (4.7%, among the lowest) Fits the pattern: «Gross income per person aged 17 and over, median» 638,400 kr (no. 1 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 05671); «Share with lower secondary as highest education (16 and over)» 15.1% (no. 357 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 09429); «Life expectancy at birth (15-year period)» 84.3 (no. 6 of 348 from the top; NIPH indicator 508). Most distinctive industry: arkitektvirksomhet og teknisk konsulentvirksomhet, og teknisk prøving og analyse, 7% of the jobs, 3.4 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 356 Eidfjord (4.9%, among the lowest) Fits the pattern: «Employed, share of age 20–66» 83.5% (no. 2 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 11618); «Gross income per person aged 17 and over, median» 553,300 kr (no. 30 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 05671); «Share with lower secondary as highest education (16 and over)» 20.1% (no. 325 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 09429). Most distinctive industry: elektrisitets-, gass-, damp- og varmtvannsforsyning, 8% of the jobs, 12.0 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 355 Bykle (5.4%, among the lowest) Fits the pattern: «Share with lower secondary as highest education (16 and over)» 17.8% (no. 353 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 09429); «Life expectancy at birth (15-year period)» 83.7 (no. 27 of 348 from the top; NIPH indicator 508); «Gross income per person aged 17 and over, median» 539,500 kr (no. 48 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 05671). Most distinctive industry: overnattingsvirksomhet, 7% of the jobs, 6.9 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).

The analysis describes what goes together, not what causes what. Two figures can follow each other because both depend on something else, such as size, location or industry. The figures are from the latest year available for each source, so the years can differ. Rank correlation runs from −1 to 1; values near 1 mean the municipalities lie in roughly the same order on both measures.

What explains the placing?

  • 1. Iveland 20.9% Small municipality (1,386 inhabitants): one company or a few people can move the figure a lot. 86% above the median of the municipalities.
  • 2. Søndre Land 19.0% 69% above the median of the municipalities.
  • 3. Åmli 18.8% Small municipality (1,805 inhabitants): one company or a few people can move the figure a lot. 68% above the median of the municipalities.
  • 355. Bykle 5.4% Small municipality (1,057 inhabitants): one company or a few people can move the figure a lot. 52% below the median of the municipalities.
  • 356. Eidfjord 4.9% Small municipality (985 inhabitants): one company or a few people can move the figure a lot. 56% below the median of the municipalities.
  • 357. Bærum 4.7% 58% below the median of the municipalities.
#Municipality County Inhabitants share on disability benefit
51 Senja Troms 14,946 14.0%
52 Lyngdal Agder 10,922 14.0%
53 Midt-Telemark Telemark 11,157 14.0%
54 Granesmall municipality Nordland 1,415 13.9%
55 Vegårsheismall municipality Agder 2,253 13.9%
56 Dønnasmall municipality Nordland 1,445 13.8%
57 Åmotsmall municipality Innlandet 4,191 13.8%
58 Ørland Trøndelag 10,706 13.8%
59 Halden Østfold 32,082 13.8%
60 Vegasmall municipality Nordland 1,202 13.8%
61 Sømnasmall municipality Nordland 2,006 13.7%
62 Namsos Trøndelag 15,112 13.7%
63 Sarpsborg Østfold 60,614 13.7%
64 Sør-Odal Innlandet 8,165 13.7%
65 Gran Innlandet 13,689 13.7%
66 Nordreisasmall municipality Troms 4,863 13.6%
67 Tydalsmall municipality Trøndelag 773 13.6%
68 Østre Toten Innlandet 14,925 13.6%
69 Beiarnsmall municipality Nordland 1,032 13.6%
70 Bindalsmall municipality Nordland 1,361 13.4%
71 Brønnøy Nordland 7,841 13.4%
72 Salangensmall municipality Troms 2,132 13.4%
73 Fauske Nordland 9,707 13.4%
74 Lebesbysmall municipality Finnmark 1,249 13.3%
75 Steinkjer Trøndelag 24,007 13.3%
76 Evenessmall municipality Nordland 1,397 13.3%
77 Larvik Vestfold 49,022 13.3%
78 Flekkefjord Agder 9,373 13.2%
79 Meløy Nordland 6,074 13.1%
80 Kragerø Telemark 10,378 13.1%
81 Gjøvik Innlandet 31,350 13.1%
82 Orkland Trøndelag 18,840 13.1%
83 Kristiansund Møre og Romsdal 24,479 13.1%
84 Saltdalsmall municipality Nordland 4,865 13.1%
85 Rendalensmall municipality Innlandet 1,836 13.1%
86 Gildeskålsmall municipality Nordland 2,024 13.1%
87 Lødingensmall municipality Nordland 1,964 13.0%
88 Porsangersmall municipality Finnmark 3,906 13.0%
89 Skjåksmall municipality Innlandet 2,185 13.0%
90 Modum Buskerud 14,776 13.0%
91 Tjeldsundsmall municipality Troms 4,144 13.0%
92 Elverum Innlandet 21,937 12.9%
93 Aremarksmall municipality Østfold 1,354 12.9%
94 Tinn Telemark 5,515 12.9%
95 Grimstad Agder 25,569 12.9%
96 Nord-Fron Innlandet 5,493 12.9%
97 Etnedalsmall municipality Innlandet 1,593 12.9%
98 Åfjordsmall municipality Trøndelag 4,340 12.9%
99 Bamble Telemark 14,267 12.8%
100 Holtålensmall municipality Trøndelag 2,037 12.8%