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Statistics

The municipalities growing and shrinking the most

Change in population over the last year.

Ål has the highest population growth of Norway's municipalities at 5.6% (2026). The lowest is Sel at −2.7%. Source: SSB, table 06913, processed by Morning Analytics 5 November 2026.

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5.6%Highest: Ål
0.5%Median of the municipalities
−2.7%Lowest: Sel

The picture in figures

The bars show the ten highest and the ten lowest of 183 municipalities. The dashed line is the median of all municipalities.

Highest 10
ÅlÅl5.6%LørenskogLørenskog3.0%HitraHitra2.8%FrøyaFrøya2.5%LillehammerLillehammer2.3%UllensakerUllensaker2.0%HoleHole2.0%RælingenRælingen1.9%HareidHareid1.7%ÅsÅs1.7%
Lowest 10
SelSel−2.7%SunndalSunndal−1.4%VoldaVolda−1.1%Nord-FronNord-Fron−1.1%TrysilTrysil−1.0%FauskeFauske−1.0%HeimHeim−1.0%Midtre GauldalMidtre Gauldal−0.9%RørosRøros−0.8%ÅrdalÅrdal−0.7%
How 183 municipalities spread
−2.7% – −2.0%: 1−2.0% – −1.3%: 1−1.3% – −0.7%: 8−0.7% – 0.0%: 380.0% – 0.7%: 850.7% – 1.4%: 351.4% – 2.1%: 102.1% – 2.8%: 22.8% – 3.5%: 23.5% – 4.2%: 04.2% – 4.9%: 04.9% – 5.6%: 1−2.7%5.6%population growth →

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 population growth 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 population growth 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 «Net domestic migration per 1,000 inhabitants» most often also rank high on population growth (strong association, rank correlation 0.60 across 182 municipalities; Statistics Norway table 09588).
  • Municipalities that rank high on «Share aged 67 and over» most often rank low on population growth (strong association, rank correlation −0.58 across 183 municipalities; Statistics Norway table 11805).
  • Municipalities that rank high on «Share aged 80 and over» most often rank low on population growth (strong association, rank correlation −0.57 across 183 municipalities; Statistics Norway table 07459).
  • Municipalities that rank high on «Natural increase per 1,000 inhabitants» most often also rank high on population growth (strong association, rank correlation 0.57 across 183 municipalities; Statistics Norway table 06913).

