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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
301 Tokkesmall municipality Telemark 2,242 81.2 years
302 Gruesmall municipality Innlandet 4,463 81.2 years
303 Vestre Slidresmall municipality Innlandet 2,190 81.2 years
304 Hamarøysmall municipality Nordland 2,808 81.2 years
305 Nordreisasmall municipality Troms 4,863 81.2 years
306 Tinn Telemark 5,515 81.1 years
307 Vallesmall municipality Agder 1,209 81.1 years
308 Drangedalsmall municipality Telemark 4,056 81.1 years
309 Nessebysmall municipality Finnmark 874 81.1 years
310 Rendalensmall municipality Innlandet 1,836 81.0 years
311 Balsfjord Troms 5,625 81.0 years
312 Åsnes Innlandet 7,216 81.0 years
313 Smølasmall municipality Møre og Romsdal 2,141 80.9 years
314 Gildeskålsmall municipality Nordland 2,024 80.9 years
315 Meråkersmall municipality Trøndelag 2,460 80.9 years
316 Sørfoldsmall municipality Nordland 1,819 80.9 years
317 Moskenessmall municipality Nordland 976 80.9 years
318 Hammerfest Finnmark 11,391 80.8 years
319 Stor-Elvdalsmall municipality Innlandet 2,239 80.8 years
320 Liernesmall municipality Trøndelag 1,302 80.8 years
321 Kautokeinosmall municipality Finnmark 2,886 80.8 years
322 Beiarnsmall municipality Nordland 1,032 80.7 years
323 Båtsfjordsmall municipality Finnmark 2,104 80.7 years
324 Værøysmall municipality Nordland 656 80.7 years
325 Krødsheradsmall municipality Buskerud 2,276 80.7 years
326 Flåsmall municipality Buskerud 1,122 80.7 years
327 Eidskog Innlandet 6,103 80.6 years
328 Herøy (Nordland)small municipality Nordland 1,874 80.6 years
329 Nord-Odalsmall municipality Innlandet 4,978 80.5 years
330 Byglandsmall municipality Agder 1,167 80.5 years
331 Ivelandsmall municipality Agder 1,386 80.3 years
332 Nordre Land Innlandet 6,510 80.3 years
333 Ulviksmall municipality Vestland 1,114 80.3 years
334 Søndre Land Innlandet 5,603 80.3 years
335 Dyrøysmall municipality Troms 1,077 80.3 years
336 Hasviksmall municipality Finnmark 987 80.2 years
337 Tanasmall municipality Finnmark 2,806 80.2 years
338 Våler (Innlandet)small municipality Innlandet 3,614 80.1 years
339 Kåfjordsmall municipality Troms 1,939 80.1 years
340 Måsøysmall municipality Finnmark 1,089 80.0 years
341 Nordkappsmall municipality Finnmark 2,945 79.8 years
342 Porsangersmall municipality Finnmark 3,906 79.7 years
343 Berlevågsmall municipality Finnmark 864 79.6 years
344 Lebesbysmall municipality Finnmark 1,249 79.5 years
345 Kvænangensmall municipality Troms 1,125 79.2 years
346 Loppasmall municipality Finnmark 846 79.0 years
347 Gamviksmall municipality Finnmark 1,019 78.6 years
348 Vardøsmall municipality Finnmark 1,969 78.2 years

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