Gjerstad: population and statistics
Gjerstad has a population of 2,502 (2026) across 308.0 km², or 8.1 people per km². It ranks 255 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +1.2% between 2016 and 2026.
- 2,502 residents
- 308.0 km²
- 8 people/km²
- 138 m
Key points
Among the 25 municipalities in Agder, Gjerstad ranks No. 16 by population.
Share with university or university college education: 20.3% in Gjerstad, compared with an average of 33.9% in Agder and 38.3% nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 22.6% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 40° generates about 934 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Share with university or university college education”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Median income before tax (gross income)”: lower than in 96% of municipalities.
- “Share of dwellings built before 1946”: higher than in 94% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 43,137 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.3 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Vegårshei, 14.8 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Kragerø (10,378 residents), 22 km away.
Gjerstad in numbers
All indicators for Gjerstad
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 | Gjerstad | Agder | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 6.0 per 1,000 inh. | 3.8 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 131 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 25.2% | 19.6% | 23.7% | ranked 119 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 16.4% | 20.5% | 18.7% | ranked 286 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Gjerstad | Agder | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 1,337 | 159,432 | 2,760,619 | ranked 263 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 27.9% | 15.9% | 16.4% | ranked 21 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 21.0% | 31.1% | 21.8% | ranked 182 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 94.0% | 77.3% | 89.9% | ranked 72 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 0.6% | 16.1% | 4.4% | ranked 306 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 131.1 per 1,000 inh. | 123.1 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 195 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Gjerstad | Agder | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 336 | 38,330 | 656,492 | ranked 277 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 134.3 per 1,000 inh. | 118.3 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 163 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 449,100 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 337 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 432 per 1,000 inh. | 51,828 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 270 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 172.7 per 1,000 inh. | 160.0 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 162 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 9.2 per 1,000 inh. | 13.3 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 293 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Gjerstad | Agder | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 63.0% | 65.2% | 67.5% | ranked 305 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 1.2% | 1.1% | 0.9% | ranked 72 of 351 |
Transport
| Indicator | Gjerstad | Agder | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 637 per 1,000 inh. | 527 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 62 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 16.6% | 29.3% | 19.7% | ranked 228 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Gjerstad | Agder | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 13.6% | 17.9% | 15.2% | ranked 232 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Gjerstad | 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 | Gjerstad | Agder | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 20.3% | 33.9% | 27.5% | ranked 346 of 351 |
Population of Gjerstad over time
Gjerstad had 2,473 residents in 2016 and 2,502 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,430 |
| 2022 | 2,427 |
| 2023 | 2,421 |
| 2024 | 2,444 |
| 2025 | 2,492 |
| 2026 | 2,502 |
Where is Gjerstad?
Business sectors: Gjerstad
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing22.6% ×2.2
- Construction13.9% ×1.3
- Wholesale and retail trade12.0% ×1.1
- Real estate9.3% ×0.9
- Health and social work7.5% ×0.8
- Manufacturing7.2% ×2.1
- Professional, scientific and technical5.7% ×0.5
- Administrative and support services5.7% ×1.2
Sunshine and temperatures: Gjerstad
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Gjerstad?
Gjerstad has 2,502 residents (2026), ranking 255 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Gjerstad?
Gjerstad covers 308.0 km², with a density of 8 people per km².
Is the population of Gjerstad growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Gjerstad went from 2,473 to 2,502, a change of +1.2%.
Where is Gjerstad?
Gjerstad is in Agder. Latitude 58.892, longitude 8.957.
Share with university or university college education: what is the figure for Gjerstad?
In Gjerstad, “Share with university or university college education” stands at 20.3% (2025), ranking 346 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 27.5%.
Median income before tax (gross income): what is the figure for Gjerstad?
In Gjerstad, “Median income before tax (gross income)” stands at 449,100 NOK (2024), ranking 337 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 500,900 NOK.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Gjerstad?
In Gjerstad, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 40° produces about 934 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Gjerstad?
The nearest to Gjerstad are Vegårshei (15 km), Kragerø (22 km), Risør (24 km), Drangedal (26 km), Tvedestrand (28 km).