The ageing wave: most and fewest aged 80 and over

The share of inhabitants aged 80 or over.

Bø has the highest share aged 80 and over of Norway's municipalities at 11.0% (2026). The lowest is Gjesdal at 2.8%. Source: SSB, table 07459, processed by Morning Analytics 4 November 2026.

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11.0%Highest: Bø
6.3%Median of the municipalities
2.8%Lowest: Gjesdal

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
BøBø11.0%LødingenLødingen10.8%TydalTydal10.6%IbestadIbestad10.4%BeiarnBeiarn10.3%HattfjelldalHattfjelldal10.1%LekaLeka10.1%HyllestadHyllestad9.9%LyngenLyngen9.7%BindalBindal9.6%
Lowest 10
GjesdalGjesdal2.8%UllensakerUllensaker3.3%IvelandIveland3.4%RælingenRælingen3.5%NannestadNannestad3.5%OsloOslo3.5%SandnesSandnes3.6%KleppKlepp3.6%Våler (Østfold)Våler (Østfold)3.7%SolaSola3.8%
How 357 municipalities spread
2.8% – 3.5%: 43.5% – 4.2%: 224.2% – 4.9%: 324.9% – 5.5%: 465.5% – 6.2%: 736.2% – 6.9%: 696.9% – 7.6%: 377.6% – 8.3%: 318.3% – 8.9%: 238.9% – 9.6%: 109.6% – 10.3%: 610.3% – 11.0%: 42.8%11.0%share aged 80 and over →

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 aged 80 and over 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 aged 80 and over across the country, and what marks the municipalities at the top and bottom on those figures.

The pattern across the country

The highest and the lowest

  • No. 1 Bø (11.0%) Fits the pattern: «Detached houses, share of all dwellings» 83.6% (no. 69 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 06265). Most distinctive industry: fiske, fangst og akvakultur, 11% of the jobs, 13.8 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 2 Lødingen (10.8%) Fits the pattern: «Population on 1 January» 1,964 (no. 284 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 11342); «Gross operating revenue per inhabitant» 179,998 kr (no. 76 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 12137). Most distinctive industry: fiske, fangst og akvakultur, 5% of the jobs, 6.4 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 3 Tydal (10.6%) Fits the pattern: «Gross operating revenue per inhabitant» 294,943 kr (no. 7 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 12137); «Population on 1 January» 773 (no. 346 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 11342); «Detached houses, share of all dwellings» 87.2% (no. 27 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 06265). Most distinctive industry: informasjonstjenester, 8% of the jobs, 41.9 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 357 Gjesdal (2.8%, among the lowest) Fits the pattern: «Centrality (Statistics Norway's centrality index, 6 is most central)» 4 (no. 27 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway, centrality index); «Gross operating revenue per inhabitant» 115,221 kr (no. 283 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 12137). Most distinctive industry: produksjon av trelast og varer av tre, kork, strå og flettematerialer, unntatt møbler, 5% of the jobs, 13.8 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 356 Ullensaker (3.3%, among the lowest) Fits the pattern: «Centrality (Statistics Norway's centrality index, 6 is most central)» 5 (no. 6 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway, centrality index); «Detached houses, share of all dwellings» 36.9% (no. 347 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 06265); «Population on 1 January» 45,982 (no. 25 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 11342). Most distinctive industry: lufttransport, 9% of the jobs, 43.6 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 355 Iveland (3.4%, 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. Goes against the pattern: «Gross operating revenue per inhabitant» 174,339 kr (no. 88 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 12137). Most distinctive industry: produksjon av drikkevarer, 13% of the jobs, 116.4 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. Bø 11.0% Small municipality (2,609 inhabitants): one company or a few people can move the figure a lot. 75% above the median of the municipalities.
  • 2. Lødingen 10.8% Small municipality (1,964 inhabitants): one company or a few people can move the figure a lot. 72% above the median of the municipalities.
  • 3. Tydal 10.6% Small municipality (773 inhabitants): one company or a few people can move the figure a lot. 69% above the median of the municipalities.
  • 355. Iveland 3.4% Small municipality (1,386 inhabitants): one company or a few people can move the figure a lot. 46% below the median of the municipalities.
  • 356. Ullensaker 3.3% 47% below the median of the municipalities.
  • 357. Gjesdal 2.8% 55% below the median of the municipalities.
#Municipality County Inhabitants share aged 80 and over
151 Storfjordsmall municipality Troms 1,848 6.5%
152 Farsund Agder 9,949 6.5%
153 Kvæfjordsmall municipality Troms 2,901 6.5%
154 Lærdalsmall municipality Vestland 2,223 6.5%
155 Frogn Akershus 16,429 6.5%
156 Midtre Gauldal Trøndelag 6,088 6.5%
157 Sykkylven Møre og Romsdal 7,626 6.5%
158 Tanasmall municipality Finnmark 2,806 6.5%
159 Notodden Telemark 13,389 6.4%
160 Færder Vestfold 27,743 6.4%
161 Eidfjordsmall municipality Vestland 985 6.4%
162 Haram Møre og Romsdal 9,460 6.4%
163 Flesbergsmall municipality Buskerud 2,790 6.4%
164 Åmotsmall municipality Innlandet 4,191 6.4%
165 Røstsmall municipality Nordland 471 6.4%
166 Vestre Toten Innlandet 13,612 6.4%
167 Flekkefjord Agder 9,373 6.4%
168 Holsmall municipality Buskerud 4,552 6.3%
169 Østre Toten Innlandet 14,925 6.3%
170 Tokkesmall municipality Telemark 2,242 6.3%
171 Narvik Nordland 21,647 6.3%
172 Ål Buskerud 5,106 6.3%
173 Ørsta Møre og Romsdal 11,068 6.3%
174 Rana Nordland 25,844 6.3%
175 Stad Vestland 9,616 6.3%
176 Øyer Innlandet 5,130 6.3%
177 Bamble Telemark 14,267 6.3%
178 Kvinesdal Agder 6,242 6.3%
179 Alvdalsmall municipality Innlandet 2,492 6.3%
180 Stryn Vestland 7,319 6.3%
181 Meråkersmall municipality Trøndelag 2,460 6.2%
182 Suldalsmall municipality Rogaland 3,891 6.2%
183 Hamar Innlandet 33,817 6.2%
184 Lillehammer Innlandet 29,669 6.2%
185 Namsos Trøndelag 15,112 6.2%
186 Øksnessmall municipality Nordland 4,613 6.2%
187 Senja Troms 14,946 6.2%
188 Larvik Vestfold 49,022 6.2%
189 Bardusmall municipality Troms 4,004 6.1%
190 Fyresdalsmall municipality Telemark 1,274 6.1%
191 Horten Vestfold 28,173 6.1%
192 Søndre Land Innlandet 5,603 6.1%
193 Alstahaug Nordland 7,489 6.1%
194 Hjelmelandsmall municipality Rogaland 2,612 6.0%
195 Elverum Innlandet 21,937 6.0%
196 Målselv Troms 6,819 6.0%
197 Orkland Trøndelag 18,840 6.0%
198 Samnangersmall municipality Vestland 2,489 6.0%
199 Brønnøy Nordland 7,841 6.0%
200 Volda Møre og Romsdal 11,009 6.0%