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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
151 Namsos Trøndelag 15,112 −0.3%
152 Lindesnes Agder 23,702 −0.3%
153 Bamble Telemark 14,267 −0.3%
154 Sortland Nordland 10,748 −0.3%
155 Hadsel Nordland 8,374 −0.3%
156 Herøy (Møre og Romsdal) Møre og Romsdal 9,003 −0.3%
157 Kvam Vestland 8,490 −0.3%
158 Rana Nordland 25,844 −0.3%
159 Indre Fosen Trøndelag 10,006 −0.4%
160 Kinn Vestland 17,356 −0.4%
161 Stord Vestland 19,276 −0.4%
162 Kristiansund Møre og Romsdal 24,479 −0.4%
163 Stad Vestland 9,616 −0.4%
164 Malvik Trøndelag 14,961 −0.4%
165 Åsnes Innlandet 7,216 −0.4%
166 Gausdal Innlandet 6,147 −0.4%
167 Nome Telemark 6,529 −0.4%
168 Ullensvang Vestland 10,929 −0.5%
169 Nord-Aurdal Innlandet 6,424 −0.5%
170 Meløy Nordland 6,074 −0.5%
171 Nordre Land Innlandet 6,510 −0.5%
172 Tvedestrand Agder 6,430 −0.5%
173 Kragerø Telemark 10,378 −0.7%
174 Årdal Vestland 5,178 −0.7%
175 Røros Trøndelag 5,638 −0.8%
176 Midtre Gauldal Trøndelag 6,088 −0.9%
177 Heim Trøndelag 6,075 −1.0%
178 Fauske Nordland 9,707 −1.0%
179 Trysil Innlandet 6,474 −1.0%
180 Nord-Fron Innlandet 5,493 −1.1%
181 Volda Møre og Romsdal 11,009 −1.1%
182 Sunndal Møre og Romsdal 7,094 −1.4%
183 Sel Innlandet 5,469 −2.7%

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%) …