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Statistics

The municipalities growing and shrinking the most

Change in population over the last year.

Ål has the highest population growth of Norway's municipalities at 5.6% (2026). The lowest is Sel at −2.7%. Source: SSB, table 06913, processed by Morning Analytics 2 November 2026.

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5.6%Highest: Ål
0.5%Median of the municipalities
−2.7%Lowest: Sel

Analysis: why are some at the top and others at the bottom?

We compared population growth 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 population growth 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 «Share aged 80 and over» most often rank low on population growth (strong association, rank correlation −0.57 across 183 municipalities; Statistics Norway table 07459).
  • Municipalities that rank high on «Gross operating revenue per inhabitant» most often rank low on population growth (moderate association, rank correlation −0.44 across 183 municipalities; Statistics Norway table 12137).
  • Municipalities that rank high on «Household income after tax, median» most often also rank high on population growth (moderate association, rank correlation 0.39 across 183 municipalities; Statistics Norway table 06944).
  • Municipalities that rank high on «Centrality (Statistics Norway's centrality index, 6 is most central)» most often also rank high on population growth (moderate association, rank correlation 0.38 across 183 municipalities; Statistics Norway, centrality index).

The highest and the lowest

  • No. 1 Ål (5.6%) 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. Most distinctive industry: oppføring av bygninger, 5% of the jobs, 2.1 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 2 Lørenskog (3.0%) Fits the pattern: «Centrality (Statistics Norway's centrality index, 6 is most central)» 6 (no. 1 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway, centrality index); «Gross operating revenue per inhabitant» 100,571 kr (no. 351 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 12137); «Share aged 80 and over» 3.9% (no. 345 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 07459). Most distinctive industry: post og distribusjonsvirksomhet, 6% of the jobs, 10.4 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 3 Hitra (2.8%) 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: «Household income after tax, median» 619,000 kr (no. 277 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 06944). Most distinctive industry: produksjon av nærings- og nytelsesmidler, 21% of the jobs, 12.4 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 183 Sel (−2.7%, among the lowest) Fits the pattern: «Share aged 80 and over» 8.1% (no. 52 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 07459); «Household income after tax, median» 605,200 kr (no. 306 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway table 06944). Most distinctive industry: landtransport og rørtransport, 5% of the jobs, 2.2 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 182 Sunndal (−1.4%, 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. Most distinctive industry: produksjon av metaller, 26% of the jobs, 68.3 times the national share (Statistics Norway table 13470, 2025).
  • No. 181 Volda (−1.1%, 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: «Centrality (Statistics Norway's centrality index, 6 is most central)» 3 (no. 81 of 357 from the top; Statistics Norway, centrality index). Most distinctive industry: undervisning, 16% of the jobs, 2.0 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. Ål 5.6% 1,111% above the median of the municipalities.
  • 2. Lørenskog 3.0% 547% above the median of the municipalities.
  • 3. Hitra 2.8% 514% above the median of the municipalities.
  • 181. Volda −1.1% 337% below the median of the municipalities.
  • 182. Sunndal −1.4% 397% below the median of the municipalities.
  • 183. Sel −2.7% 692% below the median of the municipalities.
#Municipality County Inhabitants population growth
1 Ål Buskerud 5,106 5.6%
2 Lørenskog Akershus 51,511 3.0%
3 Hitra Trøndelag - Trööndelage 5,568 2.8%
4 Frøya Trøndelag - Trööndelage 5,794 2.5%
5 Lillehammer Innlandet 29,669 2.3%
6 Ullensaker Akershus 45,982 2.0%
7 Hole Buskerud 7,205 2.0%
8 Rælingen Akershus 20,904 1.9%
9 Hareid Møre og Romsdal 5,411 1.7%
10 Ås Akershus 22,725 1.7%
11 Vestby Akershus 20,167 1.6%
12 Bjørnafjorden Vestland 26,753 1.6%
13 Time Rogaland 20,461 1.5%
14 Nesodden Akershus 21,005 1.5%
15 Austevoll Vestland 5,515 1.4%
16 Gjesdal Rogaland 12,715 1.4%
17 Eidsvoll Akershus 28,739 1.4%
18 Bømlo Vestland 12,531 1.3%
19 Øygarden Vestland 40,641 1.3%
20 Sola Rogaland 29,541 1.3%
21 Kvinesdal Agder 6,242 1.3%
22 Enebakk Akershus 11,697 1.3%
23 Vindafjord Rogaland 9,181 1.2%
24 Klepp Rogaland 21,444 1.2%
25 Hamar Innlandet 33,817 1.1%
26 Eigersund Rogaland 15,546 1.1%
27 Nordre Follo Akershus 65,381 1.1%
28 Våler (Østfold) Østfold 6,229 1.1%
29 Ulstein Møre og Romsdal 8,958 1.1%
30 Moss Østfold 53,207 1.1%
31 Strand Rogaland 13,959 1.1%
32 Lillestrøm Akershus 96,771 1.1%
33 Indre Østfold Østfold 47,943 1.0%
34 Sandnes Rogaland 85,785 1.0%
35 Stavanger Rogaland 151,669 1.0%
36 Asker Akershus 101,509 1.0%
37 Vestnes Møre og Romsdal 7,315 1.0%
38 Vennesla Agder 15,772 1.0%
39 Nannestad Akershus 16,662 1.0%
40 Kristiansand Agder 119,287 0.9%
41 Alta Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku 22,074 0.9%
42 Trondheim Trøndelag - Trööndelage 218,460 0.9%
43 Luster Vestland 5,478 0.8%
44 Ringsaker Innlandet 36,199 0.8%
45 Sarpsborg Østfold 60,614 0.8%
46 Aurskog-Høland Akershus 18,458 0.8%
47 Ålesund Møre og Romsdal 59,663 0.8%
48 Modum Buskerud 14,776 0.8%
49 Lillesand Agder 11,822 0.7%
50 Ørland Trøndelag - Trööndelage 10,706 0.7%

Not ranked because the municipality has fewer than 5,000 inhabitants, where a few people can move the figure a lot (174): Alvdal (−0.7%), Andøy (−0.4%), Aremark (0.6%), Askvoll (−0.2%), Aukra (0.6%), Aure (−0.7%), Aurland (1.6%), Austrheim (1.1%), Bardu (1.1%), Beiarn (−2.5%), Berlevåg (−2.9%), Bindal (−0.9%), Bjerkreim (−0.4%), Bokn (1.6%), Bremanger (0.6%), Bygland (0.4%), Bykle (1.7%), Båtsfjord (−0.1%), Bø (−0.3%), Dovre (0.3%), Drangedal (−0.3%), Dyrøy (0.7%), Dønna (−0.1%), Eidfjord (1.9%), Engerdal (−2.9%), Etne (0.5%), Etnedal (27.0%), Evenes (2.6%), Evje og Hornnes (0.4%), Fedje (1.5%), Fitjar (0.9%), Fjaler (0.8%), Fjord (1.6%), Flakstad (−2.4%), Flatanger (−1.0%), Flesberg (−0.3%), Flå (0.4%), Folldal (−1.0%), Frosta (0.2%), Fyresdal (1.4%) …