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Statistics

Most and fewest new businesses

New enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants.

Oslo has the highest new enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants of Norway's municipalities at 16.68 per 1,000 (2023). The lowest is Årdal at 5.03 per 1,000. Source: SSB, table 13701, processed by Morning Analytics 3 November 2026.

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16.68 per 1,000Highest: Oslo
9.36 per 1,000Median of the municipalities
5.03 per 1,000Lowest: Årdal

The picture in figures

The bars show the ten highest and the ten lowest of 181 municipalities. The dashed line is the median of all municipalities.

Highest 10
OsloOslo16.68 per 1,000GloppenGloppen15.11 per 1,000NærøysundNærøysund14.16 per 1,000Midt-TelemarkMidt-Telemark13.69 per 1,000AustevollAustevoll13.40 per 1,000BærumBærum13.37 per 1,000FrognFrogn13.35 per 1,000HoleHole12.78 per 1,000NannestadNannestad12.43 per 1,000ÅsÅs12.41 per 1,000
Lowest 10
ÅrdalÅrdal5.03 per 1,000TynsetTynset5.15 per 1,000NomeNome6.10 per 1,000Vestre TotenVestre Toten6.16 per 1,000HammerfestHammerfest6.28 per 1,000MeløyMeløy6.28 per 1,000HadselHadsel6.35 per 1,000StangeStange6.46 per 1,000SkaunSkaun6.52 per 1,000ÅsnesÅsnes6.61 per 1,000
How 181 municipalities spread
5.03 per 1,000 – 6.00 per 1,000: 26.00 per 1,000 – 6.97 per 1,000: 146.97 per 1,000 – 7.94 per 1,000: 287.94 per 1,000 – 8.91 per 1,000: 318.91 per 1,000 – 9.88 per 1,000: 389.88 per 1,000 – 10.85 per 1,000: 3310.85 per 1,000 – 11.82 per 1,000: 1711.82 per 1,000 – 12.80 per 1,000: 1112.80 per 1,000 – 13.77 per 1,000: 413.77 per 1,000 – 14.74 per 1,000: 114.74 per 1,000 – 15.71 per 1,000: 115.71 per 1,000 – 16.68 per 1,000: 15.03 per 1,00016.68 per 1,000new enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants →

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 new enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants 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 new enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants 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 «Limited companies we follow per 1,000 inhabitants» most often also rank high on new enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (moderate association, rank correlation 0.47 across 181 municipalities; Brønnøysund Register Centre, our own calculations).
  • Municipalities that rank high on «Projected population growth to 2050 (main alternative)» most often also rank high on new enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (moderate association, rank correlation 0.45 across 181 municipalities; Statistics Norway table 14746).
  • Municipalities that rank high on «Share in households with persistent low income (EU60)» most often also rank high on new enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (moderate association, rank correlation 0.43 across 181 municipalities; NIPH indicator 403).
  • Municipalities that rank high on «Centrality (Statistics Norway's centrality index, 6 is most central)» most often also rank high on new enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants (moderate association, rank correlation 0.34 across 181 municipalities; Statistics Norway, centrality index).

