Half of Norway's population lives in the 23 largest of 357 municipalities

Residents of each municipality, 1 January 2026. The area of the circle shows the number of residents.

Residents, 1 January 2026

Circle area

10,000
100,000
500,000

Largest

Oslo728,714
Bergen294,860
Trondheim218,460
Stavanger151,669
Bærum133,228
Kristiansand119,287
Drammen106,013
Asker101,509
Lillestrøm96,771
Fredrikstad86,243

The 23 largest municipalities have 2,827,675 of 5,627,400 residents (50.2%). Oslo alone has 12.9%.

Show the figures as a table

Municipality	Residents
1. Oslo	728,714
2. Bergen	294,860
3. Trondheim	218,460
4. Stavanger	151,669
5. Bærum	133,228
6. Kristiansand	119,287
7. Drammen	106,013
8. Asker	101,509
9. Lillestrøm	96,771
10. Fredrikstad	86,243
11. Sandnes	85,785
12. Tromsø	79,943
13. Sandefjord	67,062
14. Nordre Follo	65,381
15. Sarpsborg	60,614
16. Tønsberg	60,246
17. Ålesund	59,663
18. Skien	56,906
19. Bodø	53,638
20. Moss	53,207
21. Lørenskog	51,511
22. Larvik	49,022
23. Indre Østfold	47,943
24. Arendal	46,603
25. Ullensaker	45,982
26. Karmøy	43,990
27. Øygarden	40,641
28. Haugesund	38,663
29. Porsgrunn	37,435
30. Ringsaker	36,199
31. Hamar	33,817
32. Molde	33,291
33. Halden	32,082
34. Ringerike	31,942
35. Gjøvik	31,350
36. Askøy	30,600
37. Alver	30,285
38. Lillehammer	29,669
39. Sola	29,541
40. Kongsberg	29,169
41. Lier	28,797
42. Eidsvoll	28,739
43. Horten	28,173
44. Færder	27,743
45. Holmestrand	27,086
46. Bjørnafjorden	26,753
47. Nittedal	26,032
48. Rana	25,844
49. Grimstad	25,569
50. Harstad	25,204
51. Stjørdal	25,108
52. Nes	24,948
53. Kristiansund	24,479
54. Steinkjer	24,007
55. Lindesnes	23,702
56. Sunnfjord	22,804
57. Ås	22,725
58. Alta	22,074
59. Elverum	21,937
60. Stange	21,839
61. Narvik	21,647
62. Klepp	21,444
63. Nesodden	21,005
64. Øvre Eiker	20,965
65. Rælingen	20,904
66. Levanger	20,807
67. Time	20,461
68. Vestby	20,167
69. Hå	20,087
70. Stord	19,276
71. Orkland	18,840
72. Aurskog-Høland	18,458
73. Kongsvinger	18,191
74. Melhus	17,828
75. Kinn	17,356
76. Nannestad	16,662
77. Voss	16,438
78. Frogn	16,429
79. Vennesla	15,772
80. Eigersund	15,546
81. Verdal	15,435
82. Namsos	15,112
83. Malvik	14,961
84. Senja	14,946
85. Østre Toten	14,925
86. Modum	14,776
87. Bamble	14,267
88. Strand	13,959
89. Gran	13,689
90. Vestre Toten	13,612
91. Hustadvika	13,538
92. Vefsn	13,481
93. Notodden	13,389
94. Kvinnherad	13,236
95. Gjesdal	12,715
96. Sogndal	12,552
97. Bømlo	12,531
98. Randaberg	11,841
99. Lillesand	11,822
100. Tysvær	11,750
101. Enebakk	11,697
102. Vestvågøy	11,606
103. Hammerfest	11,391
104. Midt-Telemark	11,157
105. Ørsta	11,068
106. Volda	11,009
107. Ullensvang	10,929
108. Lyngdal	10,922
109. Sortland	10,748
110. Ørland	10,706
111. Kragerø	10,378
112. Indre Fosen	10,006
113. Farsund	9,949
114. Sør-Varanger	9,947
115. Nærøysund	9,920
116. Vågan	9,905
117. Sula	9,798
118. Fauske	9,707
119. Stad	9,616
120. Lunner	9,463
121. Haram	9,460
122. Flekkefjord	9,373
123. Vindafjord	9,181
124. Herøy (Møre og Romsdal)	9,003
125. Ulstein	8,958
126. Giske	8,828
127. Rakkestad	8,583
128. Skaun	8,574
129. Kvam	8,490
130. Hadsel	8,374
131. Osterøy	8,231
132. Sør-Odal	8,165
133. Løten	7,951
134. Råde	7,892
135. Brønnøy	7,841
136. Sykkylven	7,626
137. Alstahaug	7,489
138. Gjerdrum	7,478
139. Oppdal	7,421
140. Stryn	7,319
141. Vestnes	7,315
142. Åsnes	7,216
143. Hole	7,205
144. Rauma	7,195
145. Sunndal	7,094
146. Inderøy	7,066
147. Jevnaker	7,040
148. Målselv	6,819
149. Risør	6,683
150. Nome	6,529
151. Nordre Land	6,510
152. Trysil	6,474
153. Tvedestrand	6,430
154. Nord-Aurdal	6,424
155. Froland	6,299
156. Kvinesdal	6,242
157. Våler (Østfold)	6,229
158. Gausdal	6,147
159. Eidskog	6,103
160. Midtre Gauldal	6,088
