Ål: population and statistics
Ål has a population of 5,106 (2026) across 1,081.0 km², or 4.7 people per km². It ranks 183 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +8.4% between 2016 and 2026.
- 5,106 residents
- 1,081.0 km²
- 5 people/km²
- 940 m
Key points
Among the 18 municipalities in Buskerud, Ål ranks No. 8 by population.
Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants: 55.2 per 1,000 inh. in Ål, compared with an average of 6.4 per 1,000 inh. in Buskerud and 4.0 per 1,000 inh. nationally.
Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants: 620.8 per 1,000 inh. in Ål, compared with an average of 179.8 per 1,000 inh. in Buskerud and 80.4 per 1,000 inh. nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 19.5% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 45° generates about 913 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Buskerud for “Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants”.
- “Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants”: higher than in 99% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 151,401 football pitches.
- Its population density is 3.9 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Hol, 16.4 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Sogndal (12,552 residents), 101 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,652 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Ål in numbers
All indicators for Ål
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 | Ål | Buskerud | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 55.2 per 1,000 inh. | 6.4 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 2 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 24.1% | 20.5% | 23.7% | ranked 158 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 17.0% | 19.1% | 18.7% | ranked 266 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Ål | Buskerud | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 2,690 | 132,645 | 2,760,619 | ranked 184 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 20.4% | 16.4% | 16.4% | ranked 107 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 19.2% | 25.9% | 21.8% | ranked 200 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 89.9% | 74.5% | 89.9% | ranked 173 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 3.5% | 20.5% | 4.4% | ranked 200 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 620.8 per 1,000 inh. | 179.8 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 39 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Ål | Buskerud | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 946 | 33,324 | 656,492 | ranked 137 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 185.3 per 1,000 inh. | 122.1 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 70 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 498,500 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 186 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 1,205 per 1,000 inh. | 45,107 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 142 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 236.0 per 1,000 inh. | 165.3 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 45 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 14.1 per 1,000 inh. | 12.6 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 72 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Ål | Buskerud | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 67.7% | 66.8% | 67.5% | ranked 170 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 0.6% | 1.3% | 0.9% | ranked 268 of 351 |
Transport
| Indicator | Ål | Buskerud | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 563 per 1,000 inh. | 547 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 241 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 19.6% | 27.6% | 19.7% | ranked 179 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Ål | Buskerud | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 21.5% | 25.8% | 15.2% | ranked 54 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Ål | Buskerud | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men) (2025) | 82.7 years | 82.7 | 82.8 | ranked 203 of 351 |
Education
| Indicator | Ål | Buskerud | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 31.0% | 33.7% | 27.5% | ranked 90 of 351 |
Population of Ål over time
Ål had 4,711 residents in 2016 and 5,106 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,648 |
| 2022 | 4,650 |
| 2023 | 4,862 |
| 2024 | 5,007 |
| 2025 | 4,835 |
| 2026 | 5,106 |
Where is Ål?
Business sectors: Ål
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing19.5% ×1.9
- Construction17.9% ×1.7
- Wholesale and retail trade9.7% ×0.9
- Real estate9.3% ×0.9
- Professional, scientific and technical7.9% ×0.7
- Health and social work7.4% ×0.8
- Arts, entertainment and recreation5.2% ×1.0
- Manufacturing4.3% ×1.3
Sunshine and temperatures: Ål
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Ål?
Ål has 5,106 residents (2026), ranking 183 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Ål?
Ål covers 1,081.0 km², with a density of 5 people per km².
Is the population of Ål growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Ål went from 4,711 to 5,106, a change of +8.4%.
Where is Ål?
Ål is in Buskerud. Latitude 60.676, longitude 8.577.
Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Ål?
In Ål, “Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 55.2 per 1,000 inh. (2025), ranking 2 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 4.1 per 1,000 inh..
Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants: what is the figure for Ål?
In Ål, “Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants” stands at 620.8 per 1,000 inh. (2026), ranking 39 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 153.1 per 1,000 inh..
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Ål?
In Ål, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 45° produces about 913 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Ål?
The nearest to Ål are Hol (16 km), Gol (24 km), Hemsedal (26 km), Nesbyen (31 km), Nore og Uvdal (43 km).