Alta: population and statistics
Alta has a population of 22,074 (2026) across 3,651.0 km², or 6.0 people per km². It ranks 58 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is growing: +9.8% between 2016 and 2026.
- 22,074 residents
- 3,651.0 km²
- 6 people/km²
- 19 m
Key points
Among the 18 municipalities in Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku, Alta ranks No. 1 by population.
Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men): 80.9 years in Alta, compared with an average of 80.9 years in Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku and 83.1 years nationally.
Share of dwellings built before 1946: 0.3% in Alta, compared with an average of 2.2% in Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku and 15.9% nationally.
Largest business sector: Construction, with 13.8% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 49° generates about 742 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- Number 1 in Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku for “Population”.
- Number 1 in Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku for “Population density”.
- “Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men)”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of dwellings built before 1946”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over”: lower than in 96% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 511,345 football pitches.
- Its population density is 3.1 times lower than the national average.
Alta in numbers
All indicators for Alta
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 | Alta | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 2.7 per 1,000 inh. | 3.2 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 201 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 16.0% | 20.3% | 23.7% | ranked 336 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 22.2% | 18.4% | 18.7% | ranked 28 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Alta | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 10,169 | 42,158 | 2,760,619 | ranked 62 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 0.3% | 2.2% | 16.4% | ranked 347 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 32.2% | 20.7% | 21.8% | ranked 59 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 80.0% | 83.0% | 89.9% | ranked 281 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 11.0% | 8.3% | 4.4% | ranked 82 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 62.4 per 1,000 inh. | 151.3 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 272 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Alta | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 2,779 | 10,657 | 656,492 | ranked 46 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 125.9 per 1,000 inh. | 141.6 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 187 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 541,200 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 45 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 3,516 per 1,000 inh. | 12,488 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 49 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 159.3 per 1,000 inh. | 165.9 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 199 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 14.8 per 1,000 inh. | 13.4 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 54 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Alta | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 70.8% | 68.9% | 67.5% | ranked 64 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 0.9% | 1.0% | 0.9% | ranked 164 of 351 |
Tourism
| Indicator | Alta | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight stays at hotels, campsites and cabin villages (2025) | 226,397 | – | 112,411 | ranked 25 of 103 |
Transport
| Indicator | Alta | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 568 per 1,000 inh. | 550 per 1,000 inh. | 591 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 226 of 351 | |
| Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport (2025) | 14.5% | 11.5% | 19.7% | ranked 257 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Alta | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 13.1% | 17.5% | 15.2% | ranked 251 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Alta | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men) (2025) | 80.9 years | 80.9 | 82.8 | ranked 334 of 351 |
Education
| Indicator | Alta | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 34.8% | 31.6% | 27.5% | ranked 49 of 351 |
Population of Alta over time
Alta had 20,097 residents in 2016 and 22,074 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 20,847 |
| 2022 | 21,144 |
| 2023 | 21,317 |
| 2024 | 21,708 |
| 2025 | 21,877 |
| 2026 | 22,074 |
Where is Alta?
Business sectors: Alta
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Construction13.8% ×1.3
- Real estate12.6% ×1.2
- Wholesale and retail trade10.8% ×1.0
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing10.6% ×1.0
- Health and social work10.2% ×1.1
- Professional, scientific and technical7.9% ×0.7
- Administrative and support services6.4% ×1.4
- Transport and storage5.1% ×1.1
Sunshine and temperatures: Alta
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Alta?
Alta has 22,074 residents (2026), ranking 58 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Alta?
Alta covers 3,651.0 km², with a density of 6 people per km².
Is the population of Alta growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Alta went from 20,097 to 22,074, a change of +9.8%.
Where is Alta?
Alta is in Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku. Latitude 69.967, longitude 23.273.
Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men): what is the figure for Alta?
In Alta, “Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men)” stands at 80.9 years (2025), ranking 334 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 82.8 years.
Share of dwellings built before 1946: what is the figure for Alta?
In Alta, “Share of dwellings built before 1946” stands at 0.3% (2026), ranking 347 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 16.4%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Alta?
In Alta, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 49° produces about 742 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Alta?
The nearest to Alta are Loppa (46 km), Kvænangen (50 km), Porsanger - Porsángu - Porsanki (65 km), Hasvik (78 km), Hammerfest - Hámmerfeasta (79 km).