The highest and the lowest

  • No. 1 Ål (5.6%) 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. Goes against the pattern: «Net domestic migration per 1,000 inhabitants» −9.10 per 1,000 (no. 305 of 351 from the top; Statistics Norway table 09588). Most distinctive industry: oppføring av bygninger, 5% of the jobs, 2.1 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 2 Lørenskog (3.0%) Fits the pattern: «Natural increase per 1,000 inhabitants» 6.90 per 1,000 (no. 3 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 06913); «Net domestic migration per 1,000 inhabitants» 18.44 per 1,000 (no. 8 of 351 from the top; Statistics Norway table 09588); «Share aged 67 and over» 13.7% (no. 348 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 11805). Most distinctive industry: post og distribusjonsvirksomhet, 6% of the jobs, 10.4 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 3 Hitra (2.8%) Fits the pattern: «Net domestic migration per 1,000 inhabitants» 11.27 per 1,000 (no. 41 of 351 from the top; Statistics Norway table 09588); «Share aged 67 and over» 17.9% (no. 281 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 11805). Most distinctive industry: produksjon av nærings- og nytelsesmidler, 21% of the jobs, 12.4 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 183 Sel (−2.7%, among the lowest) Fits the pattern: «Net domestic migration per 1,000 inhabitants» −29.70 per 1,000 (no. 334 of 351 from the top; Statistics Norway table 09588); «Share aged 67 and over» 25.3% (no. 47 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 11805); «Share aged 80 and over» 8.1% (no. 52 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 07459). Most distinctive industry: landtransport og rørtransport, 5% of the jobs, 2.2 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 182 Sunndal (−1.4%, among the lowest) Fits the pattern: «Net domestic migration per 1,000 inhabitants» −15.43 per 1,000 (no. 316 of 351 from the top; Statistics Norway table 09588). Most distinctive industry: produksjon av metaller, 26% of the jobs, 68.3 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 181 Volda (−1.1%, among the lowest) Fits the pattern: «Net domestic migration per 1,000 inhabitants» −14.10 per 1,000 (no. 313 of 351 from the top; Statistics Norway table 09588). Goes against the pattern: «Natural increase per 1,000 inhabitants» 1.89 per 1,000 (no. 70 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 06913). Most distinctive industry: undervisning, 16% of the jobs, 2.0 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. Ål 5.6% 1,111% above the median of the municipalities.
  • 2. Lørenskog 3.0% 547% above the median of the municipalities.
  • 3. Hitra 2.8% 514% above the median of the municipalities.
  • 181. Volda −1.1% 337% below the median of the municipalities.
  • 182. Sunndal −1.4% 397% below the median of the municipalities.
  • 183. Sel −2.7% 692% below the median of the municipalities.
#Municipality County Inhabitants population growth
51 Askøy Vestland 30,600 0.7%
52 Eidskog Innlandet 6,103 0.7%
53 Stjørdal Trøndelag 25,108 0.7%
54 Osterøy Vestland 8,231 0.7%
55 Tynset Innlandet 5,762 0.7%
56 Farsund Agder 9,949 0.7%
57 Tønsberg Vestfold 60,246 0.7%
58 Stange Innlandet 21,839 0.7%
59 Gloppen Vestland 5,976 0.7%
60 Østre Toten Innlandet 14,925 0.7%
61 Bærum Akershus 133,228 0.7%
62 Tromsø Troms 79,943 0.7%
63 Rakkestad Østfold 8,583 0.7%
64 Færder Vestfold 27,743 0.6%
65 Birkenes Agder 5,447 0.6%
66 Giske Møre og Romsdal 8,828 0.6%
67 Sunnfjord Vestland 22,804 0.6%
68 Froland Agder 6,299 0.6%
69 Skaun Trøndelag 8,574 0.6%
70 Oslo Oslo 728,714 0.6%
71 Karmøy Rogaland 43,990 0.6%
72 Hammerfest Finnmark 11,391 0.6%
73 Grimstad Agder 25,569 0.6%
74 Hustadvika Møre og Romsdal 13,538 0.6%
75 Haugesund Rogaland 38,663 0.6%
76 Frogn Akershus 16,429 0.6%
77 Gjøvik Innlandet 31,350 0.6%
78 Kongsberg Buskerud 29,169 0.5%
79 Haram Møre og Romsdal 9,460 0.5%
80 Lier Buskerud 28,797 0.5%
81 Surnadal Møre og Romsdal 5,982 0.5%
82 Vadsø Finnmark 5,808 0.5%
83 Balsfjord Troms 5,625 0.5%
84 Råde Østfold 7,892 0.5%
85 Drammen Buskerud 106,013 0.5%
86 Øvre Eiker Buskerud 20,965 0.5%
87 Inderøy Trøndelag 7,066 0.5%
88 Lyngdal Agder 10,922 0.5%
89 Horten Vestfold 28,173 0.5%
90 Flekkefjord Agder 9,373 0.5%
91 Ringerike Buskerud 31,942 0.5%
92 Kvinnherad Vestland 13,236 0.5%
93 Lunner Akershus 9,463 0.5%
94 Sandefjord Vestfold 67,062 0.5%
95 Kongsvinger Innlandet 18,191 0.5%
96 Sogndal Vestland 12,552 0.4%
97 Fredrikstad Østfold 86,243 0.4%
98 Notodden Telemark 13,389 0.4%
99 Sula Møre og Romsdal 9,798 0.4%
100 Bergen Vestland 294,860 0.4%

Not ranked because the municipality has fewer than 5,000 inhabitants, where a few people can move the figure a lot (174): Alvdal (−0.7%), Andøy (−0.4%), Aremark (0.6%), Askvoll (−0.2%), Aukra (0.6%), Aure (−0.7%), Aurland (1.6%), Austrheim (1.1%), Bardu (1.1%), Beiarn (−2.5%), Berlevåg (−2.9%), Bindal (−0.9%), Bjerkreim (−0.4%), Bokn (1.6%), Bremanger (0.6%), Bygland (0.4%), Bykle (1.7%), Båtsfjord (−0.1%), Bø (−0.3%), Dovre (0.3%), Drangedal (−0.3%), Dyrøy (0.7%), Dønna (−0.1%), Eidfjord (1.9%), Engerdal (−2.9%), Etne (0.5%), Etnedal (27.0%), Evenes (2.6%), Evje og Hornnes (0.4%), Fedje (1.5%), Fitjar (0.9%), Fjaler (0.8%), Fjord (1.6%), Flakstad (−2.4%), Flatanger (−1.0%), Flesberg (−0.3%), Flå (0.4%), Folldal (−1.0%), Frosta (0.2%), Fyresdal (1.4%) …