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Statistics

Highest and lowest life expectancy

How long a newborn can expect to live, computed over 15 years to even out chance swings in small municipalities.

Bokn has the highest life expectancy of Norway's municipalities at 85.2 years (2025). The lowest is Vardø at 78.2 years. Source: FHI, indicator 508, processed by Morning Analytics 4 November 2026.

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85.2 yearsHighest: Bokn
82.4 yearsMedian of the municipalities
78.2 yearsLowest: Vardø

The picture in figures

The bars show the ten highest and the ten lowest of 348 municipalities. The dashed line is the median of all municipalities.

Highest 10
BoknBokn85.2 yearsHøylandetHøylandet84.7 yearsHemsedalHemsedal84.5 yearsVoldaVolda84.4 yearsRindalRindal84.4 yearsBærumBærum84.3 yearsGiskeGiske84.2 yearsMalvikMalvik84.2 yearsSykkylvenSykkylven84.2 yearsRollagRollag84.1 years
Lowest 10
VardøVardø78.2 yearsGamvikGamvik78.6 yearsLoppaLoppa79.0 yearsKvænangenKvænangen79.2 yearsLebesbyLebesby79.5 yearsBerlevågBerlevåg79.6 yearsPorsangerPorsanger79.7 yearsNordkappNordkapp79.8 yearsMåsøyMåsøy80.0 yearsKåfjordKåfjord80.1 years
How 348 municipalities spread
78.2 years – 78.8 years: 278.8 years – 79.4 years: 279.4 years – 79.9 years: 479.9 years – 80.5 years: 1280.5 years – 81.1 years: 2181.1 years – 81.7 years: 3581.7 years – 82.3 years: 7982.3 years – 82.8 years: 7682.8 years – 83.4 years: 7183.4 years – 84.0 years: 3184.0 years – 84.6 years: 1384.6 years – 85.2 years: 278.2 years85.2 yearslife expectancy →

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 life expectancy 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 life expectancy 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 «Household income after tax, median» most often also rank high on life expectancy (strong association, rank correlation 0.56 across 348 municipalities; Statistics Norway table 06944).
  • Municipalities that rank high on «Share with lower secondary as highest education (16 and over)» most often rank low on life expectancy (strong association, rank correlation −0.55 across 348 municipalities; Statistics Norway table 09429).
  • Municipalities that rank high on «Employed, share of age 20–66» most often also rank high on life expectancy (strong association, rank correlation 0.53 across 348 municipalities; Statistics Norway table 11618).
  • Municipalities that rank high on «Disability benefit recipients aged 20–66 (standardised)» most often rank low on life expectancy (moderate association, rank correlation −0.49 across 348 municipalities; NIPH indicator 787).

