Vadsø: population and statistics
Vadsø has a population of 5,808 (2026) across 1,233.0 km², or 4.7 people per km². It ranks 166 of 357 municipalities by population. Its population is falling: −5.7% between 2016 and 2026.
- 5,808 residents
- 1,233.0 km²
- 5 people/km²
- 0 m
Key points
Among the 18 municipalities in Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku, Vadsø ranks No. 4 by population.
Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men): 80.9 years in Vadsø, compared with an average of 80.9 years in Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku and 83.1 years nationally.
Share of dwellings built after 2000: 8.3% in Vadsø, compared with an average of 20.7% in Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku and 27.0% nationally.
Largest business sector: Agriculture, forestry and fishing, with 16.0% of the area's business sites.
A 1 kWp solar panel tilted at 51° generates about 717 kWh a year here.
Did you know?
- “Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men)”: lower than in 99% of municipalities.
- “Share of dwellings built after 2000”: lower than in 96% of municipalities.
- “Share of electric cars among passenger cars in own-account transport”: lower than in 90% of municipalities.
- Its area is roughly equal to 172,689 football pitches.
- Its population density is 3.9 times lower than the national average.
- The nearest more populous municipality is Sør-Varanger (9,947 residents), 40 km away.
- A 4 kWp rooftop solar system here would generate about 2,868 kWh a year, roughly what an average household uses.
Vadsø in numbers
All indicators for Vadsø
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 | Vadsø | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net migration per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 8.8 per 1,000 inh. | 3.2 per 1,000 inh. | 4.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 81 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants aged 65 and over (2026) | 21.3% | 20.3% | 23.7% | ranked 254 of 351 | |
| Share of inhabitants under 18 (2026) | 17.1% | 18.4% | 18.7% | ranked 261 of 351 |
Housing
| Indicator | Vadsø | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dwellings (occupied and unoccupied) (2026) | 3,146 | 42,158 | 2,760,619 | ranked 171 of 357 | |
| Share of dwellings built before 1946 (2026) | 5.5% | 2.2% | 16.4% | ranked 321 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings built after 2000 (2026) | 8.3% | 20.7% | 21.8% | ranked 337 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in detached, semi-detached and terraced houses (2026) | 88.5% | 83.0% | 89.9% | ranked 196 of 351 | |
| Share of dwellings in blocks of flats (2026) | 6.5% | 8.3% | 4.4% | ranked 135 of 351 | |
| Cabins and holiday homes per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 145.5 per 1,000 inh. | 151.3 per 1,000 inh. | 153.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 185 of 351 |
Economy
| Indicator | Vadsø | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Establishments (2026) | 655 | 10,657 | 656,492 | ranked 192 of 357 | |
| Establishments per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 112.8 per 1,000 inh. | 141.6 per 1,000 inh. | 129.8 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 241 of 351 | |
| Median income before tax (gross income) (2024) | 528,000 NOK | – | 500,900 NOK | ranked 75 of 351 | |
| Active businesses in the Central Coordinating Register (2026) | 734 per 1,000 inh. | 12,488 per 1,000 inh. | 915,761 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 206 of 357 | |
| Active businesses in the register per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 126.4 per 1,000 inh. | 165.9 per 1,000 inh. | 167.1 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 309 of 351 | |
| Businesses registered in the last 12 months per 1,000 inhabitants (2026) | 9.3 per 1,000 inh. | 13.4 per 1,000 inh. | 11.9 per 1,000 inh. | ranked 289 of 351 |
Employment
| Indicator | Vadsø | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employed persons as a percentage of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 66.5% | 68.9% | 67.5% | ranked 203 of 351 | |
| Registered unemployed as a share of the population aged 15–74 (2025) | 1.1% | 1.0% | 0.9% | ranked 97 of 351 |
Transport
| Indicator | Vadsø | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger cars in own-account transport per 1,000 inhabitants (2025) | 569 per 1,000 inh. | 550 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) | 10.8% | 11.5% | 19.7% | ranked 314 of 351 |
Society
| Indicator | Vadsø | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share of population with immigrant background (2025) | 18.5% | 17.5% | 15.2% | ranked 90 of 351 |
Health
| Indicator | Vadsø | 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 | Vadsø | Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku | National | Position | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share with university or university college education (2025) | 35.8% | 31.6% | 27.5% | ranked 42 of 351 |
Population of Vadsø over time
Vadsø had 6,160 residents in 2016 and 5,808 in 2026.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 5,642 |
| 2022 | 5,568 |
| 2023 | 5,593 |
| 2024 | 5,807 |
| 2025 | 5,777 |
| 2026 | 5,808 |
Where is Vadsø?
Business sectors: Vadsø
Share of each sector in total business sites; “×1.5” means the sector is 1.5 times more common than nationally.
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing16.0% ×1.6
- Professional, scientific and technical10.3% ×0.9
- Health and social work10.0% ×1.0
- Real estate9.9% ×0.9
- Wholesale and retail trade9.4% ×0.8
- Other service activities6.5% ×1.6
- Construction6.2% ×0.6
- Administrative and support services4.8% ×1.0
Sunshine and temperatures: Vadsø
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Vadsø?
Vadsø has 5,808 residents (2026), ranking 166 of 357 municipalities.
How big is Vadsø?
Vadsø covers 1,233.0 km², with a density of 5 people per km².
Is the population of Vadsø growing?
Between 2016 and 2026, the population of Vadsø went from 6,160 to 5,808, a change of −5.7%.
Where is Vadsø?
Vadsø is in Finnmark - Finnmárku - Finmarkku. Latitude 70.073, longitude 29.750.
Life expectancy at birth (average of women and men): what is the figure for Vadsø?
In Vadsø, “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 after 2000: what is the figure for Vadsø?
In Vadsø, “Share of dwellings built after 2000” stands at 8.3% (2026), ranking 337 of 351 municipalities; the national median is 21.8%.
How much electricity does a solar panel produce in Vadsø?
In Vadsø, a 1 kWp south-facing system tilted at 51° produces about 717 kWh a year.
Which municipalities border Vadsø?
The nearest to Vadsø are Sør-Varanger (40 km), Unjárga - Nesseby (44 km), Båtsfjord (46 km), Deatnu - Tana (61 km), Vardø (61 km).