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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
151 Tjeldsundsmall municipality Troms 4,144 82.6 years
152 Flekkefjord Agder 9,373 82.6 years
153 Lærdalsmall municipality Vestland 2,223 82.6 years
154 Lunner Akershus 9,463 82.6 years
155 Enebakk Akershus 11,697 82.6 years
156 Farsund Agder 9,949 82.6 years
157 Engerdalsmall municipality Innlandet 1,287 82.6 years
158 Austrheimsmall municipality Vestland 2,947 82.6 years
159 Sel Innlandet 5,469 82.6 years
160 Ål Buskerud 5,106 82.6 years
161 Tønsberg Vestfold 60,246 82.6 years
162 Orkland Trøndelag 18,840 82.6 years
163 Aurlandsmall municipality Vestland 1,866 82.6 years
164 Røros Trøndelag 5,638 82.5 years
165 Hjelmelandsmall municipality Rogaland 2,612 82.5 years
166 Karmøy Rogaland 43,990 82.5 years
167 Askvollsmall municipality Vestland 2,924 82.5 years
168 Birkenes Agder 5,447 82.5 years
169 Bjerkreimsmall municipality Rogaland 2,894 82.5 years
170 Tynset Innlandet 5,762 82.5 years
171 Eigersund Rogaland 15,546 82.5 years
172 Åfjordsmall municipality Trøndelag 4,340 82.5 years
173 Granesmall municipality Nordland 1,415 82.4 years
174 Sortland Nordland 10,748 82.4 years
175 Namsos Trøndelag 15,112 82.4 years
176 Markersmall municipality Østfold 3,647 82.4 years
177 Midtre Gauldal Trøndelag 6,088 82.4 years
178 Sandefjord Vestfold 67,062 82.4 years
179 Meløy Nordland 6,074 82.4 years
180 Våler (Østfold) Østfold 6,229 82.4 years
181 Steinkjer Trøndelag 24,007 82.3 years
182 Sømnasmall municipality Nordland 2,006 82.3 years
183 Gjesdal Rogaland 12,715 82.3 years
184 Øvre Eiker Buskerud 20,965 82.3 years
185 Bøsmall municipality Nordland 2,609 82.3 years
186 Lindesnes Agder 23,702 82.3 years
187 Holmestrand Vestfold 27,086 82.3 years
188 Sunndal Møre og Romsdal 7,094 82.3 years
189 Lomsmall municipality Innlandet 2,239 82.3 years
190 Senja Troms 14,946 82.3 years
191 Ullensaker Akershus 45,982 82.3 years
192 Sokndalsmall municipality Rogaland 3,356 82.3 years
193 Leirfjordsmall municipality Nordland 2,392 82.3 years
194 Ørland Trøndelag 10,706 82.3 years
195 Stange Innlandet 21,839 82.2 years
196 Kinn Vestland 17,356 82.2 years
197 Ullensvang Vestland 10,929 82.2 years
198 Fauske Nordland 9,707 82.2 years
199 Flakstadsmall municipality Nordland 1,235 82.2 years
200 Drammen Buskerud 106,013 82.2 years

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