161. Heim	6,075
162. Meløy	6,074
163. Averøy	6,007
164. Surnadal	5,982
165. Gloppen	5,976
166. Vadsø	5,808
167. Frøya	5,794
168. Sveio	5,766
169. Tynset	5,762
170. Røros	5,638
171. Balsfjord	5,625
172. Søndre Land	5,603
173. Hitra	5,568
174. Tinn	5,515
175. Austevoll	5,515
176. Nord-Fron	5,493
177. Luster	5,478
178. Sel	5,469
179. Birkenes	5,447
180. Hareid	5,411
181. Årdal	5,178
182. Øyer	5,130
183. Ål	5,106
184. Nord-Odal	4,978
185. Gol	4,902
186. Saltdal	4,865
187. Nordreisa	4,863
188. Hvaler	4,714
189. Øksnes	4,613
190. Sauda	4,603
191. Hol	4,552
192. Andøy	4,525
193. Ringebu	4,497
194. Hemnes	4,486
195. Grue	4,463
196. Åfjord	4,340
197. Stranda	4,333
198. Selbu	4,258
199. Åmot	4,191
200. Dielddanuorri	4,144
201. Etne	4,115
202. Drangedal	4,056
203. Bardu	4,004
204. Overhalla	3,944
205. Skiptvet	3,940
206. Porsanger	3,906
207. Vaksdal	3,899
208. Suldal	3,891
209. Høyanger	3,883
210. Evje og Hornnes	3,842
211. Vinje	3,829
212. Aukra	3,780
213. Marker	3,647
214. Våler (Innlandet)	3,614
215. Vågå	3,553
216. Sørreisa	3,528
217. Sigdal	3,514
218. Bremanger	3,381
219. Aure	3,371
220. Sokndal	3,356
221. Øystre Slidre	3,347
222. Fitjar	3,237
223. Nesbyen	3,234
224. Lund	3,229
225. Sør-Fron	3,108
226. Hurdal	3,078
227. Tingvoll	3,066
228. Tysnes	3,053
229. Vanylven	3,029
230. Seljord	2,959
231. Fjaler	2,948
232. Austrheim	2,947
233. Nordkapp	2,945
234. Askvoll	2,924
235. Kvæfjord	2,901
236. Bjerkreim	2,894
237. Guovdageaidnu	2,886
238. Sør-Aurdal	2,841
239. Hábmer	2,808
240. Deatnu	2,806
241. Skjervøy	2,802
242. Flesberg	2,790
243. Gjemnes	2,740
244. Lyngen	2,732
245. Hemsedal	2,707
246. Steigen	2,679
247. Frosta	2,667
248. Hjelmeland	2,612
249. Bø	2,609
250. Fjord	2,547
251. Vik	2,532
252. Kárásjohka	2,524
253. Dovre	2,523
254. Rennebu	2,514
255. Gjerstad	2,502
256. Alvdal	2,492
257. Samnanger	2,489
258. Kviteseid	2,463
259. Meråker	2,460
260. Nore og Uvdal	2,459
261. Sande	2,437
262. Leirfjord	2,392
263. Siljan	2,377
264. Gulen	2,301
265. Grong	2,292
266. Krødsherad	2,276
267. Vegårshei	2,253
268. Tokke	2,242
269. Stor-Elvdal	2,239
270. Lom	2,239
271. Karlsøy	2,235
272. Lærdal	2,223
273. Vestre Slidre	2,190
274. Skjåk	2,185
275. Smøla	2,141
276. Snåase	2,141
277. Salangen	2,132
278. Båtsfjord	2,104
279. Holtålen	2,037
280. Gildeskål	2,024
281. Sømna	2,006
282. Vardø	1,969
283. Lesja	1,966
284. Lødingen	1,964
285. Lurøy	1,953
286. Gáivuotna	1,939
287. Rindal	1,935
288. Sirdal	1,911
289. Herøy (Nordland)	1,874
290. Os	1,871
291. Aurland	1,866
292. Storfjord	1,848
293. Rendalen	1,836
294. Sørfold	1,819
295. Åmli	1,805
296. Nesna	1,796
297. Hægebostad	1,794
298. Masfjorden	1,672
299. Vang	1,666
300. Hjartdal	1,638
301. Tolga	1,609
302. Etnedal	1,593
303. Folldal	1,525
304. Nissedal	1,509
305. Rollag	1,452
306. Dønna	1,445
307. Grane	1,415
308. Evenes	1,397
309. Iveland	1,386
310. Bindal	1,361
311. Aremark	1,354
312. Lierne	1,302
313. Engerdal	1,287
314. Ibestad	1,287
315. Hyllestad	1,275
316. Fyresdal	1,274
317. Aarborte	1,255
318. Lebesby	1,249
319. Flakstad	1,235
320. Høylandet	1,230
321. Valle	1,209
322. Vega	1,202
323. Bygland	1,167
324. Rødøy	1,140
325. Kvænangen	1,125
326. Flå	1,122
327. Ulvik	1,114
328. Flatanger	1,110
329. Måsøy	1,089
330. Dyrøy	1,077
331. Gratangen	1,062
332. Bykle	1,057
333. Beiarn	1,032
334. Gamvik	1,019
335. Loabák	1,002
336. Hasvik	987
337. Eidfjord	985
338. Moskenes	976
339. Osen	911
340. Bokn	907
341. Åseral	904
342. Unjárga	874
343. Berlevåg	864
344. Loppa	846
345. Namsskogan	803
346. Tydal	773
347. Solund	742
348. Værøy	656
349. Leka	596
350. Kvitsøy	579
351. Fedje	529
352. Vevelstad	477
353. Røst	471
354. Træna	443
355. Raarvihke	439
356. Modalen	397
357. Utsira	219