The highest and the lowest

  • No. 1 Bokn (85.2 years) Fits the pattern: «Household income after tax, median» 763,000 kr (no. 24 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 06944); «Employed, share of age 20–66» 80.1% (no. 52 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 11618); «Share with lower secondary as highest education (16 and over)» 21.1% (no. 301 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 09429). Most distinctive industry: fiske, fangst og akvakultur, 18% of the jobs, 22.6 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 2 Høylandet (84.7 years) Fits the pattern: «Employed, share of age 20–66» 83.0% (no. 6 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 11618); «Share with lower secondary as highest education (16 and over)» 21.0% (no. 305 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 09429). Most distinctive industry: jordbruk og tjenester tilknyttet jordbruk, jakt og viltstell, 11% of the jobs, 8.4 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 3 Hemsedal (84.5 years) Fits the pattern: «Disability benefit recipients aged 20–66 (standardised)» 6.3% (no. 354 of 357 from the top; NIPH indicator 787); «Share with lower secondary as highest education (16 and over)» 19.0% (no. 347 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 09429); «Employed, share of age 20–66» 80.0% (no. 55 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 11618). Most distinctive industry: overnattingsvirksomhet, 10% of the jobs, 9.2 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 348 Vardø (78.2 years, among the lowest) Fits the pattern: «Household income after tax, median» 527,000 kr (no. 353 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 06944); «Share with lower secondary as highest education (16 and over)» 30.5% (no. 49 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 09429); «Employed, share of age 20–66» 73.3% (no. 284 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 11618). Most distinctive industry: fiske, fangst og akvakultur, 14% of the jobs, 17.8 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 347 Gamvik (78.6 years, among the lowest) Fits the pattern: «Household income after tax, median» 503,600 kr (no. 357 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 06944); «Share with lower secondary as highest education (16 and over)» 39.5% (no. 3 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 09429); «Employed, share of age 20–66» 68.7% (no. 347 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 11618). Most distinctive industry: fiske, fangst og akvakultur, 30% of the jobs, 37.6 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 346 Loppa (79.0 years, among the lowest) Fits the pattern: «Share with lower secondary as highest education (16 and over)» 39.0% (no. 4 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 09429); «Household income after tax, median» 544,000 kr (no. 351 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 06944); «Employed, share of age 20–66» 72.2% (no. 305 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 11618). Most distinctive industry: fiske, fangst og akvakultur, 21% of the jobs, 26.0 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. Bokn 85.2 years Small municipality (907 inhabitants): one company or a few people can move the figure a lot. 3% above the median of the municipalities.
  • 2. Høylandet 84.7 years Small municipality (1,230 inhabitants): one company or a few people can move the figure a lot. 3% above the median of the municipalities.
  • 3. Hemsedal 84.5 years Small municipality (2,707 inhabitants): one company or a few people can move the figure a lot. 3% above the median of the municipalities.
  • 346. Loppa 79.0 years Small municipality (846 inhabitants): one company or a few people can move the figure a lot. 4% below the median of the municipalities.
  • 347. Gamvik 78.6 years Small municipality (1,019 inhabitants): one company or a few people can move the figure a lot. 5% below the median of the municipalities.
  • 348. Vardø 78.2 years Small municipality (1,969 inhabitants): one company or a few people can move the figure a lot. 5% below the median of the municipalities.
#Municipality County Inhabitants life expectancy
51 Grongsmall municipality Trøndelag 2,292 83.4 years
52 Sveio Vestland 5,766 83.4 years
53 Gratangensmall municipality Troms 1,062 83.4 years
54 Tydalsmall municipality Trøndelag 773 83.4 years
55 Harstad Troms 25,204 83.4 years
56 Strand Rogaland 13,959 83.4 years
57 Golsmall municipality Buskerud 4,902 83.3 years
58 Nesbyensmall municipality Buskerud 3,234 83.3 years
59 Inderøy Trøndelag 7,066 83.3 years
60 Kvinnherad Vestland 13,236 83.3 years
61 Klepp Rogaland 21,444 83.3 years
62 Snåsasmall municipality Trøndelag 2,141 83.3 years
63 Vindafjord Rogaland 9,181 83.3 years
64 Hå Rogaland 20,087 83.3 years
65 Hyllestadsmall municipality Vestland 1,275 83.3 years
66 Heim Trøndelag 6,075 83.3 years
67 Stad Vestland 9,616 83.2 years
68 Bremangersmall municipality Vestland 3,381 83.2 years
69 Bømlo Vestland 12,531 83.2 years
70 Nore og Uvdalsmall municipality Buskerud 2,459 83.2 years
71 Kongsberg Buskerud 29,169 83.2 years
72 Lillesand Agder 11,822 83.2 years
73 Gulensmall municipality Vestland 2,301 83.2 years
74 Indre Fosen Trøndelag 10,006 83.2 years
75 Gjerdrum Akershus 7,478 83.2 years
76 Levanger Trøndelag 20,807 83.2 years
77 Stord Vestland 19,276 83.2 years
78 Sula Møre og Romsdal 9,798 83.2 years
79 Ålesund Møre og Romsdal 59,663 83.2 years
80 Sigdalsmall municipality Buskerud 3,514 83.2 years
81 Melhus Trøndelag 17,828 83.1 years
82 Voss Vestland 16,438 83.1 years
83 Etnesmall municipality Vestland 4,115 83.1 years
84 Lyngensmall municipality Troms 2,732 83.1 years
85 Nittedal Akershus 26,032 83.1 years
86 Frogn Akershus 16,429 83.1 years
87 Gjemnessmall municipality Møre og Romsdal 2,740 83.1 years
88 Færder Vestfold 27,743 83.1 years
89 Tysnessmall municipality Vestland 3,053 83.1 years
90 Austevoll Vestland 5,515 83.1 years
91 Osensmall municipality Trøndelag 911 83.1 years
92 Ringebusmall municipality Innlandet 4,497 83.1 years
93 Trondheim Trøndelag 218,460 83.0 years
94 Lillehammer Innlandet 29,669 83.0 years
95 Askøy Vestland 30,600 83.0 years
96 Lesjasmall municipality Innlandet 1,966 83.0 years
97 Øygarden Vestland 40,641 83.0 years
98 Lørenskog Akershus 51,511 83.0 years
99 Oppdal Trøndelag 7,421 83.0 years
100 Høyangersmall municipality Vestland 3,883 83.0 years

Not available for 9 municipalities (hidden by the source, too small or not measured): Fedje, Kvitsøy, Leka, Modalen, Røst, Røyrvik, Træna, Utsira, Vevelstad