Kongsberg: population and statistics
Kongsberg has a population of 29,169 (2026) across 754.0 km², or 38.7 people per km². It ranks 40 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +8.0% between 2016 and 2026.
- 29,169 residents
- 754.0 km²
- 39 people/km²
- 172 m
Key points
Among the 18 municipalities in Buskerud, Kongsberg ranks No. 3 by population.
Share with university or university college education: 41.0% in Kongsberg, compared with an average of 33.7% in Buskerud and 38.3% nationally.
Largest business sector: Wholesale and retail trade, with 13.7% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 45° generates about 955 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Share with university or university college education”: higher than in 95% of municipalities.
- “Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied)”: higher than in 90% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 105,602 football pitches.
- Its population density is 2.1 times the national average.
- The nearest municipality is Øvre Eiker, 16.0 km away.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Drammen (106,013 residents), 33 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 3,820 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Kongsberg in numbers
All indicators for Kongsberg
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 | Kongsberg | Buskerud | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 6.5 per 1,000 inh. | 6.4 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 122 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 20.8% | 20.5% | 23.7% | ranked 264 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 18.5% | 19.1% | 18.7% | ranked 187 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Kongsberg | Buskerud | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 14,700 | 132,645 | 2,760,619 | ranked 37 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 14.5% | 16.4% | 16.4% | ranked 212 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 32.1% | 25.9% | 21.8% | ranked 61 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 76.1% | 74.5% | 89.9% | ranked 310 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 16.5% | 20.5% | 4.4% | ranked 51 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 90.8 per 1,000 inh. | 179.8 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 241 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Kongsberg | Buskerud | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 2,886 | 33,324 | 656,492 | ranked 44 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 98.9 per 1,000 inh. | 122.1 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 298 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 546,600 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 40 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 4,013 per 1,000 inh. | 45,107 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 44 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 137.6 per 1,000 inh. | 165.3 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 279 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 10.5 per 1,000 inh. | 12.6 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 246 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Kongsberg | Buskerud | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 68.0% | 66.8% | 67.5% | ranked 157 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 1.0% | 1.3% | 0.9% | ranked 129 of 351 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Kongsberg | Buskerud | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays at hotels, campsites and cabin villages (2025) | 102,497 | – | 112,411 | ranked 57 of 103 |
Transport
| Indicator | Kongsberg | Buskerud | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 569 per 1,000 inh. | 547 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 221 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 25.4% | 27.6% | 19.7% | ranked 97 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Kongsberg | Buskerud | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 20.6% | 25.8% | 15.2% | ranked 64 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Kongsberg | 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 | Kongsberg | Buskerud | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 41.0% | 33.7% | 27.5% | ranked 18 of 351 |
Population of Kongsberg over time
Kongsberg had 27,013 residents in 2016 and 29,169 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 27,694 |
| 2022 | 27,879 |
| 2023 | 28,793 |
| 2024 | 28,848 |
| 2025 | 29,011 |
| 2026 | 29,169 |
Where is Kongsberg?
Business sectors: Kongsberg
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Wholesale and retail trade13.7% ×1.2
- Construction11.7% ×1.1
- Real estate11.4% ×1.0
- Health and social work10.6% ×1.1
- Professional, scientific and technical10.6% ×0.9
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing10.3% ×1.0
- Administrative and support services4.4% ×1.0
- Information and communication4.3% ×0.9
Sunshine and temperatures: Kongsberg
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Kongsberg?
Kongsberg has 29,169 residents (2026), ranking 40 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Kongsberg?
Kongsberg covers 754.0 km², with a density of 39 people per km².
Is the population of Kongsberg growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Kongsberg went from 27,013 to 29,169, a change of +8.0%.
Where is Kongsberg?
Kongsberg is in Buskerud. Latitude 59.665, longitude 9.646.
Share with university or university college education: what is the figure for Kongsberg?
In Kongsberg, “Share with university or university college education” stands at 41.0% (2025), ranking 18 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 27.5%.
Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied): what is the figure for Kongsberg?
In Kongsberg, “Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied)” stands at 14,700 (2026), ranking 37 of 357 municipalities; the national median is 2,949.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Kongsberg?
In Kongsberg, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 45° produces about 955 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Kongsberg?
The nearest to Kongsberg are Øvre Eiker (16 km), Flesberg (22 km), Notodden (25 km), Drammen (33 km), Modum (38 km).