The highest and the lowest

  • No. 1 Oslo (16.68 per 1,000) Fits the pattern: «Share in households with persistent low income (EU60)» 14.4% (no. 1 of 357 from the top; NIPH indicator 403); «Centrality (Statistics Norway's centrality index, 6 is most central)» 6 (no. 1 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway, centrality index); «Limited companies we follow per 1,000 inhabitants» 93.52 per 1,000 (no. 26 of 347 from the top; Brønnøysund Register Centre, our own calculations). Most distinctive industry: tjenester tilknyttet informasjonsteknologi, 6% of the jobs, 2.6 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 2 Gloppen (15.11 per 1,000) Fits the pattern: «Limited companies we follow per 1,000 inhabitants» 72.62 per 1,000 (no. 85 of 347 from the top; Brønnøysund Register Centre, our own calculations). Goes against the pattern: «Projected population growth to 2050 (main alternative)» −4.0% (no. 286 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 14746). Most distinctive industry: jordbruk og tjenester tilknyttet jordbruk, jakt og viltstell, 7% of the jobs, 5.2 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 3 Nærøysund (14.16 per 1,000) Fits the pattern: «Limited companies we follow per 1,000 inhabitants» 75.40 per 1,000 (no. 72 of 347 from the top; Brønnøysund Register Centre, our own calculations). Most distinctive industry: fiske, fangst og akvakultur, 14% of the jobs, 17.3 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 181 Årdal (5.03 per 1,000, among the lowest) Fits the pattern: «Projected population growth to 2050 (main alternative)» −15.4% (no. 354 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 14746); «Share in households with persistent low income (EU60)» 5.8% (no. 350 of 357 from the top; NIPH indicator 403); «Limited companies we follow per 1,000 inhabitants» 41.33 per 1,000 (no. 323 of 347 from the top; Brønnøysund Register Centre, our own calculations). Most distinctive industry: produksjon av metaller, 35% of the jobs, 90.8 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 180 Tynset (5.15 per 1,000, among the lowest) The municipality does not stand out on the figures that otherwise go together with the measure. The explanation probably lies in something we have no figures for. Most distinctive industry: jordbruk og tjenester tilknyttet jordbruk, jakt og viltstell, 8% of the jobs, 6.3 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 179 Nome (6.10 per 1,000, among the lowest) Fits the pattern: «Limited companies we follow per 1,000 inhabitants» 46.87 per 1,000 (no. 289 of 347 from the top; Brønnøysund Register Centre, our own calculations); «Share in households with persistent low income (EU60)» 7.2% (no. 281 of 357 from the top; NIPH indicator 403). Goes against the pattern: «Centrality (Statistics Norway's centrality index, 6 is most central)» 3 (no. 81 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway, centrality index). Most distinctive industry: produksjon av metaller, 7% of the jobs, 17.1 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. Oslo 16.68 per 1,000 78% above the median of the municipalities.
  • 2. Gloppen 15.11 per 1,000 61% above the median of the municipalities.
  • 3. Nærøysund 14.16 per 1,000 51% above the median of the municipalities.
  • 179. Nome 6.10 per 1,000 35% below the median of the municipalities.
  • 180. Tynset 5.15 per 1,000 45% below the median of the municipalities.
  • 181. Årdal 5.03 per 1,000 46% below the median of the municipalities.
#Municipality County Inhabitants new enterprises per 1,000 inhabitants
101 Frøya Trøndelag 5,794 9.09 per 1,000
102 Bodø Nordland 53,638 9.09 per 1,000
103 Øvre Eiker Buskerud 20,965 9.08 per 1,000
104 Horten Vestfold 28,173 9.00 per 1,000
105 Nes Akershus 24,948 8.94 per 1,000
106 Gran Innlandet 13,689 8.92 per 1,000
107 Kristiansund Møre og Romsdal 24,479 8.90 per 1,000
108 Sveio Vestland 5,766 8.90 per 1,000
109 Sarpsborg Østfold 60,614 8.82 per 1,000
110 Nordre Land Innlandet 6,510 8.73 per 1,000
111 Sogndal Vestland 12,552 8.69 per 1,000
112 Inderøy Trøndelag 7,066 8.62 per 1,000
113 Nittedal Akershus 26,032 8.57 per 1,000
114 Klepp Rogaland 21,444 8.54 per 1,000
115 Molde Møre og Romsdal 33,291 8.54 per 1,000
116 Hareid Møre og Romsdal 5,411 8.53 per 1,000
117 Ørland Trøndelag 10,706 8.50 per 1,000
118 Orkland Trøndelag 18,840 8.45 per 1,000
119 Tysvær Rogaland 11,750 8.42 per 1,000
120 Lunner Akershus 9,463 8.38 per 1,000
121 Namsos Trøndelag 15,112 8.38 per 1,000
122 Skien Telemark 56,906 8.33 per 1,000
123 Østre Toten Innlandet 14,925 8.32 per 1,000
124 Senja Troms 14,946 8.28 per 1,000
125 Målselv Troms 6,819 8.26 per 1,000
126 Stjørdal Trøndelag 25,108 8.19 per 1,000
127 Alver Vestland 30,285 8.19 per 1,000
128 Askøy Vestland 30,600 8.17 per 1,000
129 Heim Trøndelag 6,075 8.16 per 1,000
130 Elverum Innlandet 21,937 8.11 per 1,000
131 Karmøy Rogaland 43,990 8.04 per 1,000
132 Herøy (Møre og Romsdal) Møre og Romsdal 9,003 8.03 per 1,000
133 Indre Fosen Trøndelag 10,006 8.02 per 1,000
134 Narvik Nordland 21,647 7.99 per 1,000
135 Kongsberg Buskerud 29,169 7.99 per 1,000
136 Eidskog Innlandet 6,103 7.96 per 1,000
137 Hitra Trøndelag 5,568 7.95 per 1,000
138 Sør-Odal Innlandet 8,165 7.93 per 1,000
139 Bømlo Vestland 12,531 7.91 per 1,000
140 Farsund Agder 9,949 7.91 per 1,000
141 Randaberg Rogaland 11,841 7.88 per 1,000
142 Strand Rogaland 13,959 7.87 per 1,000
143 Eigersund Rogaland 15,546 7.86 per 1,000
144 Stad Vestland 9,616 7.86 per 1,000
145 Vennesla Agder 15,772 7.85 per 1,000
146 Giske Møre og Romsdal 8,828 7.82 per 1,000
147 Kinn Vestland 17,356 7.74 per 1,000
148 Harstad Troms 25,204 7.71 per 1,000
149 Stord Vestland 19,276 7.70 per 1,000
150 Vadsø Finnmark 5,808 7.69 per 1,000