Source: Statistics Norway, table 07459 · Map: Kartverket (CC BY 4.0) · Chart: TallvettUpdated 25 Feb 2026

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<iframe src="https://tallvett.no/en/embed/halvparten-bor-i-faa-kommuner/"
        title="Half of Norway's population lives in the 23 largest of 357 municipalities"
        style="width:100%;border:0" height="460" loading="lazy"></iframe>
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If you rebuild the chart in another tool, we ask for the same credit: Source: Statistics Norway, table 07459. Chart: Tallvett. Charts are licensed CC BY 4.0.

How this chart was made

The figures are Statistics Norway's own, from table 07459: residents of each municipality on 1 January 2026. The national total is also Statistics Norway's.
Calculated by us: the municipalities are sorted by population and added up from the largest until the sum is at least half of the country's residents. That takes 23 of 357 municipalities. The share is the sum divided by the national total.
The area of the circle, not its width, is proportional to the number of residents. The circle is placed at the centre of the municipality's largest area, and the largest circles overlap others. They are drawn first and are see-through, so the small ones stay visible on top. The map shows how many live there, not how densely.
The municipal boundaries are from Kartverket (Administrative units, municipalities, reference date 1 January 2026, CC BY 4.0), simplified to 300 metres for drawing. They carry no figures. Svalbard is not included.

Half of Norway's population lives in the 23 largest of 357 municipalities

Half of Norway's population lives in the 23 largest of 357 municipalities

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