Arendal: population and statistics
Arendal has a population of 46,603 (2026) across 255.0 km², or 183 people per km². It ranks 24 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +5.2% between 2016 and 2026.
- 46,603 residents
- 255.0 km²
- 183 people/km²
- 33 m
Key points
Among the 25 municipalities in Agder, Arendal ranks No. 2 by population.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 14.0% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 42° generates about 1,000 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied)”: higher than in 94% of municipalities.
- “Establishments”: higher than in 94% of municipalities.
- “Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74”: lower than in 91% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 35,714 football pitches.
- Its population density is 9.9 times the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Froland, 17.2 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Kristiansand (119,287 residents), 57 km away.
Arendal in numbers
All indicators for Arendal
Value for the municipality, then the regional average and the national median (for counts: regional and national totals). The gauge places the municipality between the lowest and highest value in the country.
Population
| Indicator | Arendal | Agder | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 2.0 per 1,000 inh. | 3.8 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 220 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 21.9% | 19.6% | 23.7% | ranked 234 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 19.2% | 20.5% | 18.7% | ranked 143 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Arendal | Agder | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 23,134 | 159,432 | 2,760,619 | ranked 22 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 19.6% | 15.9% | 16.4% | ranked 124 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 27.5% | 31.1% | 21.8% | ranked 99 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 82.1% | 77.3% | 89.9% | ranked 262 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 12.8% | 16.1% | 4.4% | ranked 74 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 37.6 per 1,000 inh. | 123.1 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 297 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Arendal | Agder | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 4,786 | 38,330 | 656,492 | ranked 23 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 102.7 per 1,000 inh. | 118.3 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 285 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 494,200 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 206 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 6,198 per 1,000 inh. | 51,828 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 25 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 133.0 per 1,000 inh. | 160.0 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 296 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 11.1 per 1,000 inh. | 13.3 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 210 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Arendal | Agder | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 62.2% | 65.2% | 67.5% | ranked 320 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 1.1% | 1.1% | 0.9% | ranked 97 of 351 |
Transport
| Indicator | Arendal | Agder | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 555 per 1,000 inh. | 527 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 254 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 25.0% | 29.3% | 19.7% | ranked 102 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Arendal | Agder | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 18.0% | 17.9% | 15.2% | ranked 103 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Arendal | Agder | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men) (2025) | 82.8 years | 82.8 | 82.8 | ranked 151 of 351 |
Education
| Indicator | Arendal | Agder | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 34.2% | 33.9% | 27.5% | ranked 52 of 351 |
Population of Arendal over time
Arendal had 44,313 residents in 2016 and 46,603 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 45,065 |
| 2022 | 45,509 |
| 2023 | 45,891 |
| 2024 | 46,355 |
| 2025 | 46,568 |
| 2026 | 46,603 |
Where is Arendal?
Business sectors: Arendal
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Wholesale and retail trade14.0% ×1.3
- Health and social work12.3% ×1.3
- Construction12.2% ×1.1
- Real estate11.2% ×1.0
- Professional, scientific and technical10.9% ×0.9
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing5.5% ×0.5
- Other service activities5.1% ×1.3
- Administrative and support services4.3% ×0.9
Sunshine and temperatures: Arendal
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Arendal?
Arendal has 46,603 residents (2026), ranking 24 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Arendal?
Arendal covers 255.0 km², with a density of 183 people per km².
Is the population of Arendal growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Arendal went from 44,313 to 46,603, a change of +5.2%.
Where is Arendal?
Arendal is in Agder. Latitude 58.467, longitude 8.767.
Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied): what is the figure for Arendal?
In Arendal, “Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied)” stands at 23,134 (2026), ranking 22 of 357 municipalities; the national median is 2,949.
Establishments: what is the figure for Arendal?
In Arendal, “Establishments” stands at 4,786 (2026), ranking 23 of 357 municipalities; the national median is 709.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Arendal?
In Arendal, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 42° produces about 1,000 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Arendal?
The nearest to Arendal are Froland (17 km), Grimstad (18 km), Tvedestrand (21 km), Birkenes (31 km), Vegårshei (35 km).