Not ranked because the municipality has fewer than 5,000 inhabitants, where a few people can move the figure a lot (174): Alvdal (8.02 per 1,000), Andøy (6.77 per 1,000), Aremark (9.03 per 1,000), Askvoll (11.87 per 1,000), Aukra (7.66 per 1,000), Aure (9.76 per 1,000), Aurland (14.65 per 1,000), Austrheim (11.90 per 1,000), Bardu (5.06 per 1,000), Beiarn (7.79 per 1,000), Berlevåg (7.71 per 1,000), Bindal (7.19 per 1,000), Bjerkreim (7.72 per 1,000), Bokn (14.98 per 1,000), Bremanger (5.74 per 1,000), Bygland (16.73 per 1,000), Bykle (13.07 per 1,000), Båtsfjord (7.56 per 1,000), Bø (5.80 per 1,000), Dovre (9.33 per 1,000), Drangedal (9.29 per 1,000), Dyrøy (9.47 per 1,000), Dønna (7.19 per 1,000), Eidfjord (19.75 per 1,000), Engerdal (5.27 per 1,000), Etne (10.07 per 1,000), Etnedal (8.07 per 1,000), Evenes (11.45 per 1,000), Evje og Hornnes (8.97 per 1,000), Fedje (25.34 per 1,000), Fitjar (10.06 per 1,000), Fjaler (10.30 per 1,000), Fjord (8.82 per 1,000), Flakstad (13.11 per 1,000), Flatanger (6.32 per 1,000), Flesberg (8.04 per 1,000), Flå (30.99 per 1,000), Folldal (4.61 per 1,000), Frosta (13.23 per 1,000), Fyresdal (15.52 per 1,000) …

Not available for 2 municipalities (hidden by the source, too small or not measured): Haram, Ålesund