Vegårshei: population and statistics
Vegårshei has a population of 2,253 (2026) across 322.0 km², or 7.0 people per km². It ranks 267 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +10.7% between 2016 and 2026.
- 2,253 residents
- 322.0 km²
- 7 people/km²
- 207 m
Key points
Among the 25 municipalities in Agder, Vegårshei ranks No. 17 by population.
Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants: −17.8 per 1,000 inh. in Vegårshei, compared with an average of 3.8 per 1,000 inh. in Agder and 4.0 per 1,000 inh. nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 25.8% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 43° generates about 966 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Agder for “Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses”.
- “Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants”: lower than in 98% of municipalities.
- “Median income before tax (gross income)”: lower than in 91% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 45,098 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.6 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Gjerstad, 14.8 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Tvedestrand (6,430 residents), 17 km away.
Vegårshei in numbers
All indicators for Vegårshei
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 | Vegårshei | Agder | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | −17.8 per 1,000 inh. | 3.8 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 345 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 20.2% | 19.6% | 23.7% | ranked 279 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 20.9% | 20.5% | 18.7% | ranked 67 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Vegårshei | Agder | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 1,100 | 159,432 | 2,760,619 | ranked 292 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 23.6% | 15.9% | 16.4% | ranked 60 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 28.3% | 31.1% | 21.8% | ranked 83 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 94.7% | 77.3% | 89.9% | ranked 53 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 1.3% | 16.1% | 4.4% | ranked 274 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 340.4 per 1,000 inh. | 123.1 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 85 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Vegårshei | Agder | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 340 | 38,330 | 656,492 | ranked 273 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 150.9 per 1,000 inh. | 118.3 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 125 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 458,700 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 321 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 451 per 1,000 inh. | 51,828 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 264 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 200.2 per 1,000 inh. | 160.0 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 101 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 12.4 per 1,000 inh. | 13.3 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 143 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Vegårshei | Agder | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 62.9% | 65.2% | 67.5% | ranked 307 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 1.0% | 1.1% | 0.9% | ranked 129 of 351 |
Transport
| Indicator | Vegårshei | Agder | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 582 per 1,000 inh. | 527 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 194 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 16.3% | 29.3% | 19.7% | ranked 233 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Vegårshei | Agder | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 15.1% | 17.9% | 15.2% | ranked 180 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Vegårshei | 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 | Vegårshei | Agder | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 28.3% | 33.9% | 27.5% | ranked 149 of 351 |
Population of Vegårshei over time
Vegårshei had 2,036 residents in 2016 and 2,253 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,128 |
| 2022 | 2,131 |
| 2023 | 2,143 |
| 2024 | 2,268 |
| 2025 | 2,285 |
| 2026 | 2,253 |
Where is Vegårshei?
Business sectors: Vegårshei
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing25.8% ×2.5
- Construction24.3% ×2.3
- Real estate7.5% ×0.7
- Professional, scientific and technical7.5% ×0.6
- Wholesale and retail trade6.6% ×0.6
- Health and social work6.3% ×0.7
- Administrative and support services5.7% ×1.2
- Manufacturing4.5% ×1.3
Sunshine and temperatures: Vegårshei
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Vegårshei?
Vegårshei has 2,253 residents (2026), ranking 267 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Vegårshei?
Vegårshei covers 322.0 km², with a density of 7 people per km².
Is the population of Vegårshei growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Vegårshei went from 2,036 to 2,253, a change of +10.7%.
Where is Vegårshei?
Vegårshei is in Agder. Latitude 58.776, longitude 8.832.
Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Vegårshei?
In Vegårshei, “Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at −17.8 per 1,000 inh. (2025), ranking 345 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 4.1 per 1,000 inh..
Median income before tax (gross income): what is the figure for Vegårshei?
In Vegårshei, “Median income before tax (gross income)” stands at 458,700 NOK (2024), ranking 321 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 500,900 NOK.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Vegårshei?
In Vegårshei, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 43° produces about 966 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Vegårshei?
The nearest to Vegårshei are Gjerstad (15 km), Tvedestrand (17 km), Åmli (20 km), Risør (24 km), Froland (26 km).